Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Custom Search 'When the mountains are overthrown and the seas uplifted, the universe at Florissant flings itself against a gnat and preserves it.'-- Dr. Arthur C. Peale, Hayden Expedition Geologist, 1873. A beautiful mountain valley just west of Pikes Peak holds spectacular remnants of the earth's prehistoric life. Huge petrified redwoods and incredibly detailed fossils of ancient insects and plants reveal a very different Colorado of long ago. Almost 35 million years ago, enormous volcanic eruptions buried the then-lush valley and petrified the redwood trees that grew there. A lake formed in the valley and the fine-grained sediments at its bottom became the final resting-place for thousands of insects and plants. These sediments compacted into layers of shale and preserved the delicate details of these organisms as fossils. The Florissant Fossil Beds are world-renowned, and in 1969 were set aside as a part of our National Park System; Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.    CONTACTS Email - FLFO_Information@nps.gov Fax- 719-748-3164 Write to P.O. Box 185 15807 Teller County 1 Florissant, CO 80816-0185 Phone Headquarters - (719)748-3253 TRAVEL BASICS Operating Hours, Seasons OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS: Daily, summer: 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; daily, winter: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, December 25, January 1. Getting There PLANE - Colorado Springs is the closest airport to the Monument. CAR - DIRECTIONS: Visitors traveling north/south on I-25: Exit at US 24 West, travel 35 miles to town of Florissant, then follow signs two miles south to the visitor center on Teller County 1. Visitors traveling east/west on US 24: Exit to the town of Florissant, then follow signs two miles south on Teller County 1 to the visitor center. Visitors traveling from the town of Cripple Creek: Follow Teller County Road 1 north for 16 miles. TRANSPORTATION: To Park: access by US Highway 24 and Teller County Road 1. FEES, COST, RATES: April - November. Receipt is valid for seven days. No fee for children aged 16 years or younger; Golden Eagle, Golden Age, and Golden Access Passes are honored. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - none Weather & Climate CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING: Summers are generally of short duration with pleasant warm days and cool nights. Freezing temperatures can sometimes occur during summer months. Sub-zero lows are common in the winter; dress in warm layers to keep dry and to prevent hypothermia. The altitude is 8,500 above sea level so pace yourself in any season, drink a lot of water, and use sunscreen. Accessibility Accessibility: The visitor center and associated petrified stump displays are fully wheelchair accessible. The self-guided trails and the Hornbek Homestead are accessible to ADAS Challenge Level I. Getting Around Trails Petrified sequoia stumps can be seen on the Walk Through Time (1/2 mile) and Petrified Forest (1 mile) trails. There are over 14 miles of easy to moderate trails through ponderosa pine forest and mountain meadows. FACILITIES Visitor Centers MAIN VISITOR CENTER Phone - (719)748-3253 Location - Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is 35 miles west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Visitors traveling north/south on I-25: Exit at US 24 West, travel 35 miles to town of Florissant, then follow signs two miles south to the visitor center on Teller County 1. Visitors traveling east/west on US 24: Exit to the town of Florissant, then follow signs two miles south on Teller County 1 to the visitor center. Visitors traveling from the town of Cripple Creek: Follow Teller County Road 1 north for 16 miles. TRANSPORTATION: To Park: access by US Highway 24 and Teller County Road 1. Closures - Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day Special Programs - Programs/Activities: There are regularly scheduled interpretive talks and walks by rangers during the summer season. In addition, rangers lead a series of free mini-seminars on various weekends during the summer. Education groups can be scheduled any time of the year, check our education page for available programs, and call the monument for advanced reservations. Junior Ranger Activities: During the summer months there are Junior Ranger actvities every weekend; or request a copy of our Junior Ranger self-guided activities from the front desk. Exhibits - The visitor center serves as an interpretive and information center. Fossil and other exhibits are on display and books and brochures are available. The 1878 Hornbek Homestead is preserved as an example of early homesteading in the Florissant Valley. