Frequently Asked Questions

A Border Collie is sitting next the Pet Area sign.

NPS photo/staff

1. Are pets allowed into the park?

Answer: Pets are only allowed in the parking lot and pet exercise area. Pets are prohibited from all trails, the inside of buildings, and elsewhere on the Monument. Pets in the parking lot or exercise area must be on a leash no longer than 6ft and cannot be left unattended.

 

The fossilized tree stumps along the Petrified Forest Loop are visible all year long, even in the snow.

NPS photo/C. Peterson

2. What kinds of fossils are here and where can I see them?

Answer: The ony fossils you will see outside our museum are giant petrified stumps of redwood trees. Inside the visitor center museum is the best place to see fragile fossils of insects, plants, spiders, fish, cones, and seeds.

 

A ranger stands with a group of visitors in front of the Hornbek Homestead

NPS photo/staff

3. What can I do here?

Answer: During the summer you can attend a variety of ranger-led programs such as talks and walks. Self-guided tours, an outdoor exhibit area, and the visitor center and bookstore are available year-round. There are over 14 miles (22.5 km) of hiking trails.

 

Park interns explain the various fossils displayed on a table.

NPS photo/C. Peterson

4. Are there dinosaur fossils here?

Answer: No. The "age of the dinosaurs" ended about 30 million years earlier, at the end of the Cretaceous time period. The fossils found at Florissant are from the late Eocene geologic time epoch.

 

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument was set aside for the preservation of natural resources for the enjoyment of future generations.

5. Can I collect fossils in the Monument? Where can I collect fossils?

Answer: Digging for and collection of any natural or cultural feature is strictly prohibited at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Fossils, rocks, flowers, pine cones, artifacts, etc. must remain here. For visitors wishing for a fossil of their own, there are fossil shops and a private quarry located outside of the monument.

 

A student wipes an area of a fossilized tree stump with a cloth as part of a university research project focusing on resource preservation.

NPS photo/ Therese Johnson

6. Are "they" still "digging" and looking for fossils?

Answer: Actual excavations are conducted on a limited basis, only for research purposes. The Monument has a full-time paleontologist who coordinates an active science program. Most of the research conducted about the paleontological and geological resources is not excavation based.

 

A Rufous hummingbird flies up to a cluster of Chiming Bell flowers.

VIP Dylan Drake

7. Can I camp here?

Answer: There is no camping within the national monument. There are many public camping sites nearby including Mueller State Park, Eleven Mile State Park, Eleven Mile Canyon, and Pikes Peak Ranger District. Please visit their websites for more information.

• Mueller State Park | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
• Eleven Mile State Park | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
• Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands - Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area
• Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands - Districts

 

Visitors gather around the Information Desk in the Visitor Center.

NPS photo/staff

8. I have a fossil that I want identified. Can the paleontologist take a look at it?

Answer:While the Paleontology staff can help visitors identify fossils legally collected on neighboring private land, we are NOT able to accept requests to identify any other fossils. Please send an email to [e-mail] to make sure someone is available before you arrive. Dropping off a fossil is NOT allowed.

 

The Passport Cancellation Station with the Hornbek and Fossil Beds stamps.

NPS photo/staff

9. Where is the Passport stamp?

Answer: For visitors partaking in the passport stamp activity, the passport cancellation station is located in the visitor center across from the Information Desk near the theater. Florissant Fossil Beds has three current stamps. The Fossil Beds stamp is always located at the visitor center. The Hornbek stamp is located at the visitor during the winter, but is available during the summer at the Hornbek Homestead. Please check the calendar to see when the homestead is open. The Night Sky stamp is only available during the Night Sky events. Please see the calendar for the event schedule.