National Monument · Colorado, United States
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is a national monument in Colorado, United States, covering 6,278 acres (2,541 ha), established in 1969.
Photo: Kent G. Budge via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Monument |
|---|---|
| Location | Colorado, United States |
| Area | 6,278 acres (2,541 ha) |
| Established | 1969 |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
The Florissant Formation is a sedimentary geologic formation outcropping around Florissant, Teller County, Colorado. The formation is noted for the abundant and exceptionally preserved insect and plant fossils that are found in the mudstones and shales. Based on argon radiometric dating, the formation is Eocene (approximately 34 million years old ) in age and has been interpreted as a lake environment. The fossils have been preserved because of the interaction of the volcanic ash from the nearby Thirtynine Mile volcanic field with diatoms in the lake, causing a diatom bloom.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
What to do
Like Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument? Visit Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
More parks in Colorado
Frequently asked questions
Where is Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument?
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is in Colorado, United States.
When was Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument established?
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument was established in 1969, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument?
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument covers 6,278 acres (2,541 ha).
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florissant_Fossil_Beds_National_Monument — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/flfo/ — Official park page.