3 Guide and Adviser

Ask a ranger for directions to the protected example of a Devil’s Corkscrew, the fossilized burrow of a small, beaver-like animal called Palaeocastor. See pages [68]-69 for more information about this interesting animal.

Visiting the Park

Contents of This Section

[Visiting the Park] 77 [Location] [Area] [Climate] [When to Visit] [Visitor Center] [Activities] [Camping] [Nearby Accommodations] [Transportation] [Establishment Date] [Address] [Access] [Protection] 80 [Park Regulations] [Safety Tips] [Birding Along the Niobrara] 81 [Taking the Annual Count] [Collections of Agate Springs Fossils] 86 [NPS Areas With Fossil Exhibits] 88 [Badlands] [Dinosaur] [Florissant] [Fossil Butte] [Petrified Forest] [John Day] [Hagerman] [Nearby National Parks] 90 [Badlands] [Devils Tower] [Fort Laramie] [Jewel Cave] [Mount Rushmore] [Scotts Bluff] [Wind Cave] [Not So Nearby National Parks] 92 [Bighorn Canyon] [Little Bighorn] [Rocky Mountain] [Theodore Roosevelt] [Armchair Explorations] 93

Location

Northwestern Nebraska 69 kilometers (43 miles) north of Scottsbluff along the Niobrara River.

Area

1,116 hectares (2,762 acres).

Climate

Temperatures range from winter lows of -38° C (-36° F) to summer highs of 39° C (101° F). Winter temperatures average 1° C (33° F), and winter snow averages 60 centimeters (2 feet) for the whole winter. However, snowdrifts can be much higher. Summer nights are cool, with temperatures averaging 10° C (50° F). Average annual precipitation is 41 centimeters (16 inches), with most precipitation in April and May.

When to Visit

Most people go to the park some time between June and August, but you can avoid the high summer temperatures by visiting in the spring, fall or—if you don’t mind the cold and snow—in the winter. Spring can be blustery, but the fall is usually dry and the days are cool. Check ahead on local weather conditions if you plan a winter visit. Museums and tourist attractions in nearby Fort Robinson are open Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Visitor Center

A ranger is on duty to help you and answer your questions. Fossil exhibits and part of James H. Cook’s personal collection of Indian items are on display in the visitor center, and publications about the park, paleontology, and history are on sale.

Activities

A trail from the visitor center takes you on a tour to both University and Carnegie Hills, with an interpretive display at each. The roundtrip distance is three kilometers (two miles) and takes about one hour. You may fish for German brown and rainbow trout in the Niobrara River if you have a Nebraska fishing license. The park has several tables for picnickers.

Camping

The park has no camping facilities, but there are state campgrounds near Harrison and near Fort Robinson, Nebraska, and a commercial campground on Nebr. 26 between Mitchell and Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

Nearby Accommodations

Hotels, motels, food stores, outdoor supply stores, and restaurants are available in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. A motel, restaurant, gas station, and grocery store are in Mitchell, Nebraska, 55 kilometers (34 miles) south of the park. There are a motel, food store, drugstore, and restaurant in Harrison, Nebraska, 37 kilometers (23 miles) north of the park, and there are motels and restaurants at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, 37 kilometers (23 miles) east of Harrison, or 74 kilometers (46 miles) northeast of the park.

Transportation

Buses—The nearest bus connections are in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Airport—Scottsbluff, Nebraska, has an airport served by a scheduled commercial airline. Rentals—Cars may be rented at the airport or at car rental agencies in Scottsbluff.

Establishment of the park

June 5, 1965.

Mailing Address

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, 301 River Road, Harrison, NE 69346.

Access

To reach the park from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, take Nebr. 26 west to Mitchell, then Nebr. 29 north to the park. From Fort Robinson, Nebraska, take Nebr. 20 west to Harrison, then Nebr. 29 south to the park.

Plains states
[High-resolution Map]