Agate Fossil Beds

https://www.nps.gov/agfo/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agate_Fossil_Beds_National_Monument Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is located near Harrison, Nebraska. The main features of the monument are a valley of the Niobrara River and the fossils found on Carnegie Hill and University Hill. The area largely consists of grass-covered plains. Plants on the site include prairie sandreed, blue grama, little bluestem and needle and thread grass, and the wildflowers lupin, spiderwort, western wallflower and sunflowers. In the early 1900s, paleontologists unearthed the Age of Mammals when they found full skeletons of extinct Miocene mammals in the hills of Nebraska -- species previously only known through fragments. At the same time, an age of friendship began between rancher James Cook and Chief Red Cloud of the Lakota. These two unprecedented events are preserved and protected here... at Agate Fossil Beds. From US 20: 22 miles south of Harrison, NE on State Hwy 29, then three miles east on River Road (paved) From US 26: 34 miles north of Mitchell, NE on State Hwy 29, then three miles east on River Road (paved). From State Hwy 71: 25 miles west on the unpaved portion of River Road. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Visitor Center The visitor center is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. Summer hours are May 15 through September 30. The visitor center features a large diorama of Miocene mammal fossils, 12-minute park movie, and the James H. Cook Collection of Lakota artifacts, a unique collection of American Indian artifacts gifted to the Cook family by Chief Red Cloud and his descendants. Two trails are open every day from dawn till dusk. From US 20: 22 miles south of Harrison, NE on State Hwy 29, then three miles east on River Road (paved) From US 26: 34 miles north of Mitchell, NE on State Hwy 29, then three miles east on River Road (paved). From State Hwy 71: 25 miles west on the unpaved portion of River Road. Visitor Center on the Prairie The visitor center sits in the middle of mixed grass prairie. From the Fossil Hills Trail the Visitor Center is a ship in a sea of prairie grasses. The Agate Fossil Hills and Tipis Tipis and Fossil Hills represent the two subjects that Agate Fossil Beds interprets. One of the first impressions that visitors have are the tipis and the Fossil Hills. A July Storm Passes Thunderheads are common in July. Summer storms include thunderheads and lightning and can be exciting and dangerous. Dinohyus in the Visitor Center Fossil Diorama The Dinohyus was a scavenger, nicknamed "Terrible Pig" Visitors stare in wonder at the huge head of the "apex" predator of the plains some 20 million years ago. The James H. Cook collection This buckskin shirt decorated with quills was worn by Red Cloud. Visitors agree that this shirt decorated with quillwork and worn by Red Cloud of the Oglala Lakota is a priceless piece of history. National Park Getaways; Agate Fossil Beds National Monument It was a stand-off until nature intervened and ended the struggle. Exactly how remains a mystery. But in the prairie of Nebraska are numerous preserved bones in one of the world's most significant Miocene Epoch mammal sites. Fossil diorama Listening to the Eclipse: National Park Service scientists join Smithsonian, NASA in nationwide project A solar eclipse is visually stunning, but what will it sound like? NPS scientists will find out by recording sounds in parks across the USA. An NPS scientist installs audio recording equipment in a lush valley at Valles Caldera NP. Prescribed Fire used to Remove Invasive Species and Reduce Hazardous Fuels Agate Fossil Beds National Monument conducted a prescribed fire in the mixed grass prairie and wetlands of the Niobrara River basin. The goals of the approximately 670-acre burn were to decrease fuel loading and the presence of invasive plant species in and around the floodplain. Fire serves as a natural, and necessary, control on the buildup of plant matter and invasive plants. wildland fire fighter igniting a prescribed burn Plant Community Monitoring at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument The lush valley and remote rocky outcrops at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument are home to over 363 plant species. Native plant diversity is moderate in the mixed-grass prairie at the park compared to other grasslands in the region. Monitoring can track changes to plant communities over time, as well as document species of management concern. Close up of a plant with long oval green leaves and small cream, slightly fuzzy flowers Landbird Monitoring at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument A mix of large swaths of ungrazed, mixed grass prairie, and the broad floodplains of the Niobrara river, has created wonderful habitat for wetland birds. Land bird surveys have been conducted at Agate Fossil Beds NM since 2012 A bird with bright yellow throat, perched on a fence post, singing Bat Projects in Parks: Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Across six Northern Great Plains parks, education and outreach for bats was conducted. View of Badlands National Parks unique rock formations in the distance NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. park landscape Bat Acoustic Monitoring at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a 3,058-acre park that is primarily mixed-grass prairie, but there are small groves of old cottonwoods in the floodplain of the Niobrara River that provide good roosting and foraging habitat for bats. We monitor bats using acoustic recorders to understand their current status and to detect long-term changes in bat populations. A bat resting upside-down on a tree trunk Wind Cave National Park, Nebraska National Forest Join to Teach Firefighters Ignition Operations Course In May 2014, students of wildland fire and fire management from the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Nebraska Forest Service, South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pheasants Forever, and private contractors learned key principles of firing operations in the wildland and prescribed fire environments at a cooperative presentation of the S-234, Ignition Operations course, at the Nebraska Wildland Fire Academy in Ft. Robinson, Nebraska. Northern Great Plains Annual Brome Adaptive Management Project Management and restoration of high quality, mixed-grass prairie to the NPS units has proved difficult and complex. The Annual Brome Adaptive Management project (ABAM) is attacking this problem through a cooperative effort. A firefighter uses a driptorch to ignite dried grasses while dark smoke billows behind. Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display at a visitor center Series: Prairie Ecology of the Badlands Badlands National Park is home to the nation's largest expanse of mixed-grass prairie. Here, plant species from both short-grass and tall-grass prairies mingle to create a unique home, well suited to many animals which call the park home. roots of tall yellow grasses penetrate into light brown soil beneath a cloudy blue sky. Series: Badlands Geology and Paleontology Badlands National Park is well-known for its geology and paleontology. Fossils found in the park range from 75- to 28-million years old and many are in excellent condition. The flat-lying layers of the park's formation represent classic sedimentary rock layers. a layered badlands butte's jagged edges reach into a bright blue sky. Series: Plant Community Monitoring in Northern Great Plains Network Parks Plant communities are essential components of all major ecosystems. Plants are the ultimate source of food for other organisms and the main source of organic material in soil and water. They also influence climate and provide the scenery that park visitors enjoy. The NPS Northern Great Plains Network monitors the number, identity, and relative abundance of plant species, as well as their horizontal cover and vertical structure, to determine the health of park ecosystems. Two people sitting on the ground looking at plants Women & Paleontology in the Badlands Although Badlands National Park is proud to employ many female paleontologists today, this scientific field was not always accepting of women. In this article, learn about how women's roles in paleontology have changed over years of Badlands research. a woman in a white lab coat uses a small pick while working on a baseball-sized fossil skull. Paleogene Period—66.0 to 23.0 MYA Colorful Paleogene rocks are exposed in the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park and the badlands of Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt national parks. Extraordinary Paleogene fossils are found in Fossil Butte and John Day Fossil Beds national monuments, among other parks. fossil skull with teeth expsoed Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display in a visitor center Top 10 Tips For Visiting Agate Fossil Beds Make your visit to Agate Fossil Beds enjoyable, educational and safe with these top 10 tips from our rangers! Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Things to Do in Nebraska Find things to do, trip ideas, and more in Nebraska. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Managing Invasive Grasses at Northern Great Plains Parks Non-native plants don't stop growing at a park's boundary. It takes a cooperative effort to control their spread. Volcanic Ash, Tephra Fall, and Fallout Deposits Volcanic ash, pumice, and tephra ejected in volcanic eruptions ultimately falls back to Earth where it covers the ground. These deposits may be the thin dustings or may be many tens of feet (meters) thick near an eruptive vent. Volcanic ash and tephra can present geohazards that are present great distances from the erupting volcano. photo of a bluff with exposed fine-grained volcanic ash and pumice. Bats: A Junior Ranger's Perspective Every few years, researchers from the University of Wyoming's Biodiversity Institute monitor and study the bat population at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. In 2021, a few lucky junior rangers tagged along and learned how to catch and collect data safely from these amazing mammals. Read what one of them had to say in her article about the experience. A small, brown bat with pointy ears and black wings shows its two white fangs on its bottom lip. Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian. photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface How a Flower and Fish Changed the Niobrara River People planted yellow iris and stocked northern pike in the river for beauty and sport. The iris altered the river channel, and the pike ate the native fish. Man holds a Hess sampler while standing in a river surrounded by lush green vegetation Working Together to Control Invasive Plants and Restore Prairies National parks preserve natural and historical landscapes and the wildlife that depend on them. Park managers work to maintain healthy, natural ecosystems with a variety of plants and animals native to the region. Field of green and brown grasses Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Project Profile: Manage Invasive Plants in Northern Great Plains The National Park Service will use an adaptive management approach developed with the U.S. Geological Survey to prevent, eradicate, and refine treatment methods for invasive grasses in the Northern Great Plains. The project aims to increase forage quality for bison and other wildlife, increase native plant diversity, improve pollinator habitat, increase climate resiliency, and refine restoration practices that can be broadly shared with other regions. Green grassland with yellow flowers in front of tan bluffs. Project Profile: Produce Seed for Central Grassland Ecosystems The National Park Service will increase native seed availability for plants in the mixed grass and tallgrass prairie of the Central U.S., advancing the National Seed Strategy priorities. The project will support established relationships with academic, interagency, and Tribal partners, as well as other stakeholders for seed production. Close up view of a rye plant in a green grassland field.

