Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (Colorado), like Colorado National Monument and Dinosaur National Monument, is a Colorado example that not all significant nationally protected sites of interest are national parks.

The drive to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument from Colorado Springs is approximately 45 minutes with most of the drive being on U.S. Route 24 (Florissant is west of Colorado Springs).

There is a small visitor's center with ample parking and staffed with helpful and informative rangers and volunteers.

The Visitor's Center has a small bookstore.

There is also a small but interesting exhibit area with several interactive exhibits.

My favorite part of visiting Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument was hiking the mostly easy but interesting hikes.

You don't have to hike to see some of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument's famous huge pertified tree stumps because there are a few right behind the Visitor's Center.

These stumps are a reminder that Colorado once, a very long time ago, had huge trees like those most of us associate with California.

We started with the Petrified Forest Loop.

One of the main attractions on the Petrified Forest Loop is the Big Stump.

There are multiple other stumps on this relatively easy trail as well.

The Petrified Forest Loop also feature several clear signs that are clear and provide just about the level of details we desired.

The Petrified Forest Loop also provides an opportunity near the Visitors Center to walk in an area with trees, but most of the loop is in an open area.

We hiked the Petrified Forest Loop in a clockwise direction from near the Visitor's Center and came across the junction for the Geologic Trail as we neared the end of the trail (relatively close to the Visitor's Center again).

The Geologic Trail is not a loop and is 0.6 miles each way.

The Geologic Trail crosses Teller County Road 1.

Most of the Geologic Trail has relatively little elevation gain, but the last portion is steeper to the Geologic Trail Overlook.

The hikes on this cooler late September day were relatively easy, but I could see how they could be more difficult in warmer weather because large portions of the trails are not shaded.

The end of the trail is the Geologic Trail Overlook.

From the Geologic Trail Overlook, we returned to the last part of the Petrified Forest Loop and finished that to return to the Visitor's Center area. We heard one of the park rangers telling another group about a live tree growing out of a petrified stump on the easy Ponderosa Loop Trail and so decided to walk that trail near the Visitor's Center.

About hiking at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, the Hiking Trails Map provides a concise and accurate assessment of the available trails, "14 miles of trails exist at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. The self-guiding Petrified Forest Loop offers the best views of petrified redwood stumps. Other trails provide excellent opportunities to view scenery and explore the modern ecosystem."

We sat in a small area in the Visitor's Center near the exhibits and watched the interesting 18+ minutes video called "Shadows of the Past – Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument." It was interesting to view this video immediately after seeing many of the sites featured in the video, but you can also watch this video online in advance of a visit to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument because the video is available online.