Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Front Range, Colorado   Very informative...I ask one question...Senior Rates?  What age is considered Senior for the parks system?... Says Dolores Crowley Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument features petrified redwoods and other fossils. There are lots of enjoyable things to do for everyone to take pleasure in. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument has fine outdoors recreation that you could benefit from. This lake is so wonderful. A wonderful spot to camp here at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is Rnk Park and Camp; going for a hike on the Phantom Creek     Trail is always a great adventure. During the summer months at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument temperatures are frequently in the 80's. When the night sets in temperatures drop down into the 40's. High temperatures during the winter are normally in the 40's, and during the dark hours in the winter at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument temperatures descend to the 0's. It's a popular place to travel to for people from Florissant. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is a great wilderness vicinity that everybody enjoys. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is a great place for a journey when you need to spend some time in nature. It is very dried out here at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument generally; throughout July this area sees the most rain; the driest of the months is January. Man,       Trail is always a great adventure. During the summer months at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument temperatures are frequently in the 80's. When the night sets in temperatures drop down into the 40's. High temperatures during the winter are normally in the 40's, and during you need to camp here for a while, Golden Bell Camp & Conference is a perfect spot for that. So much enjoyable stuff to do at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, so little time. Camping is available at K O A Kampgrounds, and if you came to camp Cripple Creek Gold Campground is a brilliant place to do that. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument has lovely nature scenery for your viewing happiness. If you don't mind getting soaked, you can always go whitewater paddling on South Platte River, and you'll meet a lot of folks from Florissant here. '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; $2.00/person, $4.00/family, and $10 for an anual pass. 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. FEES/PERMITS Entrance Fee FAMILY $4 for 7 Days INDIVIDUAL/ADULT $3.00 for 7 Days $15. 00 for Annual There is no fee for children aged 16 years or younger. 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. User input for Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Front Range, Colorado: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Review Guidelines   Current weather conditions at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Front Range, Colorado Local climate location: CHEESMAN 14 miles away Find a Business in or near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Business TypeOR Business Name   Coordinates: Latitude: 38.89 Longitude: -105.26 Front Range Outdoors Info Complete outdoors info for the Front Range. Colorado Public Lands Complete list of all Public Lands in Colorado Outdoors Recreation Near Canon City, Colorado Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Canon City, Colorado, the metro area neareast to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more. Books about about Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Books available from Amazon.com about Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Colorado Outdoors Index Campgrounds Near or in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Paddling Rivers Near or in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Other National Parks Near Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Trails Near or in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Hotels Near or in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Lakes Near or in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Beaches Near or in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Golf Courses Near or in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Ski Areas Near or in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado     Country Lodge, Woodland Park 12.6 miles away The Cliff House Hotel at Pikes Peak, Manitou Springs 23.7 miles away Super 8 Motel - Canon City, Canon City 23.9 miles away Best Western Royal Gorge Motel, Canon City 23.9 miles away Budget Host Royal Gorge Inn Canon City, Canon City 24 miles away Quality Inn & Suites, Canon City 24.2 miles away Holiday Inn Express Canon City, Co, Canon City 24.3 miles away Comfort Inn Canon City, Canon City 24.3 miles away Eagle Motel, Manitou Springs 24.5 miles away Best Western Sky Way Inn And Suites, Manitou Springs 25 miles away * Distances listed are direct linear distances, actual travel distance may be different.