Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is a United States national monument in the south central region of Colorado. It is known for a large abundance of Eocene Epoch fossils, ranging from imprints of twigs and seeds in shale to massive ancient fossilized Sequoia tree stumps which can be more than 40 feet in diameter. Unlike many national parks, Florissant Fossil Beds operates on standard business hours, 9 am to 4:30 pm.

Understand

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

Climate

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       0.5     39 3       0.5     41 6       1.2     47 14       1.6     55 21       1.6     64 29       1.9     73 36       2.9     78 40       3.4     75 40       1.3     69 32       0.9     59 22       0.6     47 14       0.5     38 4 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches    Data from NOAA (1981-2010)
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       13     4 −16       13     5 −14       30     8 −10       41     13 −6       41     18 −2       48     23 2       74     26 4       86     24 4       33     21 0       23     15 −6       15     8 −10       13     3 −16 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm

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)

Get in

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.

Fees and permits

Entrances fees are valid for seven days, allowing unlimited re-entry for the week. Fees as of 2020 are:

• $10 - Individuals 16 years old or older
• $35 - Florissant Fossil Beds Annual Pass

There are several passes for groups traveling together in a private vehicle or individuals on foot/bike that provide free entry to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument and all national parks, as well as some national monuments, national wildlife refuges, and national forests:

• The $80 Annual Pass (valid for twelve months from date of issue) can be purchased by anyone. Military personnel can obtain a free pass by showing a Common Access Card (CAC) or Military ID.
• The $80 Senior Pass (valid for the life of the holder) is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over. Applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and age. This pass also provides a 50% discount on some park amenities. Seniors can also obtain a $20 annual pass.
• The free Access Pass (valid for the life of the holder) is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and permanent disability. This pass also provides a fifty percent discount on some park amenities.
• The free Volunteer Pass is available to individuals who have volunteered 250 or more hours with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program.
• The free Annual 4th Grade Pass (valid for September to August of the 4th grade school year) allows entry to the bearer and any accompanying passengers in a private non-commercial vehicle. Registration at the Every Kid Outdoors website is required.

The National Park Service offers free admission to all national parks on five days every year:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January); next observance is January 20, 2025
• The first day of National Park Week (third Saturday in April); next observance is April 19, 2025
• The National Park Service Birthday (August 25)
• National Public Lands Day (fourth Saturday in September); next observance is September 28, 2024
• Veterans Day (November 11)

Get around

Most of the park is accessible by well maintained trails.

See

• 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. 

Do

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 a 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.

Buy

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

Eat

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.

Drink

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

Sleep

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.

Stay safe

Remember that the national monument is at over 8,000 feet (2,500 m) of elevation. If you are coming from a lower altitude then take some preventative measures against altitude sickness. Take a few days to acclimate to the high altitude.

Of course, as with many locations in the Rocky Mountains, black bears are present in the area. Bear encounters here are not terribly common, and the threat they pose is not extremely high; however, caution is still prudent. Some might bring bear spray to ease their minds.

Go next

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.

Routes through Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Minturn ← Buena Vista ←

W  E

→ Manitou Springs → Colorado Springs