Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska   Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a very scenic place out on the prairie, and as the name implies there are of course fossils here. The splendor of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is there for you to love. Go for a hike on the Fort Laramie to Fort Robinson Trail. Going for a hike on the Fort Robinson Trail is always a good adventure. There's so much to do here at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument that you need to camp here for a while, Gilbert-Baker Campground is a perfect spot for that.; May is the month that gets the most rain, and the driest     month of the year is January. At Agate Fossil Beds National Monument you find lots of outdoors recreation, so you can enjoy yourself while here. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a delightful place where everyone has a wonderful time. There is so much entertaining stuff to do to suit everyone. Good hiking is available along the Agate Fossil Beds Trail, and you'll meet a lot of people from Harrison here. Going to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a good idea when you need to get out. High temperatures at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument throughout the warm days of summer are in the 80's with nighttime lows in the 50's. For the duration of the winter the highs are commonly in the 30's while Agate Fossil Beds National Monument overnight low temperatures through the wintertime are in the 0's. Agate Fossil Beds       month of the year is January. At Agate Fossil Beds National Monument you find lots of outdoors recreation, so you can enjoy yourself while here. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a delightful place where everyone has a wonderful time. There is so much entertaining stuff Agate Springs Ranch, the nearby beds are an important source for 19.2 million year-old Miocene epoch mammal fossils. Cook's ranch also became a gathering place for Chief Red Cloud and other Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Indian people. The monument's Cook Collection of American Indian artifacts reflects years of gifts brought by the Indians during visits to the ranch from the 1880's through the early 1900's.   CONTACTS Email - AGFO_Superintendent@nps.gov Fax- 308-668-2318 Write to 301 River Road Harrison,   NE 69346-2734 Phone Headquarters - (308)668-2211 TRAVEL BASICS Operating Hours, Seasons OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS: Daily, year-round: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed Christmas, New Years, and Thanksgiving Days. Hours extended during the summer. Getting There PLANE - Nearest air service is available through Western Nebraska Regional Airport in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, approximately 50 miles southeast of the monument. CAR - To the park: access to region by automobile via Interstates 80, 90 and 25, and various state highways and county roads. Visitors traveling east-west on U.S. Highway 26, turn North on State Highway 29 at Mitchell, Nebraska. The park is 34 miles from Mitchell. Visitors traveling on U.S. Highway 20, turn South on State Highway 29 at Harrison, Nebraska. The park is 22 miles from Harrison. Follow the National Park Service signs. In Park: personal vehicles and paved and unpaved trails. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - No public transportation available. Weather & Climate Generally sunny and dry in the summer, with occasional afternoon thundershowers. Windy and cold in winter. Wear comfortable clothing appropriate to season. Hats are useful against exposure to sun. Good walking shoes are recommended for use on hiking trails. Accessibility Virtually all of the facilities at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument are wheelchair accessible except for the trails. The 12- minute laserdisc movie 'The Fossil Hills' is closed captioned. FEES/PERMITS Entrance Fee ANNUAL PARK PASS $15.00 for Annual Good at Agate Fossil Beds N.M., Scotts Bluff N.M., and Fort Laramie N.H.S. INDIVIDUAL $2.00 for 7 Days VEHICLE $5.00 for 7 Days CAMPING No in-park camping is available LODGING No in-park lodging is available FACILITIES Visitor Centers AGATE FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT Phone - (308) 668-2211 Closures - Closed: Christmas, New Years, and Thanksgiving Days Special Programs - From Memorial through Labor Day weekends ranger conducted walks and talks are available on request and begin in the visitors center. Subjects covered during the walks may include geology, paleontology, botany, zoology, and ranching history. The Cook Collection and fossils are common topics of ranger talks. During the months of June, July and August 2000, five Lakota artists will be participating in a traditional artist in residence program at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. The artists create original artwork in the visitor center, demonstrating their expertise and sharing Lakota culture with visitors. Finished pieces are often available for purchase by visitors. Artists participating this year are: Nathan Blindman, Bernadine Ten Fingers, Christine Red Cloud, Sam Two Bulls, and Robert White. Exhibits - The visitor center houses three rooms of exhibits, the Hitchcock Theater and the Cook Collection Gallery. The life size fossil diorama depicts life and death at the Agate waterhole, 19.2 million years in the past. An interactive computer tour offers visitors a glimpse of things to bee seen on the monument's two trails. About 200 artifacts are displayed in The James H. Cook Collection Gallery, 'A Window onto Lakota Life.' Visitors can view special gifts given to the Cook family including a porcupine quilled tanned antelope ceremonial shirt worn by Chief Red Cloud, a memorable whetstone used by Chief Crazy Horse, and a war club used by Oglala leader American Horse at The Fetterman Massacre. Chief Red Cloud gave Cook a pipestone cannunpa( Lakota for pipe), which was used prior to negotiations of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. Two hide paintings were prepared for The Cook Collection exhibits by Lakota artists Dawn Little Sky and Martin Red Bear. The Running Water Winter Count hide painted by Dawn introduces visitors to the method that Lakota historians used to record events important to the people. Martin's hide painting depicts events remembered by Lakota warrior participants in the 1876 Battle of the Greasy Grass or Battle of the Little Bighorn. This is a recreation of the faded original hide painting prepared by Lakota artists, including Martin's grandfather, around 1898. User input for Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Review Guidelines   Current weather conditions at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Local climate location: HARRISON 26 miles away Find a Business in or near Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Business TypeOR Business Name   Coordinates: Latitude: 42.69 Longitude: -103.86 Nebraska Public Lands Complete list of all Public Lands in Nebraska Outdoors Recreation Near Scottsbluff, Nebraska Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, the metro area neareast to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more. Books about about Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Books available from Amazon.com about Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Nebraska Outdoors Index Campgrounds Near or in Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Paddling Rivers Near or in Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Other National Parks Near Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Trails Near or in Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Hotels Near or in Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Lakes Near or in Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Beaches Near or in Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Golf Courses Near or in Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska Ski Areas Near or in Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska     Oak Tree Inn Morrill, Morrill 37.2 miles away Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Torrington, Wy, Torrington 38.3 miles away Day Inn Torrington, Torrington 39.1 miles away Best Western Pioneer Court, Lusk 41 miles away Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Scottsbluff-Gering, Nebraska, Scottsbluff 44.3 miles away Scottsbluff Super 8 Motel, Scottsbluff 44.6 miles away Scottsbluff Days Inn, Scottsbluff 44.6 miles away Comfort Inn Scottsbluff, Scottsbluff 44.6 miles away Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Hot Springs, Hot Springs 45.3 miles away Hot Springs Super 8 Motel, Hot Springs 45.4 miles away * Distances listed are direct linear distances, actual travel distance may be different.