More Colorado: Florissant Fossil Beds and Garden of the Gods

Our next Colorado stop was the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Florissant, CO. This is another tucked away National Monument that doesn't get much fanfare, but is still super cool, and super convenient for us since we were anchored down about an hour away in Colorado Springs. 

The Springs is situated at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, on the east side. To get to Florissant you drive into the range, through Woodland Park, and out into remote Teller County. The drive alone is worth making the visit to the Fossil Beds and there are plenty of cool shops and attractions along the way to get distracted with. 

As we've been traveling and visiting different national parks and monuments we've noticed how many of them have 'fossil beds' in their name. Initially I thought "how many fossil beds does one really need to see?", but I've been corrected of such thinking. Each fossil bed has distinct features that are based on elevation, terrain, and a long list of other things, so it definitely isn't like visiting the same thing over and over again. 

Like I said, Florrisant isn't big, but their collection is extensive and the small display area is full of interesting information. 

Here's what it looks like trying to get a group picture. 

Petrified wood near the visitor's center

All of the white stuff is fossil. 

Florissant is also home to a petrified forest...

Another badge for these Jr. Rangers

For the Fire Team the coolest thing about the trip was the Junior Ranger yurt. In here they had lots of tables with fossil they could touch and looks at with magnifying glasses and telescopes and the Rangers showed them how they do excavation.

And then, of course, we stopped at Garden of the Gods on the way back to Colorado Springs. Beautiful red rock formations in the middle of a big city. Lots of climbing fun for the kids. 

And then we loaded up and started heading back to the wondrous Pacific Northwest. I had to get the Colorado sign picture on the way out because it's so precariously placed on I-25, though. 

We made a few really cool stops on the way back to Oregon. I'll post pictures of those soon!