Nevada is gaining a new state park that will allow visitors to explore natural fossils dating all the way back from the Ice Age.
Officially set to open on January 20, the Ice Age Fossils State Park spans 315 acres in North Las Vegas and features a portion of the upper Las Vegas wash where several species of megafauna, like Columbian mammoths, American lions, camels, dire wolves and ground sloths, once roamed in abundance.
Now extinct, these large mammals have been preserved in the form of fossils under the ground of the new state park, which gives visitors a unique glimpse into the area’s rich paleontological and historical finds. According to Nevada State Parks, the discovery of abundant fossils on this site in the 1900s led to the largest inter-disciplinary scientific expedition of its kind up to that point, known as the famous “Big Dig” of 1962–1963.
Park visitors will have access to numerous trails that will lead them through historic dig sites, as well as provide glimpses of real fossils. Large megafauna structures throughout the park will also give visitors an idea of what ancient animals of the time would have looked like. At the visitor center, guests can view natural history exhibits and sign up for the park’s educational program offerings centered around the site’s history tracing back to roughly 25,000 years ago.
The new state park will also provide restrooms, drinking water, several shaded picnic areas and a gift shop. Ice Age Fossils State Park is located just 20 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. The cost of entry into the park will be $3 for adults, while children ages 12 and under will enter for free. To learn more and stay up to date on the park’s opening, visit parks.nv.gov.
