Tule Springs Fossil Beds earned the designation of National Monument in 2014. This protects the 22,650 acre area where many Ice Age fossils like Columbian mammoths, dire wolves, two species of giant ground sloths, saber-toothed cats and the American lion have been unearthed!
There is evidence that camels, llamas, horses, pronghorn and bison also lived in this area. The wealth of information held within the ground here is like a time capsule just waiting to be opened to reveal its stories.
While we didn't spot any fossils (no digging allowed), we do enjoy exploring this area.
Most interesting to me was learning of evidence of a bird I'd never heard about. The Teratorn, unearthed in 1962 was about a third LARGER than the condors we have today! This bird of prey stood about 2.5 feet tall, weighed roughly 33lbs, and had a wingspan between 11-12 feet!
This protected area covers a huge territory on the north side of Las Vegas up to the shooting range and the wildlife refuge. While it doesn't yet have a visitor center, we were able to see some of the park's information and fossils on display at nearby Desert National Wildlife Refuge.
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