Did you know Nevada is home to an actual fossil park? This place is actually considered to contain one of the largest concentration of prehistoric fossils in the world. If you’re looking for an off-beat adventure, be sure to check out the Tule Springs Fossil Beds. You never know what you’re going to stumble upon!
Tule Springs Fossil Beds was officially declared a national monument in 2014. It is one of Nevada's newest parks, but it's definitely worth a visit.
Located north of Las Vegas, the park spans a massive 22,650 acres of land. The fossil beds are a fascinating reflection of the different types of animals that roamed here so long ago. In fact, this place was such a hotspot of activity by prehistoric mammoths that it's been referred to as "mammoth central".
It was here at Tule Springs that herds of Ice Age Columbian Mammoths, the largest elephant species known to man, were discovered almost fully in tact. These exquisite fossils were untouched for centuries before being discovered.
It's hard to imagine it now, but this area used to be wetlands. Here all sorts of animals, not just mammoths, roamed. Fossils from dire wolves, camels, bison, lions, and more have been extracted from the fossil beds.
The fossils that have been found here have ranged from 3,000 to 200,000 years ago. You're bound to come across at least a bone fragment from some prehistoric creature here!
Be sure to check out the "Big Dig" site. This is where scientists uncovered a massive amount of animal fossils during the 1960s. This was the first time scientists understood the immense amount of treasures that were buried here in the desert, although protections of the area weren't put into place until decades later.
Another popular reason people visit the fossil beds is to get a glimpse at the extremely rare Las Vegas Bearpoppy flowers. This is one of the few places in the state where you can see them, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!
The fossil beds are open during daylight hours. Because the park is so new, there is no visitor center or official parking area. To get to the monument, drive along Interstate 215 and take exit 43. Here you'll continue north onto North Aliante Parkway. You'll drive down this road for approximately 2 miles before seeing the destination your left. You can park on the shoulder of the road and walk to the fossil beds from here.
