Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument Park

Address: Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Clark County, Nevada (northwest Las Vegas area)

Website: https://www.nps.gov/tusk

Hours: Open daily sunrise-sunset (visitor services vary)

Admission: Free entry; backcountry permits may be required for some research/collecting activities

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument is a U.S. national monument in the Mojave Desert of southern Nevada that preserves Pleistocene-age fossil beds and associated archaeological sites.

Visitors encounter interpretive trails, signage and open landscapes where Ice Age vertebrate fossils were discovered, including large mammals from the Pleistocene. The monument protects fossil localities and the geological context that produced them.

The area was designated a national monument in 2014 to secure long-term protection for paleontological and cultural resources and to provide managed public access for education and scientific research.

The monument lies north of the Las Vegas urban area in Clark County, Nevada, within the Mojave Desert landscape.

• Designation year: Designated a U.S. national monument in 2014 to protect Ice Age fossil localities and archaeological sites within the Las Vegas valley.
• Public access: Site interpretation and trails provide public access to views of fossil-bearing deposits and paleontological features while protecting sensitive areas.

The monument is located in the northwest outskirts of Las Vegas. From downtown Las Vegas, drive north on I-15 and take local routes toward Kyle Canyon/Charleston Heights and then head northwest; consult the National Park Service site for exact trailheads and parking coordinates.

• Bring a hat, sunscreen and lots of water; Las Vegas-area desert can be deceptively hot.
• Stick to designated trails and marked interpretive areas - the monument protects fragile fossil deposits and archaeological sites.
• Cell reception is patchy; download maps and bring a printed park brochure if possible.