Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument: see National Parks and Monuments (table).

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Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Natural “depository” of an extinct animal community on the Niobrara River, northwestern Nebraska, U.S. The beds, laid down as sedimentary deposits 20 million years ago, bear the remains of prehistoric mammals. Discovered c. 1878, the site was named for its proximity to rock formations containing agates. A national monument since 1965, it covers 2,269 acres (918 hectares).

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Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Parks Directory of the United States / US National Parks / National Monuments

Address: 301 River Rd
Harrison, NE 69346
Phone: 308-668-2211;
Fax: 308-668-2318;
Web: www.nps.gov/agfo/
Size: 3,055 acres.
Established: Authorized on June 5, 1965.
Location: On the Niobrara River, 22 miles from Harrison, in northwestern Nebraska.
Facilities: Picnic area, rest rooms (é), visitor center, museum/exhibit, self-guided trails. Entrance fee required.
Activities: Hiking, fishing, ranger-led walks.
Special Features: Park was originally part of Captain James Cook's Agate Springs Ranch. The renowned quarries contain numerous, well preserved Miocene mammal fossils and represent an important chapter in the evolution of mammals. The park's museum collection also includes more than 500 Plains Indian artifacts from the Cook Collection.

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See other parks in Nebraska.