Exploring Ashfall Fossil Beds State Park
Traveling through Nebraska often reveals numerous hidden gems, and among them stands Ashfall Fossil Beds State Park, an extraordinary archaeological site located near the town of Royal in Antelope County, approximately 130 miles northwest of Omaha. Established in 1976, this 360-acre park protects one of the most remarkable fossil discoveries in North America.
The park's significance stems from its unique fossil deposits, primarily found in the Ashfall Beds Formation, which dates back to the early Miocene epoch, around 11 million years ago. This series of fossil beds, discovered in 1971 by a paleontologist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Mike Voorhies, was initially observed as a layer of volcanic ash containing a large number of well-preserved fossils. These volcanic deposits are originated from an enormous eruption that was far away in today's Idaho area and deposited tiny amounts of the minerals palygorskite and rhyolitic tephra here in Nebraska.
This massive event trapped various animals in a layer of ash, their remains instantly entombed, hence explaining the exceptional state of the preservation. Several thousand fossilized specimens were discovered here, with the specimens constituting an assortment of ancient animals such as the skulls of barrel-bodied rhinos and saber-toothed cats. They unearthed numerous other mammalian faunas including early three-toed elephant species and North American dwarf rhinos, documenting the unique composition of this region's fauna, circa the late Paleogene Period.
What contributes significantly to the rarity and scientific value of this finding is its precise formation period and unique immediate entombment and subsequent fossilization under specific ash conditions. The extreme suddenness of the animal fossilization process and extreme conditions associated offered distinct opportunities for preserving fossil records in several additional subtypes (tracks, pellets, and fecal preservation are the cases here), unusual and more valuable ones.
In light of the major scientific importance associated with Ashfall Fossil Beds State Park and related fossil field sites located on the same horizon circa tens kilometers away both in a NE or SE bearing direction, museum curators and other researchers not located at home research or curation universities set up agreements or local collaborations specifically for the various excavations taking place, or when requiring site co-managed protection and organized a basic visitation.
The park's significance stems from its unique fossil deposits, primarily found in the Ashfall Beds Formation, which dates back to the early Miocene epoch, around 11 million years ago. This series of fossil beds, discovered in 1971 by a paleontologist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Mike Voorhies, was initially observed as a layer of volcanic ash containing a large number of well-preserved fossils. These volcanic deposits are originated from an enormous eruption that was far away in today's Idaho area and deposited tiny amounts of the minerals palygorskite and rhyolitic tephra here in Nebraska.
This massive event trapped various animals in a layer of ash, their remains instantly entombed, hence explaining the exceptional state of the preservation. Several thousand fossilized specimens were discovered here, with the specimens constituting an assortment of ancient animals such as the skulls of barrel-bodied rhinos and saber-toothed cats. They unearthed numerous other mammalian faunas including early three-toed elephant species and North American dwarf rhinos, documenting the unique composition of this region's fauna, circa the late Paleogene Period.
What contributes significantly to the rarity and scientific value of this finding is its precise formation period and unique immediate entombment and subsequent fossilization under specific ash conditions. The extreme suddenness of the animal fossilization process and extreme conditions associated offered distinct opportunities for preserving fossil records in several additional subtypes (tracks, pellets, and fecal preservation are the cases here), unusual and more valuable ones.
In light of the major scientific importance associated with Ashfall Fossil Beds State Park and related fossil field sites located on the same horizon circa tens kilometers away both in a NE or SE bearing direction, museum curators and other researchers not located at home research or curation universities set up agreements or local collaborations specifically for the various excavations taking place, or when requiring site co-managed protection and organized a basic visitation.
