Take A Day Trip To This Fascinating Ice Age Fossil Park Near Austin
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Elisa Regulski
Author
Travel back in time and get a glimpse of what life what like thousands of years ago. At The Waco Mammoth National Monument, you can learn all about the creatures that once roamed the land. When you’re staring at the bones up close, you can almost hear the mighty mammoths walking by. This fascinating Ice Age fossil park is the perfect day trip destination.
Situated on 100 acres of gorgeous parkland, The Waco Mammoth National Monument is a sight to see. As you walk along the grounds, you'll see the shimmering Bosque River nearby.
While searching for fossils along the river, Paul Barron and Eddie Bufkin stumbled upon a large bone. The two men took their find to Baylor's Stecker Museum, and the staff concluded that the bone came from a Columbian mammoth.
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After Barron and Bufkin's original discovery, the Strecker Museum staff immediately started excavating the area. In 12 years, the team discovered the bones from 16 mammoths, a western camel, and a saber-toothed cat. Many of the remains are housed at Baylor's Mayborn Museum Complex, but most of the fossils can be seen in this facility.
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Scientists are still unsure what exactly caused the death of such a large herd, but many hypothesize that they were victims of a series of floods from the Bosque River.
To learn more about these historic creatures, embark on a guided tour! Tickets cost $5 for adults.
Travel back in time to the Ice Age at this stunning facility. The Waco Mammoth National Monument is located at 6220 Steinbeck Bend Drive, and they're open every day from 9 am to 5 pm. There is no fee to explore the monument. For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.
There is so much to see and do in Waco, Texas. If you need help planning your day trip, read our feature article here.
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