The Ashfall Fossil Beds are located in Antelope County, Nebraska. The site is a state park with hiking trails, picnic areas, a visitor center and educational programs. There is no camping in the park, but campsites are nearby.
The Ashfall Fossil Beds are classified as Lagerstatte. This type of site is composed of sedimentary rock that contains a high volume of high quality fossils.
Fossils at the Ashfall Fossil Beds date back to the Miocene period from 23 to 5 million years ago. The volcanic explosion that created the fossils has been dated to 12 million years ago, right in the middle of the time period.
The animals whose fossilized remains are found at Ashfall perished in a dense cloud of volcanic ash. The area was a watering hole for the prehistoric animals, a place where many animals would be at the same time.
Five types of horses have been found at the site. Three types of camels, three members of the canine family, one type of rhinoceros, one type of saber-toothed deer, two species of turtle and three types of birds have also been discovered.
