Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is a United States national monument in the south central region of Colorado. It is known for a large abundance of Eocene Epoch fossils, ranging from imprints of twigs and seeds in shale to massive ancient fossilized Sequoia tree stumps which can be more than 40 feet in diameter. Unlike many national parks, Florissant Fossil Beds operates on standard business hours, 9 am to 4:30 pm.

2 sights · 4 things to do · 1 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Amphitheater

Where most of the ranger talks are given, a trio of petrified stumps and one lone stump are on display.

Hornbek Homestead

Five buildings are impeccably preserved, the result of hard work by Adeline Hornbek, one of the many women who took advantage of the Homestead Act of 1862.

Petrified Forest Loop

Ponderosa Loop

Wheelchair accessible 0.5-mile trail leading through the modern forest, passing by many culturally modified trees (bark removed by Native Americans for food).

Ranger Programs

Depending on the time of year (summer being the busiest time) and staffing, ranger talks are given on the history of the area, as are guided nature walks around the park.

Junior Ranger Program

Children ages 6-11 can complete a Junior Ranger booklet and receive either a badge or patch as a reward. The booklet has many activities about the park and its history. Although mostly for children, any age can complete …

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Jun–Aug. Summer highs reach about 79°F; winter lows dip to about 5°F. Cold months (Jan, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Aug and Jul.

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
COS City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, Colorado Springs — 32 mi away (major hub). Directions
PUB Pueblo Memorial Airport, Pueblo — 61 mi away. Directions

Take US Highway 24 west from Colorado Springs for 30 mi to the small town of Florissant, then turn south on Teller County Road 1 for 2 miles. The road runs through the middle of the park.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 2-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning Amphitheater, Petrified Forest Loop
Afternoon Ranger Programs

Day 2

Morning Hornbek Homestead, Ponderosa Loop
Afternoon Junior Ranger Program

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

There are 3 picnic areas in the park: one near the visitor center; the Barksdale Picnic Area off of Lower Twin Rock Road; and at the Hornbek Homestead.

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Map

Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

Understand

The word "Florissant" is French for "flowering" or "flourishing".

History

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Climate

Visitor information

Park website

Place Florissant Fossil Beds Visitors Center

Inside are shelves with real fossils on display. A short orientation film entitled "Shadows of the Past" is played often.

📍 15807 Teller County Road 1⚠ Last checked Jul 2020 — confirm before you go

Maps

Get in

By car

Take US Highway 24 west from Colorado Springs for 30 mi to the small town of Florissant, then turn south on Teller County Road 1 for 2 miles. The road runs through the middle of the park.

By plane

Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS) is 46 mi away in Colorado Springs.

Fees and permits

Entrances fees are valid for seven days, allowing unlimited re-entry for the week. Fees as of 2020 are:

$10 - Individuals 16 years old or older
$35 - Florissant Fossil Beds Annual Pass

Get around

Most of the park is accessible by well maintained trails.

See

See Amphitheater

Where most of the ranger talks are given, a trio of petrified stumps and one lone stump are on display.

Maps

See Hornbek Homestead

Five buildings are impeccably preserved, the result of hard work by Adeline Hornbek, one of the many women who took advantage of the Homestead Act of 1862.

Maps

Do

Hiking

There are 15 miles of hiking trails in the park.

Do Petrified Forest Loop

This easy 1-mile loop leads through the ancient bed of Lake Florissant. Multiple petrified stumps are on the side of the trail, including the most famous, the Big Stump (38 feet around). A 0.1-mile side trip leads to the Scudder excavation pit, where paleontologists are extracting fossils from the exposed shale to this day.

Maps

Do Ponderosa Loop

Wheelchair accessible 0.5-mile trail leading through the modern forest, passing by many culturally modified trees (bark removed by Native Americans for food).

Maps

Ranger Programs

Do Ranger Programs

Depending on the time of year (summer being the busiest time) and staffing, ranger talks are given on the history of the area, as are guided nature walks around the park.

Maps

Do Junior Ranger Program

Maps

Stargaze

The Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument achieved status as an International Dark Sky Park in 2021.

The Hornbek Homestead area and parking lot is open to the public 24 hours a day for stargazing. Visitors from cities often bring telescopes to the Homestead to observe the night sky free of light pollution.

The Florissant Fossil Beds hosts Night Sky Programs at the Visitor Center. Telescopes and laser pointer tours are provided by the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society. The events occur quarterly, weather permitting. See the Florissant Fossil Beds website for more information, and see the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society calendar to see when the next event is scheduled as well as other events throughout the Pikes Peak region.

Buy

The visitor center has the usual history books, games, clothes, children's activities, among other things.

Eat

There are 3 picnic areas in the park: one near the visitor center; the Barksdale Picnic Area off of Lower Twin Rock Road; and at the Hornbek Homestead.

Drink

Several vending machines near the visitor center offer a variety of soft drinks.

Sleep

There in only one non-affiliated place to sleep in the park, and no places in the town of Florissant.

Lodging

Plenty of lodges are located in the nearby towns of Cripple Creek, Woodland Park, and others.

Stay Christ Haven Lodge

Located inside the park.

Maps Website

Camping

The nearest place to camp would be Mueller State Park or the Pike National Forest, flanking the park to the East and West.

Stay safe

Remember that the national monument is at over 8,000 feet (2,500 m) of elevation. If you are coming from a lower altitude then take some preventative measures against altitude sickness. Take a few days to acclimate to the high altitude.

Of course, as with many locations in the Rocky Mountains, black bears are present in the area. Bear encounters here are not terribly common, and the threat they pose is not extremely high; however, caution is still prudent. Some might bring bear spray to ease their minds.

Go next

Continuing south 18 miles on County Road 1 will lead to the city of Cripple Creek, a popular town rich with gold mining history and gambling casinos.

The Florissant Fossil Quarry, located in the town of Florissant, provides an opportunity to hunt for and collect fossils from the Florissant Formation. Of course, collecting fossils from the national monument is prohibited, but the Fossil Quarry is an independent entity located outside of the monument. They are normally open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day, closed on Sundays. Their hours are from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, weather permitting. See their website for pricing and more information.

And of course, there is Pikes Peak.

Mueller State Park, a 12-mile drive east of the monument, is a state park with over 44 miles of trails, 134 campsites, four picnic areas, and some fishing and limited hunting opportunities. See the park website for more information.