Fossils here are important to the study of the Oligocene Epoch about 24 million to 36 million years ago. Toadstool Geologic Park: Eroded buttes and ridges look like toadstools or mushrooms. Located about 56 miles north of Mitchell, Neb. The center also has a magnificent collection of Native American art and artifacts. Among the fossil displays is a two-horned rhinoceros, smaller than a Shetland pony, that was as common here as buffalo were in the 1800s. Information: and (308) 665-2929.Īgate Fossil Beds National Monument: Exceptional displays help visitors visualize this region 20 million years ago when it resembled the Serengeti Plain of Africa. The museum is located at Fort Robinson State Park, two miles west of Crawford, Neb. Exhibits cover the Cretaceous Period and the Oligocene and Miocene Epochs. Trailside Museum: See rare fossils from western Nebraska, including a mammoth, rhino and giant tortoise. Walking in the Footsteps of Loren Eiseley.Wildcat Hills Nature Center Miocene Mural (with clickable animal scientific research).Lesson: Creative Writing activity / The Innocent Assassins Scenes from an Immense Journey ( The Innocent Assassins), Western Nebraska Community College, Gary Alkire project. Enjoy hiking, cross-country skiing and scenic vistas of Scotts Bluff National Monument. Nature center exhibits cover the natural history of the area. Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area: Paleontologists describe this area as one of the most significant in the world because an ancient river left fossils of 44 different species. Museum exhibits cover geological history and pioneer migrations. Scotts Bluff National Monument: Roads and hiking trails offer scenic views of sandstone bluffs, prairie and vestiges of the Oregon Trail. Don’t miss the attractive visitors center where hands-on activities include the opportunity to load your own covered wagon. Here is a sampling of the geologic wonders in western Nebraska and South Dakota.Ĭhimney Rock: The most noted landmark on the Oregon Trail is about 19 miles east of Gering, Neb. Original depiction developed by Omaha World Herald (Dec. He travels the state to protect and excavate fossil sites. The fossils in Gering, for example, were 20 to 30 feet underground and discovered during construction of the Heart land Expressway.īailey is a highway salvage paleontologist based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “We’re hoping to find more.”īailey says highway construction in Nebraska has helped scientists discover the state’s rich fossil heritage. “There may be others, but we haven’t analyzed them enough,”īailey said. In the remains of an ancient river there, scientists have identified bones of 44 different species, including at least two that are new to science. The fossil collections at Agate Fossil Beds in northwest Nebraska are remarkable because scientists found entire skeletons in one location, Bailey said.īut a fossil site in Wildcat Hills near Gering is probably the richest in terms of diversity. “Many deposits remain because it is so arid.” “Nebraska is famous for vertebrate fossils over the last 40 million years,” paleontologist Bruce Bailey said. It is against the law to collect vertebrate (animals with backbones) fossils on public lands. Just remember to leave any fossils where you find them. Even families who ordinarily rush through western Nebraska to reach the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore can allow an extra day to explore. There is enough in the corridor to offer at least a week’s worth of adventures. Travelers from eastern Nebraska can start their discoveries at two landmarks on pioneer trails heading west - Chimney Rock and Scotts Bluff National Monument-and then head north to discover the riches of the planet’s ancient past. Geologic wonders, including world-class fossil finds, make this a tourist’s paleontology corridor from the Wildcat Hills of Gering, Neb., to the Black Hills and Bad lands of South Dakota.įossils from here go to museum exhibits, and recent finds have helped scientists discover the history of such mammals as horses and dogs. Fossil Freeway corridor offers world-class fossil finds!Ĭonstruction of the Heartland Expressway from Denver to Rapid City, S.D., is paving the way for more vacation opportunities in western Nebraska and South Dakota.
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