National Park Service · Colorado
A high mountain valley west of Colorado Springs holding giant petrified redwood stumps and some of the world's richest fossil insect and plant beds, on easy interpretive trails.
Field briefing
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument changes fast with season and elevation.
Before you go
The fee is $10 per person ages 16 and up, paid at the visitor center, not per vehicle. The headline walk is the flat one-mile Petrified Forest Loop past the giant stumps. There are no caves, permits, or timed tickets here; the planning notes are altitude (8,400 feet), afternoon storms, and that the fee is per person.
The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Cool and changeable at altitude, with mud and possible late snow on the trails.
Pack Layers, waterproof shoes for mud, and sun protection at 8,400 feet.
Mild days, cool nights, and afternoon mountain thunderstorms.
Pack Sun protection, a rain shell for storms, water, and a warm layer for the high meadows.
Crisp, clear days with golden aspens, especially in late September.
Pack Warm layer, headlamp for shorter days, and water on every trail.
Cold and snowy, with the monument open but trails often snow-covered.
Pack Insulation, traction, and a willingness to snowshoe the meadow loops.
Petrified Forest Loop
The signature one-mile loop past massive petrified redwood stumps, including the Big Stump, about 12 feet across, and a rare trio of fused stumps.
Visitor center fossil exhibits
Displays of the famously detailed fossil insects, leaves, and even a fossilized tsetse fly, preserved in the fine shale of an ancient lake bed.
Hornbek Homestead and the meadow trails
A preserved 1870s homestead reached on longer meadow loops, part of the monument's 14 miles of trails through grassland and pine.
Put the timed or highest-demand stop first, then keep the rest of the day close and low-friction. For one day in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, time Petrified Forest Loop first, then keep Visitor center fossil exhibits and Hornbek Homestead and the meadow trails close enough that the visit still feels relaxed.
Turn Florissant Fossil Beds's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Build around conditions
Let season, elevation, and weather set the plan.
Plan your trip
2 quick tools, already seeded for Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument packing list
0 of 15 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
15 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Florissant Fossil Beds asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
There is no camping or lodging inside the monument. The small towns of Florissant, Divide, and Woodland Park are the closest for food and basics, with Colorado Springs about an hour east holding the broadest lodging. For camping, the surrounding Pike National Forest and nearby Mueller State Park, about 20 minutes south, offer reservable sites, with Mueller the most developed option.
Camping reservations
Florissant Fossil Beds is day-use only, with no campground and no permits to arrange. For overnights, the nearby Mueller State Park and Pike National Forest campgrounds are the practical bases.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
The monument requires no reservations or permits. Mueller State Park camping is reserved through Colorado Parks and Wildlife; Pike National Forest campgrounds are reserved on Recreation.gov.
Where to book or verify
Official NPS page with hours, fees, trails, and visitor center information.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife page for the nearest developed campground.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Plan the handoff from arrival to shuttle.
Parking, pedestrian entrances, and shuttle timing decide how calmly the first morning starts.
Getting there
Car strategy
The monument sits just south of the town of Florissant on Teller County Road 1, off US 24 about 35 miles west of Colorado Springs.
Car strategy
A car is the practical way to reach it, and many visitors pair it with Cripple Creek, Mueller State Park, or a Pikes Peak region trip.
Shuttle access
The visitor center is the hub for the fee, exhibits, and the main trailheads.
Pair this with lodging: sleep where the park transfer is simple, especially if your route needs an early start.
The fee is $10 per person ages 16 and up, valid for 7 days, with children 15 and under free. Note it is charged per person at the visitor center, not per vehicle. America the Beautiful passes are accepted.
The highlights are the giant petrified redwood stumps along the one-mile Petrified Forest Loop, the detailed fossil insect and plant exhibits in the visitor center, and the historic Hornbek Homestead reached on longer meadow trails. The walking is easy to moderate.
No. The monument is day-use only with no campground. The nearest developed camping is Mueller State Park, about 20 minutes south, plus campgrounds in the surrounding Pike National Forest.
No. There are no caves, timed tickets, or permits. You simply pay the per-person fee at the visitor center and walk the trails. The main things to plan for are the 8,400-foot altitude and afternoon mountain storms.