Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is a United States National Monument in the south central region of Colorado. It is known for a large abundance of Eocene Epoch fossils, ranging from imprints of twigs and seeds in shale to massive ancient fossilized Sequoia tree stumps which can be more than 40 feet in diameter. Unlike many national parks, Florissant Fossil Beds operates on standard business hours, 8AM to 6PM in the Summer months, 9AM to 5PM in the Fall, Winter, and Springs months.

Understand

"Florissant" is French for "flowering" or "flourishing".

History

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Climate
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation+Snow totals in inches
   Data from NOAA (1981-2010)
Metric conversion
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation+Snow totals in mm

Get in

By car

Take US Highway 24 west from Colorado Springs for 30 miles to the small town of Florissant, then turn south on Teller County Road 1 for 2 miles. The road runs through the middle of the park.

By plane

Fees and permits

Each person is required to pay a $3 fee, good for 7 days. A Local Passport may be purchased for $15, good for the whole year.

There are several passes for groups traveling together in a private vehicle or individuals on foot or on bike. These passes provide free entry at national parks and national wildlife refuges, and also cover standard amenity fees at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation. These passes are valid at all national parks including Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument:

  • The $80 Annual Pass (valid for twelve months from date of issue) can be purchased by anyone. Military personnel can obtain a free annual pass in person at a federal recreation site by showing a Common Access Card (CAC) or Military ID.
  • U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over can obtain a Senior Pass (valid for the life of the holder) in person at a federal recreation site for $80, or through the mail for $90; applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and age. This pass also provides a fifty percent discount on some park amenities. Seniors can also obtain a $20 annual pass.
  • U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities can obtain an Access Pass (valid for the life of the holder) in person at a federal recreation site at no charge, or through the mail for $10; applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and permanent disability. This pass also provides a fifty percent discount on some park amenities.
  • Individuals who have volunteered 250 or more hours with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program can receive a free Volunteer Pass.
  • 4th graders can receive an Annual 4th Grade Pass that allows free entry for the duration of the 4th grade school year (September-August) to the bearer and any accompanying passengers in a private non-commercial vehicle. Registration at the Every Kid in a Park website is required.

In 2018 the National Park Service will offer four days on which entry is free for all national parks: January 15 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), April 21 (1st Day of NPS Week), September 22 (National Public Lands Day), and November 11 (Veterans Day weekend).

Get around

Most of the park is accessible by well maintained trails.

See
  • Visitor Center. Inside are shelves with real fossils on display. A short orientation film entitled "Shadows of the Past" is played often. 
  • Amphitheater. Where most of the ranger talks are given, a trio of petrified stumps and one lone stump are on display. 
  • Hornbek Homestead. Five buildings are inpeccably preserved, the result of hard work by Adeline Hornbek, one of the many women who took advantage of the Homestead Act of 1862. 

Do

Hiking

There are 15 miles of hiking trails in the park.

  • Petrified Forest Loop. This easy 1-mile loop leads through the ancient bed of Lake Florissant. Multiple petrified stumps are on the side of the trail, including the most famous, the Big Stump (38 feet around). A 0.1-mile side trip leads to the Scudder excavation pit, where paleontologists are extracting fossils from the exposed shale to this day. 
  • Ponderosa Loop. Wheelchair accessible 0.5-mile trail leading through the modern forest, passing by many culturally modified trees (bark removed by Native Americans for food). 

Ranger Programs
  • Ranger Programs. Depending on the time of year (Summer being the busiest time) and staffing, ranger talks are given on the history of the area, as are guided nature walks around the park. 
  • Junior Ranger Program. Children ages 6-11 can complete a Junior Ranger booklet and receive either a badge or patch as a reward. The booklet has many activities about the park and its history. Although mostly for children, any age can complete the program. 

Buy

The visitor center has the usual history books, games, clothes, children's activities, among other things.

Eat

There are 3 picnic areas in the park: one near the visitor center; the Barksdale Picnic Area off of Lower Twin Rock Road; and at the Hornbek Homestead.

Drink

Several vending machines near the visitor center offer a variety of soft drinks.

Sleep

There in only one non-affiliated place to sleep in the park, and no places in the town of Florissant.

Lodging

Plenty of lodges are located in the nearby towns of Cripple Creek, Woodland Park, and others.

Camping

The nearest place to camp would be Mueller State Park or the Pike National Forest, flanking the park to the East and West.

Stay safe

Go next

Continuing south 18 miles on County Road 1 will lead to the city of Cripple Creek, a popular town rich with gold mining history and gambling casinos.

Routes through Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Minturn ← Buena Vista ←  W  E  → Manitou Springs → Colorado Springs


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