50 plus DC - FlorissantFossilBedsNM

In a valley in central Colorado you will find one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Around 34 million years ago this area was covered by lakes and redwood trees. Nearby volcanoes spewed ash which helped to preserve the remains of the plants and insects that lived in the valley, including the stumps of huge redwood trees. The nearby town of Florissant was settled in 1872 and soon word spread of the amazing fossils to be found in the valley. Scientists flocked to the area to hunt for specimens. In 1978 Adeline Hornbek filed the first homestead claim in the Florissant valley. In the 21st century tourism became increasingly significant with local landowners opening attractions centred on fossil displays. By the 1960s the fossil beds were threatened by development and in February 1969 Colorado senator Gordon Allott presented a Senate bill proposing creation of a national monument to preserve them. Local landowners tried to proceed with developments before the area could be made a national monument but had to wait due to court action. President Richard Nixon signed the bill that established Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in August 1969.

Hornbek Homestead

The valley does not have high rainfall and many early settlers found the conditions so challenging that they moved elsewhere. Adeline Hornbek came to the valley in 1878 and despite being a widow and a parent she successfully established a ranch. In addition to running the ranch she was the secretary of the school board and ran Florissant Mercantile. She was a popular resident who held many social events in her home. The homestead survived and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Several historic outbuildings were relocated to the site and the 1973 the National Park Service purchased the ranch and incorporated it into the National Monument. Click Tab 2 to see a close-up of the Main House.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Fossilised Redwoods, Stump Shelter

These three fossilised stumps close to the Visitor Center were one of the first tourist attractions in the valley. They were opened to the public in 1924 as the Henderson Petrified Forest with leaflets boasting that they were the only petrified trio in the US. Nowadays they are protected by a roof and they look little different from the 1924 pictures..

Fossil plants

In the Visitor Center it is fascinating to look on the fossils of leaves and insects that lived here 34 million years ago. This picture shows a selection of leaf fossils.

Visitor Center and view towards Rocky Mountains

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument sits in a valley with glorious views of the Rocky Mountains. There are three main things to do here, hike around the large fossils such as the redwood stumps, view smaller fossils in the Visitor Center and visit the preserved Hornbek Homestead. Some of the hikes are quite long so you can spend anything from an hour to a day exploring the National Monument.