Fossils in US National Parks

Our national parks have been described as our country's greatest treasure — full of natural wonders, history, cultural icons, and places to explore — to be safeguarded for all time. Many of these parks are also the home to fossils! The markers on the map below indicate those National Parks where fossils have been found or where they exist in collections. This resource was created in support of National Fossil Day, organized in 2010 by the National Park Service to "… promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational values."

Zoom in and click on the markers to learn more about the fossils you can discover at any "fossil park" across the country. Use the controls at right to start browsing by state, age, fossil type, or park. Your results will be plotted on the map. Each search is cumulative so you can continually refine your search by selecting new criteria. Close all of the criteria in the "You browsed for" list to begin a new search or click "start over."