Florissant Fossil Beds

https://www.nps.gov/flfo/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florissant_Fossil_Beds_National_Monument The Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is located in Teller County, Colorado. The location is famous for the abundant and exceptionally preserved insect and plant fossils that are found in the mudstones and shales of the Florissant Formation. Based on argon radiometric dating, the formation is Eocene (approximately 34 million years old) in age and has been interpreted as a lake environment. The fossils have been preserved because of the interaction of the volcanic ash from the nearby Thirtynine Mile volcanic field with diatoms in the lake, causing an diatom bloom. As the diatoms fell to the bottom of the lake, any plants or animals that had recently died were preserved by the diatom falls. Fine layers of clays and muds interspersed with layers of ash form "paper shales" holding beautifully-preserved fossils. Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossils of insects and plants reveal the story of a very different, prehistoric Colorado. Visitors traveling north/south on I-25: Exit at US 24 West, travel 35 miles to town of Florissant, then follow signs two miles south on Teller County Road 1 to the Visitor Center. Visitors traveling from town of Cripple Creek: Follow Teller County Road 1 north for 16 miles. Florissant Fossil Beds Visitor Center The Visitor Center is where you should start your visit to Florissant Fossil Beds. At the Visitor Center you can show your pass, if you have one, and/or get passes. There is also a museum full of fossil exhibits, a theater to see the park film, and a bookstore. The Visitor Center also has bathrooms and a water fountain. Park entrance off of Teller County Road 1, two miles south of the intersection of Teller County Road 1 and Highway 24 in Florissant, Colorado Big Stump Fossil redwood stump Walk the Petrified Trail Loop to see fossil redwood stumps Ancient Wasp Fossil palaeovespa, ancient wasp Captured 34 million years ago, this ancient wasp and other insects are on display at Florissant Fossil Beds NM. Hornbek Homestead Visitors Visitors at Hornbek Homestead Visitors explore the Hornbek Homestead, built in 1878. Junior Rangers Junior Rangers in Visitors Center Youth of all ages participate in the Junior Rangers program at the Monument. Self Guided Trails View of the Florissant valley with grassy meadows and mountains in the distance View from the top of the self-guided Geologic Trail Campers, Composers, and Cake at Florissant Fossil Beds in the Summer of 2019 Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, for the second year in a row, offered a free geology and paleontology camp for upper elementary students. three men standing in a grassy field Paleontological Modeling Example—Redwood Trio 3D Fossilized Redwood Trio Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado model of fossil redwood stumps National Park Getaway: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Set aside as a national monument in 1969, this lesser-known national park protects one of the richest fossil deposits in the world. Over the past 140 years, paleontologists have also found fossils of plants, mammals, fish, birds, snails, and mollusks. That level of diversity of fossil insects at any one locality is extraordinarily rare in the world. Fossilized wasp Checking Florissant's Vital Signs In 2007, the Rocky Mountain Inventory and Monitoring Network—a small team of NPS scientists—began monitoring natural resources, called “vital signs,” in Florissant Fossil Beds and nearby park units. Vital signs indicate park health and serve as red flags if conditions deteriorate, supporting park managers’ efforts to make science-based management decisions. Learn about the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program and its work in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. petrified redwood stump on edge of a green, grassy valley with buildings and horizon in background 2012 Freeman Tilden Award Recipients In 2012, seven rangers were awarded the national and region Freeman Tilden Awards for innovative and exciting interpretive programs. Learn their stories and more about their award-winning programs. Renee Albertoli Wildland Fire in Douglas Fir: Western United States Douglas fir is widely distributed throughout the western United States, as well as southern British Columbia and northern Mexico. Douglas fir is able to survive without fire, its abundantly-produced seeds are lightweight and winged, allowing the wind to carry them to new locations where seedlings can be established. Close-up of Douglas fir bark and needles. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado 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. [Site Under Development] group of three fossil stumps 2017 Recipients: George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service Meet the recipients of the 2017 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. These award recipients are recognized for their exceptional dedication and service to parks and programs. Boy outside holding a tool onto a wooden post. Wildland Fire in Ponderosa Pine: Western United States This forest community generally exists in areas with annual rainfall of 25 inches or less. Extensive pure stands of this forest type are found in the southwestern U.S., central Washington and Oregon, southern Idaho and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Recently burned ponderosa pine forest. Florissant Fossil Beds Virtual Night Sky Junior Ranger Online Activity Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Virtual Night Sky Junior Ranger Badge Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Virtual Night Sky Junior Ranger Badge Draw Your Own Big Stump Face Challenge Florissant Fossil Beds protects some of the largest petrified tree stumps in the world by diameter. During the 1800s, people tried to saw the park's famous Big Stump into pieces. If you look close enough, you can make out a grumpy face on the Big Stump. Use templates to decorate Big Stump as your own artistic masterpiece without causing damage to these protected resources. Fossilized tree stump with a sad face drawn over the photograph to make the tree stump look grumpy Latinos en Capas, "Latinos in Layers" (A Poem Connecting Geology to Latino Culture) Through the poem "Latinos en Capas," Astrid Garcia and Franklin Cruz convey various aspects of Latino culture using the geology and paleontology of Florissant Fossil Beds. A multi-generational Latino family admire a large petrified Redwood stump. 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: 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: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available. park scene mountains Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 11, No. 2, Fall 2019 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> devils tower Series: Photogrammetry Applications and Examples Photogrammetry is the science and art of using photographs to extract three-dimensional information from a series of well-placed images. Paired with either a standard ruler or GPS locations of camera positions provides the scale in completed models. This Series provides examples of photogrammetry projects for a variety of resources in National Parks. fossil redwood stump trio 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 Volcanic Processes—Lahars Lahars are volcanic mudflows and are among the most destructive of volcanic phenomena. Lahars present significant geohazards since they can travel great distances down river valleys and impact population centers away from the immediate area of a volcano. wide river valley filled with sediment and snowy peaks in the distance 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 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. 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 Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 15, No. 1, Spring 2023 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> three people working in a fossil quarry Fifty Years of Adventures in Paleobotany: A Tribute to Herb Meyer The adventures of paleobotanist Herb Meyer, recently retired from Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, are presented in this tribute to the monument’s paleontologist. Dr. Meyer undertook cutting edge research and mentored dozens of young paleontologists leaving an important legacy at the monument. a person standing atop a fossil tree stump