Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds protects a mountain valley west of Colorado Springs where volcanic mudflows buried a redwood forest and a lake about 34 million years ago. Easy trails pass petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet (4.3 m) wide, and longer loops cross meadows and ponderosa forest.
Fast facts
- Established: 1969
- Size: about 6,300 acres (25 km²)
- Fossils: petrified redwood stumps and thousands of detailed fossil insects and plants
- Trails: about 14 miles (23 km)
- Gateways: Florissant, Woodland Park and Colorado Springs
- Managed by: the National Park Service
The landscape
The valley sits at about 8,400 feet (2,560 m) among the mountains of Colorado’s Front Range. Eruptions buried the base of a redwood forest in mud, which turned the stumps to stone, and fine ash in an ancient lake preserved insects, leaves and flowers in shale. Today it is open meadow and ponderosa pine, with elk and wildflowers in summer.
Best time to go
Summer and early fall, with highs around 75°F (24°C). Winters are cold, with lows near 5°F (-15°C), but the trails can be skied or snowshoed.
Getting there and around
From Colorado Springs, take US 24 west about 35 miles (56 km) to Florissant, then Teller County Road 1 south about 2 miles (3 km) to the visitor center.
Things to do
The Petrified Forest Loop, about 1 mile (1.6 km), passes the largest stumps, including the Big Stump and the Redwood Trio. The Ponderosa Loop is shorter and passes a living pine growing from a petrified stump, and the Geologic Trail, 1.2 miles (1.9 km), explains how the fossils formed. The visitor center displays fossil insects and plants.
Longer trails loop across meadows and forest to the Hornbek Homestead and the far corners of the monument, good for a half-day hike or winter skiing.
Staying safe
At this altitude, afternoon thunderstorms bring lightning to open meadows; start early. The sun is strong and the air dry. Winter trails can be icy.
Know before you go
An entrance fee applies (America the Beautiful pass accepted). Collecting fossils is prohibited. There is no camping in the monument. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm visitor center hours with the National Park Service before you go.
- Coordinates
- 38.9126, -105.2789
- Magnetic declination
- 7.6° E (2026)
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass
A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.
Getting there 4
Park entrances
Visitor centre
Ranger station
On the trail 2
Route
Picnic site
Sights 2
Viewpoint
Point of interest
Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).
Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →
- Best seasons
- Summer, Early fall, Winter (skiing and snowshoeing)
- Difficulty
- Easy to moderate
- Access / trailheads
- US 24 west from Colorado Springs to Florissant, then Teller County Road 1 south about 2 miles (3 km).
- Water
- At the visitor center.
- Cell / satellite coverage
- Fair.
- Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
- Emergencies: 911. Visitor center: 719-748-3253.
- Permits & regulations
- Entrance fee (America the Beautiful pass accepted). No fossil collecting.
- Leave No Trace
- Stay on trails, leave fossils and wood in place, and give elk room.
January
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 34°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (34°F)
February
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 33°F (18°C)Day-to-night swing of 18°C (33°F)
March
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 34°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (34°F)
April
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 35°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (35°F)
May
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 36°F (20°C)Day-to-night swing of 20°C (36°F)
June
- Day-to-night swing of 38°F (21°C)Day-to-night swing of 21°C (38°F)
July
- Day-to-night swing of 37°F (21°C)Day-to-night swing of 21°C (37°F)
August
- Day-to-night swing of 35°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (35°F)
September
- Day-to-night swing of 38°F (21°C)Day-to-night swing of 21°C (38°F)
October This month
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 37°F (21°C)Day-to-night swing of 21°C (37°F)
November
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 34°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (34°F)
December
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 34°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (34°F)
What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.
Plan a trip here →Averages for 1991–2020 from NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, measured at the Florissant Fossil Beds station at 8,402 feet (2,561 m)2,561 m (8,402 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.
Nearby parks
-
Mueller State Park
Aspen groves, spring-fed meadows and granite outcrops on the west side of Pikes Peak, with 44 miles (71 km) of trails and elk bugling in the fall.
-
Browns Canyon National Monument
A granite canyon of the Arkansas River between Buena Vista and Salida, Colorado, with classic whitewater and trails to the river.
-
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Mountain meadows, aspens and backcountry shelters within an hour of Denver, looking out on the Continental Divide.
-
Great Sand Dunes National Park
The tallest dunes in North America, about 750 feet (230 m) high, below the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado's San Luis Valley.
Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.
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