Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

城市概覽

The word "Florissant" is French for "flowering" or "flourishing".

History

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Climate

Visitor information Park website 1 Florissant Fossil Beds Visitors Center, 15807 Teller County Road 1. Inside are shelves with real fossils on display. A short orientation film entitled "Shadows of the Past" is played often. (updated Jul 2020)

如何抵達

By car Take US Highway 24 west from Colorado Springs for 30 mi (48 km) to the small town of Florissant, then turn south on Teller County Road 1 for 2 miles. The road runs through the middle of the park.

By plane Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS) is 46 mi (74 km) away in Colorado Springs.

當地交通

Most of the park is accessible by well maintained trails.

必看景點

Amphitheater. Where most of the ranger talks are given, a trio of petrified stumps and one lone stump are on display. Hornbek Homestead. Five buildings are inpeccably preserved, the result of hard work by Adeline Hornbek, one of the many women who took advantage of the Homestead Act of 1862.

體驗活動

Hiking There are 15 miles of hiking trails in the park.

Petrified Forest Loop. This easy 1-mile loop leads through the ancient bed of Lake Florissant. Multiple petrified stumps are on the side of the trail, including the most famous, the Big Stump (38 feet around). A 0.1-mile side trip leads to the Scudder excavation pit, where paleontologists are extracting fossils from the exposed shale to this day. Ponderosa Loop. Wheelchair accessible 0.5-mile trail leading through the modern forest, passing by many culturally modified trees (bark removed by Native Americans for food).

Ranger Programs Ranger Programs. Depending on the time of year (summer being the busiest time) and staffing, ranger talks are given on the history of the area, as are guided nature walks around the park. Junior Ranger Program. Children ages 6-11 can complete a Junior Ranger booklet and receive either a badge or patch as a reward. The booklet has many activities about the park and its history. Although mostly for children, any age can complete the program.

Stargaze The Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument achieved status as an International Dark Sky Park in 2021. The Hornbek Homestead area and parking lot is open to the public 24 hours a day for stargazing. Visitors from cities often bring telescopes to the Homestead to observe the night sky free of light pollution. The Florissant Fossil Beds hosts Night Sky Programs at the Visitor Center. Telescopes and laser pointer tours are provided by the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society. The events occur quarterly, weather permitting. See the Florissant Fossil Beds website for more information, and see the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society calendar to see when the next event is scheduled as well as other events throughout the Pikes Peak region.

購物

The visitor center has the usual history books, games, clothes, children's activities, among other things.

美食

There are 3 picnic areas in the park: one near the visitor center; the Barksdale Picnic Area off of Lower Twin Rock Road; and at the Hornbek Homestead.

飲品與夜生活

Several vending machines near the visitor center offer a variety of soft drinks.

住宿

There in only one non-affiliated place to sleep in the park, and no places in the town of Florissant.

Lodging Plenty of lodges are located in the nearby towns of Cripple Creek, Woodland Park, and others.

Christ Haven Lodge. Located inside the park.

Camping The nearest place to camp would be Mueller State Park or the Pike National Forest, flanking the park to the East and West.

順遊推薦

Continuing south 18 miles on County Road 1 will lead to the city of Cripple Creek, a popular town rich with gold mining history and gambling casinos. The Florissant Fossil Quarry, located in the town of Florissant, provides an opportunity to hunt for and collect fossils from the Florissant Formation. Of course, collecting fossils from the national monument is prohibited, but the Fossil Quarry is an independent entity located outside of the monument. They are normally open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day, closed on Sundays. Their hours are from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, weather permitting. See their website for pricing and more information. And of course, there is Pikes Peak. Mueller State Park, a 12-mile drive east of the monument, is a state park with over 44 miles of trails, 134 campsites, four picnic areas, and some fishing and limited hunting opportunities. See the park website for more information.