Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument |
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A part of the fossil beds with Gass Peak in the background
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| Nearest city | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Area | 22,650 acres (9,170 ha) |
| Established | 2014 |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument |
Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, a United States National Monument near Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, was established in 2014 to protect Ice Age paleontological discoveries. The 22,650-acre (9,170 ha) monument is administered by the National Park Service.
The national monument is located in the Upper Las Vegas Wash and protects part of the Tule Springs. The wash area also includes several patches of the rare Las Vegas bear poppy. The land was designated after a local campaign to permanently protect the landscape as a national monument.
Paleontology
Fossils found at the site include Columbian mammoths, camelops and American lions, and range from 7,000 to 250,000 years old.
Legislation
The Tule Springs Fossil Beds passed both houses of Congress in December 2014 and signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 19, 2014 under Section 3092(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2015.
