"Florissant Fossil Beds" Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument by leafmcgowan

In prehistoric times, this temperate forest meets giant natural lake hosting the flora and fauna of a landscape that would have resembled similarities with today's Pacific Northwest. Now an extinct lake bed, with a plethera of ancient petrified redwood stumps, this small 6,000 acre park protects the area. Layer upon layer of volcanic ash accumulated in this area 34-35 million years ago, killing off the lake and the animal life that was abundant here, leaving only intact layers of fossilized shale. Here we get a good picture of the Eocene period, showing Redwoods, Sequoia's, insects, and plant life. A historic 1878 homestead of the first single mother to own property in Colorado can be toured nearby. Rating: 3 stars out of 5. Visited 10/13/06.