Traveling Through Nebraska: Ashfall Fossil State Historical Park
Located in Antelope County, Nebraska, approximately 4 miles north of Orchard and 30 miles northwest of Neligh, the Ashfall Fossil State Historical Park holds a unique place in the state's rich natural and geological history. This 360-acre site is famous for its extinct species that lived in the region about 12 million years ago during the Barstovian age of the Miocene epoch.
The Ashfall Fossil State Historical Park was formally designated as a state historical park in 1991. However, archaeological excavations started in the 1970s, when paleontologist Michael Voorhies' dogs discovered the remains of prehistoric animals near a geological feature known as the fossil beds at the park. The story goes that in 1971, Voorhies noticed that the dogs were bringing back rhinoceros teeth and vertebrae while he was on his way to visit some nearby fossil quarries.
Paleontologists have discovered and excavated over 100 rhinoceros, four mammoth, and numerous other species, including birds, turtles, and mollusks, at the park. Hiking trails provide access to these fossil beds, offering a self-guided tour of some 300 feet of geological excavation of sandstone-covered volcanic ash. Moreover, walking paths provide access to what paleontologists say was an ancient watering hole to several large plants with over 200 plant fossils on each tree. Fossils found on site were as result of mass fatal volcanic eruption disaster of nearby long extinct volcano in the region.
Exhibits at the park museum offer insights into these historical events, displaying the most significant artifacts found on the park property. Among the most interesting discoveries is that ashes or chemicals likely killed the animals shortly before depositing their remains in volcanic ash at the nearby watering hole site. While at the site historians at the University of Nebraska took samples of sedimentary ashfall from these assemblages to crossdate this historical geologic history by lab nuclear physicist radiometric dating. Samples taken found that each volcano ash has a very specific radioactive composition from samples of ashes laterally the same size age and the layer sequence identified globally based on the source volcano ash signature layers.
The fossils have advanced the scientific understanding of North America during that region's volcanic history. According to scientific analysis at National Park lab for Fossil Analysis and paleontology unit took nearly 5 decades. It also remains one of the locations still providing continuing fossil site discoveries.
Not without its own history in state financing the mission originally started as private non profit who was forced to discontinue excavations the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in purchased more than one-hundred forty-Seven (147) acres of land from the initial Ashfall discoverer at privately held working ranch Ash falls private holder but to now its a a National geological Monumen at the UNESCO.
Moreover the park also holds many modern educational environmental facilities and special programs public lecture free talks provided in cooperation are from ongoing outreach programs that to provide new discovery from actual scientists current about latest updates related to discoveries are always publicly informed.
The parks is large enough that full days go by and several visits are needed to comprehend the vast expanse and the many fossils present. The staff from a national service has set park special guest tours. Visit to and allow deep visits of inside more sites beyond the current site trails via visit times with appointments.
The Ashfall Fossil State Historical Park was formally designated as a state historical park in 1991. However, archaeological excavations started in the 1970s, when paleontologist Michael Voorhies' dogs discovered the remains of prehistoric animals near a geological feature known as the fossil beds at the park. The story goes that in 1971, Voorhies noticed that the dogs were bringing back rhinoceros teeth and vertebrae while he was on his way to visit some nearby fossil quarries.
Paleontologists have discovered and excavated over 100 rhinoceros, four mammoth, and numerous other species, including birds, turtles, and mollusks, at the park. Hiking trails provide access to these fossil beds, offering a self-guided tour of some 300 feet of geological excavation of sandstone-covered volcanic ash. Moreover, walking paths provide access to what paleontologists say was an ancient watering hole to several large plants with over 200 plant fossils on each tree. Fossils found on site were as result of mass fatal volcanic eruption disaster of nearby long extinct volcano in the region.
Exhibits at the park museum offer insights into these historical events, displaying the most significant artifacts found on the park property. Among the most interesting discoveries is that ashes or chemicals likely killed the animals shortly before depositing their remains in volcanic ash at the nearby watering hole site. While at the site historians at the University of Nebraska took samples of sedimentary ashfall from these assemblages to crossdate this historical geologic history by lab nuclear physicist radiometric dating. Samples taken found that each volcano ash has a very specific radioactive composition from samples of ashes laterally the same size age and the layer sequence identified globally based on the source volcano ash signature layers.
The fossils have advanced the scientific understanding of North America during that region's volcanic history. According to scientific analysis at National Park lab for Fossil Analysis and paleontology unit took nearly 5 decades. It also remains one of the locations still providing continuing fossil site discoveries.
Not without its own history in state financing the mission originally started as private non profit who was forced to discontinue excavations the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in purchased more than one-hundred forty-Seven (147) acres of land from the initial Ashfall discoverer at privately held working ranch Ash falls private holder but to now its a a National geological Monumen at the UNESCO.
Moreover the park also holds many modern educational environmental facilities and special programs public lecture free talks provided in cooperation are from ongoing outreach programs that to provide new discovery from actual scientists current about latest updates related to discoveries are always publicly informed.
The parks is large enough that full days go by and several visits are needed to comprehend the vast expanse and the many fossils present. The staff from a national service has set park special guest tours. Visit to and allow deep visits of inside more sites beyond the current site trails via visit times with appointments.
