Fossil Butte National Monument Wyoming

The Fossil Butte National Monument contains the remnants of three ancient great lakes that scientists believe existed in what is now known as modern-day Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. Scientists have named the ancient lakes of old Lake Goslute, Fossil Lake, and Lake Unita. Fossil Butte National Monument is located in Kemmerer, Wyoming and is one of the state's greatest tourist attractions. Many of the park visitors who are attracted to the monument have interests in history, natural science, biology, archeology, and biology. The Fossil Butte National Monument gives visitors and researchers a chance to learn about the past and catch a glimpse of ancient marine life that once lived in the area. Today, the area is a semi-arid landscape of desert shrubs and grasses.

The fossils at the Fossil Butte National Monument are considered some of the greatest preserved remains of ancient animal and plant life in the entire world. Fossil Butte National Monument was designed to preserve the butte and keep it in tact for future generations and researchers. Many of the fossils that remain in the area have maintained the exact form of the animals and are in remarkable condition. The fossils in the area are considered perfectly preserved. The Fossil Butte National Monument is a favorite of paleontologists, archeologists, and different types of scientists and researchers from all over the world.

One of the unsolved mysteries at the Fossil Butte National Monument are the great die-offs that are recorded on a slab called the Green River Formation. The die-offs are called mass mortality layers and have the fossilized remains of thousands of fish that are said to have died suddenly. Scientists and researchers are unsure what may have killed the fish and constant research to solve the mystery has been underway. Although millions of the fossil remains that have been discovered in Fossil Butte National Monument are fish, there are other marine and land life that have been unearthed as well. The formation of early primates, crocodiles, turtles, plants, and lizards have also been discovered. Visitors to the park who discover fossils outside of the trail are required to leave them undisturbed.

The Visitors Center is normally the first stop tourists take on their visit to Fossil Butte National Monument. The Visitors Center has a museum where displays of fossils, exhibits, brochures, and park rangers can better explain the butte, Green River Formation and other aspects of the national monument. The parks schedule of guided walks and events are all posted at the Visitor Center. There are two park trails that visitors to the monument can take in order to experience the Fossil Butte. The two trails are called the Quarry Trail and the Lake Trail. The Quarry Trail is a 2.5 mile long trail that loops around to the Green River Formation and goes past a cabin that was once used by fossil hunters. Lake trail is a mile shorter and offers up-close views of the flora and fauna in the park.