Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Pictures courtesy of the – Jasperdo: Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, located in western Nebraska, offers a window into ancient ecosystems, preserving some of the world’s richest fossil deposits from the Miocene Epoch. This national monument showcases the prehistoric mammals that roamed the Great Plains 20 million years ago and highlights Native American heritage through a remarkable collection of artifacts. Today, visitors can explore trails, view fossils, and learn about the region’s history.

Website:	Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
Map:	Park Map
Visitor Centers:	Agate Visitor Center and Museum: This center provides exhibits on the park’s fossil history, displays of prehistoric mammal fossils, and a collection of Lakota artifacts contributed by Chief Red Cloud. Informative exhibits detail the scientific significance and cultural connections of the monument.
How to get There:	From the North: Take US-385 South through western Nebraska until you reach NE-29 S. Turn east on NE-29 S and follow the signs to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, located just a few miles east of the town of Harrison. From the South: Travel on US-26 toward the town of Harrison, Nebraska. From Harrison, turn north onto NE-29 N, and continue following signs to the park entrance.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is renowned for its significant Miocene fossil beds, where scientists have uncovered well-preserved skeletons of ancient mammals such as the Menoceras (a type of rhinoceros) and Stenomylus (a slender gazelle-like creature). Originally a site for paleontological discovery in the early 1900s, the area later gained protection as a national monument, helping preserve fossils and insights into North America’s ancient ecosystems.

Beyond fossils, Agate Fossil Beds is also a place of cultural history, particularly for the Lakota people, who formed a lasting friendship with early rancher James Cook. Many items from this friendship, including Lakota artifacts gifted to Cook by Chief Red Cloud, are displayed in the visitor center, bridging the monument’s prehistoric past with the heritage of Native American tribes connected to the land.

Visitors can explore the Fossil Hills Trail, leading to key dig sites, and the Daemonelix Trail, which features twisted, corkscrew-shaped burrows created by prehistoric beavers. These trails and the museum’s displays offer an immersive journey through time, from ancient ecosystems to the historical ties of Native American culture in the Great Plains.

Points of Interest:

Fossil Hills Trail: This scenic trail takes visitors through historic quarries where ancient mammal fossils were discovered, offering insights into prehistoric ecosystems and revealing clues about the climate and environment of millions of years ago. Along the trail, interpretive signs provide context for these fossilized remains, including those of rhinos, camels, and ancient horses that once inhabited the region.
Daemonelix Trail: Famous for its rare “devil’s corkscrew” formations, this unique trail brings visitors face-to-face with ancient spiral burrows carved by the Paleocastor, an extinct species of land-dwelling beaver. These corkscrew-like fossils, preserved in the sandstone, offer a window into the ingenuity of prehistoric animals and the ecosystem they inhabited millions of years ago.
James H. Cook Collection: Inside the visitor center, this collection displays significant Lakota artifacts given to the Cook family by Chief Red Cloud, showcasing the area’s Native American cultural ties.