What Is Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument?
Florissant Fossil Beds preserves a forest of colossal Eocene redwood trees preserved in volcanic mud!
What Makes It Beautiful?
Florissant Fossil Beds don’t get as much publicity as some parks, but boy, was I astonished to walk in and see just how enormous these ancient redwood trees were! Imagine a stump as big around as one of the trees in Muir Woods National Monument, but made completely out of yellow, orange, and white stone! The biggest here is 41 feet in diameter, and some stumps even have their rings preserved! Florissant is also home to the world’s only known trio of fossil redwoods!
On a smaller scale, Florissant’s beauty also shines! Ancient Lake Florissant preserved 1,500 insects and spiders, including the Podryas persephone butterfly, North America’s first! Paleontologists have also discovered delicate flowers and plant seed fossils that are super rare and hard to find. Many of them have been taken to museums, which makes Florissant Fossil Beds a super exporter of fossilized beauty!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument!
- Donate to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
15807 Co Rd 1
Florissant, CO 80816
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
The park is open daily from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, except on major holidays!
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