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Preparethe placeget us ready

Getting ready for Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

Giant petrified redwood stumps on short trails behind the visitor center, 35 miles west of Colorado Springs at 8,500 feet. The Ponderosa Loop is 0.4 mile and wheelchair accessible, and children 15 or under get in free.

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Know before you go. The park doesn't list sensory supports. Here's what it does say about the trails, the weather and getting around.

Hours

Visitor center: 9 am to 4:30 pm. Winter hours (September 14 to May 31): closed Monday and Tuesday, when the foyer with restrooms and water fountains stays open. Closed New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Ponderosa Loop, Petrified Forest Loop and Geologic Trail are closed from 4:30 pm until 9 am.

15807 Teller County Road 1, Florissant, CO 80816 (35 miles west of Colorado Springs)

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What to expect

  • Space

    Boulder Creek Trail: “A portion of the trail skirts wet meadows, crosses a stream, and passes a formation of giant eroded granite boulders.”

  • Space

    “A small pond near the Twin Rock Trail is a great place to observe wildflowers and birds during the spring and summer.”

  • Access

    “The visitor center, theatre, and outdoor exhibit area are wheelchair accessible.” “The facility has wheelchair accessible restrooms.”

  • Temperature

    “The altitude is 8,500 feet above sea level.” “Summer thunderstorms with lightning and hail occur almost daily.”

  • Temperature

    “There is very little shade in our parking lot.”

  • Rules

    “Fossils, rocks, flowers, pine cones, artifacts, etc. must remain here.”

  • The Ponderosa Loop is short enough to be the whole walk. The Big Stump on the Petrified Forest Loop is a good turnaround point if your kid wants more.

In their own words: nps.gov. Checked Sun, Nov 8, 2026. Something wrong or out of date? Tell us · How we check

Visual schedule

Fossil Beds Day

  • Drive to the park
  • Go to the visitor center
  • Use the bathroom
  • Walk on the trail
  • Look at the petrified trees
  • Eat a snack
  • Drive home
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Ask before you go

  • sensory hours
  • a quiet room
  • sensory kits or headphones to borrow
Call 719-748-3253
More about Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
  • $10 per adult (16 or older); children 15 or under are free. Admission is good for 7 days.
  • No cash: only credit or debit cards and payment apps on phones are accepted for entrance fees and passes.
  • Junior Ranger books are free at the visitor center front desk; the park says kids take about 2 hours on average to finish.
  • The altitude is 8,500 feet. Summer thunderstorms with lightning and hail happen almost daily, and sub-zero lows can happen in winter.
  • Assistive listening devices and audio guides are available for the museum exhibits.
  • An 18 minute film can be viewed on request.
  • Pets are not allowed on any trail.
  • Fossils, rocks, flowers, pine cones and artifacts must stay in the park.
  • Do not feed park animals.

Source: nps.gov

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