Driving by this patch of desert in North Las Vegas, you’d never guess what’s hiding beneath its surface. As one of the newest state parks in Nevada, the humble, 315-acre park doesn’t look like much (yet) but don’t be fooled. Considered one of the richest fossil beds in the nation, Ice Age Fossils State Park is a fantastic place to explore. Stop on by, stroll around the park’s arid scenery, and see what you can uncover at this little-known fossil park right here in Nevada.
Located in southern Nevada, Ice Age Fossils State Park protects 315 acres of the Mojave Desert that's rich with fossils and human artifacts. You'll find it in North Las Vegas next to Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument.
The park was founded in January 2017, making it one of the state's newest declared state parks. They are currently in the process of developing all of the amenities that comes with visiting a state park, such as a visitor center, hiking trails, and interpretive programming.
During the Ice Age (or the Pleistocene Era, if you want to get fancy), this particular region provided an important habitat for several animal species that are now extinct. Fossils from Columbian mammoths, American lions, camels, dire wolves, and ground sloths have all been found here.
The park is also the former site of an archaeological dig that occurred in the early 1960s called "The Big Dig." Conducted by researchers from several renowned institutions, it was during this excavation that scientists unearthed an abundance of large animal fossils.
Trenches dug during "The Big Dig" can still be seen to this day, and visitors of the park are welcome to peruse them. Keep your eyes peeled and you may even spot a fossilized treasure or two poking out from the walls.
You're bound to discover some amazing things during your time at Ice Age Fossils State Park, but remember that all park resources are to remain as you find them. This way, future visitors can enjoy that same awesome sense of discovery!
The best is yet to come for southern Nevada's newest state park, so be sure to keep this unique destination in mind for an upcoming adventure. You can keep updated about the park's newest additions by checking out their Facebook page from time to time.