Agate Fossil Beds Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Nebraska National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior PHOTOS NPS UNLESS OTHERWISE CREDITED A bout 19–20 million years ago drought struck the western Nebraska plains. Deprived of food, hundreds of animals died around a few shallow water holes. Over time their skeletons were buried in the silt, fine sand, and volcanic ash carried by the wind and reworked by streams. An ancient water­hole with hundreds of fossilized skeletons is preserved today in the Niobrara River valley at Agate Fossil Beds National Mon­ument. The early 1900s discovery of this deposit and others nearby was important to the developing science of paleontology. Study of these fossils—continuing today—has helped an­swer questions about the past. But what were the conditions that created this drought and brought these animals together so long ago? Millions of years before the drought, in the Age of Dinosaurs, erosion from mountain ranges to the west formed the bed of a shallow sea. About the time dinosaurs went extinct, the Rocky Mountain ranges were forming, the sea receded, and tropical lowlands occupied what is now the Great Plains. North Amer­ica’s climate became ever cooler and drier, and volcanic activity in the western United States produced enormous amounts of ash blown eastward. Ash-mantled plains were home to great herds of plant-eating mammals and their predators. As in today’s east African savannas, the rich volcanic soils supported grasses that, together with small trees and bushes along shallow streams, fed grass- and leaf-eaters. Many animals that thrived here depended on the moderate climate for their survival, and their numbers expanded to the capacity of the food available. In time the climate grew more arid. The Rocky Mountains kept rising and blocked the flow of moisture-laden air from the west. With less rain came plants that could survive with less water. Droughts were common. Streams dried up and grasses withered. Water-dependent animals congregated at water holes between times of feeding on the dwindling plants. Large animals like the rhinoceros and the chalicothere Moropus, a distant relative of the horse, finally could not travel far enough to find fresh forage, so they died in the shallow water of the few remaining ponds. Hun­dreds and thousands of some species died, littering the area in and around water holes with their remains. In time the rains returned, the streams filled, and the process of burial began. Silt, sand, and ash covered the remains, burying them under several feet of wind­­- and stream-transported sediment. Fossils at Agate Fossil Beds Top: Fossil exhibits in visitor center. Fossil photographs are not in relative scale. JOURNAL AND FOSSILS—UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA STATE MUSEUM DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY What Animals Roamed Here? While some animals whose fossil remains were found at Agate Fossil Beds are now extinct, others are represented by a few modern relatives or descendants. Palaeo­castor had powerful clawed forelimbs for digging and long, curved teeth like modern bea­vers. Herds of Stenomylus, gazelle-camels about two feet tall, grazed grasslands beside the three-toed, pony-sized rhinoceroses Menoc- eras. The most common mammal in the bonebed, Menoceras may have roamed these plains in large herds. Only a few oreodonts, about the size of a sheep, have been found here, and they are most common in the carnivore dens nearby, where they were the prey of beardogs. Fossil remains of the ancestors of the modern horse, Parahippus, also have been found in the waterhole but are rare. Horses became extinct in North America millions of years after the dieoff event at Agate, not to return until brought back by the Spaniards. Moropus was quite fantastic. Related to both the horse and rhinoceros, it was large, had back legs shorter than the front, with great clawlike hooves. It probably browsed leaves of bushes and small trees. pigs than to carnivores. Tracks of this huge scavenger have been found in the waterhole mud. It broke bones with its teeth (bite marks show on chalicothere limb bones). Discov­eries in the 1980s included fossil remains of beardogs and other carnivores and their dens—one of the few paleontological sites of this type in the world. Another large animal, Dinohyus, was a giant entel­odont related more closely to cows and Discovery of the Fossils Most of the land that is now Agate Fossil Beds National Monu­ment was Exploring Agate Fossil Beds Visitor Center and Museum Stop here for information, activity schedules, exhibits on fossils and artifacts, and a short movie. Open daily except Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1. A picnic area is nearby. Call ahead for educa­tional programs. It leads to the fossil­ ized corkscrew burrows of the small beaver Palaeocastor. Interpretive Trails Two trails lead to im­portant fossil discovery areas. The 2.7-mile Fossil Hills Trail leads to University and Carnegie hil