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Available Facilities - The Rocky Mountain Nature Association, a non-profit National Park Service Cooperating Association, manages a bookstore/sales outlet in the park visitor center. Items purchased from the Association support the interpretive and educational programs of the Fossil Beds. There is a wide selection of natural and local history books, children's nature books, as well as maps, nature videos, audio cassettes and games. Membership in the RMNA offers the benefit of discounts at the bookstore, as well as those at Rocky Mountain National Park and other sites.   Map Detailed Map Contact Info Phone, Email, Address, GPS coordinates Campgrounds Nearby List of Nearby Campgrounds Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.   Campgrounds Near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument: Golden Bell Camp & Conference, Divide, 5 miles away Cripple Creek Gold Campground, Cripple Creek, 7 miles away Prospectors RV Park, Cripple Creek, 7 miles away Rnk Park and Camp, Cripple Creek, 7 miles away K O A Kampgrounds, Cripple Creek, 7 miles away May Queen - Pike National Forest, Pueblo, 7 miles away Mueller, Divide, 7 miles away   Hotels Near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument: J.P. McGills Hotel and Casino, Cripple Creek , 7 miles away Gold King Mountain Inn, Cripple Creek , 10 miles away Country Lodge, Woodland Park , 14 miles away The Eagle Fire Lodge & Confere, Woodland Park , 15 miles away Pikes Peak Paradise Bed & Brea, Woodland Park , 15 miles away Cliff House Hotel at Pikes The, Manitou Springs , 24 miles away Super 8 Canon City, Canon City , 24 miles away   Trails Near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument: Phantom Creek Trail, Teller County , 8 miles away Rule Ridge Trail, Teller County , 12 miles away Longwater Trail, Park County , 12 miles away Rule Creek Trail, Teller County , 12 miles away Barr Trail, El Paso County , 17 miles away   Ski Areas Near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado , 58 miles away, 2270 foot drop, 7 lifts, 105 runs Eldora, Colorado , 61 miles away, 1600 foot drop, 12 lifts, 53 runs Loveland, Colorado , 61 miles away, 2410 foot drop, 10 lifts, 92 runs Keystone, Colorado , 61 miles away, 3128 foot drop, 20 lifts, 135 runs Breckenridge, Colorado , 63 miles away, 3398 foot drop, 27 lifts, 146 runs Winter Park, Colorado , 64 miles away, 3060 foot drop, 26 lifts, 145 runs Copper Mountain, Colorado , 69 miles away, 2601 foot drop, 23 lifts, 125 runs Ski Cooper, Colorado , 76 miles away, 1200 foot drop, 5 lifts, 26 runs SolVista Basin, Colorado , 76 miles away, 1000 foot drop, 6 lifts, 37 runs Monarch, Colorado , 77 miles away, 1162 foot drop, 7 lifts, 63 runs   Whitewater Near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument: South Platte River, Park County , 10 miles away, Class V+ - 7.3 miles long (Lake George to Cheesman Reservoir) South Platte River, Jefferson County , 15 miles away, Class III-V(V+) - 8 miles long (Eleven Mile Reservoir to Lake George) South Platte River, Jefferson County , 20 miles away, Class IV - 5.8 miles long (Cheeseman Reservoir to Deckers) South Platte River, Jefferson / Douglas County , 20 miles away, Class I-III - 12 miles long (Deckers to confluence with North Fork) Whitewater Outfitter - Royal Gorge Rafting, Fremont County , 22 miles away, Whitewater outfitter   Public Lands Near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument: Mueller State Park, Colorado , 5 miles away Pike National Forest, Colorado , 17 miles away Eleven Mile State Park, Colorado , 19 miles away Spinney State Park, Colorado , 27 miles away   Golf Courses Near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument: Shining Mountain Golf Club, Woodland Park , 15 miles away   Lakes Near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument North Catamount Reservoir, Teller County , 14 miles away Cheesman Lake, Jefferson County , 17 miles away Skaguay Reservoir, Teller County , 18 miles away Skagway Reservoir, Teller County , 18 miles away