Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument ⓘ

There is some evidence to suggest that Paleo Indian and Archaic peoples once inhabited or at least hunted and gathered in the Florissant valley. The human story began with people on this landscape at least 10,000 years ago. We know, from the oral traditions of today’s traditionally associated tribes, that their ancestors had developed deep connections to the land through their culture and their lifestyle. In the late 1800s, they were forcibly removed from the area. Nineteen sovereign indigenous nations were traditionally associated with this area. The tribes, listed below, describe the Monument's location as within their historic range. Southern Ute Indian Tribe Jicarilla Apache Nation Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Navajo Nation Assiniboine & Sioux Tribe Kiowa Comanche Northern Cheyenne Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo of Acoma Pueblo of Cochiti Pueblo of San Ildefonso Pueblo of Santa Clara Pueblo of Taos White Mesa Ute Zuni Tribe Arapaho of the Wind River Reservation Ute Tribe Uintah and Ouray Reservations

Soon after the first scientists arrived at Florissant, it became clear that Florissant was a kind of Rosetta Stone to paleontology. For decades, there was talk of setting aside the land. During the 1960’s, the prospect of land development would place the Florissant fossil beds in jeopardy.

Scientists pleaded to Congress to protect the fossil beds under federal law. Concerned scientists, Dr. Estella Leopold and Dr. Beatrice Willard, and citizen Vim Wright emerged as three of the strongest leaders in the cause to protect the fossils and formed a group called the Defenders of Florissant.

Like the volcanic processes that shaped Florissant 34 million years ago, the landscape of the valley was changing. Now in the 1960s, it was the political landscape in upheaval. It came down to one question: Should the land be subdivided for houses or preserved for future generations?

The people that favored protecting the area had us and future generations in mind. They knew that for thousands of years humans had marveled at the impressions of leaves and insects in stone and tried to make sense of their existence. Scientists, even from the very first expedition, recognized that this area was special.

Paleontologists and the concerned citizens from the Defenders of Florissant won a legislative battle to protect the fossil beds. It came down to a few weeks. A team of dedicated lawyers used innovative tactics that led to an injuction which allowed enough time for the legislation to pass.

On August 20 th , 1969, President Richard Nixon and the U.S. Congress granted national monument status to Florissant, ensuring the continual study of fossils, paleoclimate and climate change, and the mysteries of geologic time for decades to come.

Florissant Fossil Beds is a 6,000 acre wonderland of meadows, forests, and wildflowers. The Monument is a great place to experience and learn about the Montane ecosystem and its plants and animals. Beneath the ground is one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. With fossils ranging from massive petrified redwood tree stumps to tiny fossils of insects and plants, the Monument provides opportunities to explore life 34 million years ago.

The natural features at Florissant Fossil Beds are a showcase for the geologic history of the area.

At 8,400 feet and in the Montane life zone, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument provides for a wide range of wildlife.

View some of the the photo galleries to explore the fossils of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

More than 270 National Park Service areas preserve fossils. However only 16 of those were established wholly or in part for their fossils! Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Badlands National Park Dinosaur National Monument Fossil Butte National Monument Guadalupe Mountains National Park Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument John Day Fossil Beds National Monument Petrified Forest National Park Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

Florissant is a French word meaning "flowering" or "blooming." Although the valley was named after Florissant, Missouri by an early settler, the name is fitting in that the summers often bring blankets of beautiful wildflowers into the mountain meadows and forests. With a mixture of forests and meadows, shrubs and wildflowers, Florissant provides wonderful opportunities to experience and learn about Montane ecosystems. The Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Herbarium in Colorado contains a nearly complete record of all the flora found within our 6,000 acre boundaries. The Herbarium has been vouchered by William A. Weber, Professor and Curator Emeritus of the Herbarium, University of Colorado Museum of Natural History.

Disclaimer: Many wildflowers have different common names, but only one scientific name; therefore, some of the wildflowers you see may have different names than what you know them to be. Additionally, these are only a handful of the ones you may see.

Most of the pink to reddish-orange outcrops in the monument are the Pikes Peak Granite. The Pikes Peak Granite began 1.08 billion years ago as a large, molten, igneous intrusion known as a batholith. Hot magma intruded into pre-existing rocks and then cooled extremely slowly, allowing minerals to crystalize, forming the coarse-grained rock you see here. Some of the best areas to see the Pikes Peak Granite are on the Boulder Creek Trail and Twin Rock Trail. The Boulder Creek Trail winds through ponderosa pines and skirts around wet meadows, and later passes by a formation of giant eroded granite boulders. The Twin Rock Trail intersects with the Hornbek and Shootin' Star trails and features views of rock formations, open meadows, aspen groves, stream habitats, willows, and pond life.

When the nearby Guffey Volcano erupted 34 million years ago, ash combined with heavy rain or snowfall to create what is known as a lahar (volcanic mudflow). Lahars can rush downslope at speeds up to 120 miles/hour. This mudflow buried ancient redwood trees (Sequoia affinis) in 16 feet of cooled ash and derbis, cutting off the roots from oxygen. The roots and treetops decayed or broke off, only leaving the stumps. To turn the stumps into stone, mineral rich water from the lahar penetrated the wood, depositing silica on plant cells. As the tree continued to decay, more silica minerals (opal, quartz, and chalcedony) formed, replacing the woody tissue. Some plant tissue remained after the wood petrified, helping to preserve the cellular detail. Exposed petrified trees can be seen from the Petrifeid forest loop, Ponderosa Loop, and under stump shelters.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is home to a variety of mammals from the elusive mountain lion to the majestic wapiti / elk . Most visitors only see tracks or sign of these animals, but it is common to see rabbits, squirrels , and chipmunks.

Squirrels (Family Sciuridae): These diurnal rodents are the most visible mammals at Florissant Fossil Beds .

3.5 - 6" body, 3 - 4.5" tail. Chestnut, yellowish grey to light grey, lighter below. Stripes on face . Dark stripe down the middle of the back to the tail. Holds tail straight up when running Insects make up 50% of a chipmunk’s diet. Additionally, they eat stems, leaves, fruit, and buds. They can climb, but usually stay close to the ground. Hibernation occurs in the winter.

8 - 10" body, 2 - 4" tail. Solid golden brown, lighter below. No stripes . Often mistaken for prairie dogs, these squirrels are smaller and more abundant at the Monument. These animals eat green vegetation and sometimes carrion. They have an extensive burrows for shelter and food storage. Hibernation occurs during winter months.

6 - 8" body, 2 - 4" tail. Coppery head, light sides bordered by two black stripes that do not extend to the head or tail. Tail is gray above and lighter below. Often mistaken for chipmunks, these ground squirrels eat fruits, seeds, insects, and meat. They store food and hibernate in the winter.

4 -7" body, 3 - 5" tail. Light to dark brown with thirteen stripes on sides and back . No stripes on the face. Diet includes green vegetation, insects, seeds, and occasionally meat. These solitary animals hibernate from October to March.

11 - 12" body, 8 - 9" tail. Conspicuous ear tassels . Usually all black within the Monument. Members of this species may also be grey or reddish. Also known as the Tassle-eared Squirrel, diet consists of cones of the ponderosa in the summer, and inner bark of the tree in winter. They do not store cones or hibernate.

7 - 8" body, 4 -6" tail. Greyish brown above, whitish below. Black line along side during summer. Also known as the Pine Squirrel, diet includes seed, nuts, eggs, and fungi. These squirrels cache conifer cones. They are active throughout the year, and are occasionally out after dark.