Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park - Royal, Nebraska - Park and Museum Featuring Skeletons and Fossils

Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park is situated 6 miles north of U.S. Highway 20 between Royal and Orchard in Nebraska. It also stands on 360 acres of rugged rangeland in the scenic Verdigre Creek valley and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in Antelope County in 1986, the first for 18 years. Openings hours vary throughout the year so it is probably advisable for visitors to check before heading to this historic park.

This is Nebraska's newest state park having opened its gates in 1991 and is a joint project of the University of Nebraska State Museum and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. At the park many skeletons of prehistoric animals have been found resting in volcanic ash underneath the rolling farmlands of northeastern Nebraska. Museum crews have been excavating well preserved fossil rhinos, horses, camels and birds, which in some cases still have bones joined together rather than just individual pieces.

Visitors can follow some of the nature trails, which have been developed to improve the understanding of the area geology, as well as the plants and wildlife of today and in the past. Visitors are prohibited from collecting fossils and other specimens found on the park grounds to ensure the natural history of the area is maintained and not lost forever. The Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation purchased the land in 1986 to ensure the preservation of Ashfall, whilst the Burlington Northern Foundation supplied a grant for construction of facilities at the park.

Interpretive displays and the fossil preparation laboratory enable visitors to ask the paleontologists about their work. Here there are regular educational programs presented by the experts, with school and tour groups welcome to visit Ashfall between the start of April and the middle of October. The facilities at the park are wheelchair accessible.

The main attraction at the park is the 17,500 square foot Hubbard Rhino Barn, which opened in 2009 as a replacement for a smaller version. The barn holds many of the skeletons at the park, and was given its name because the most common animal located at the fossil site has been the barrel-bodied rhinoceros. It is also named after the Hubbard family of Omaha, who through their Foundation donated a $1.2 million gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation.

Over 200 fossil skeletons from 12 species of Clarendonian Land Mammal Age have been discovered at Ashfall so far, and 12 of the 17 species of vertebrates found amongst the ash are mammals. Finds so far include five species of horse, three camel species, one rhino and a saber-toothed deer. Other discoveries have included a bone crushing dog, a turtle and three species of bird.

Visitors to this historic site have left favorable reviews of their trip here. Many were surprised at what they found or unaware that these creatures lived in the United States. Generally the comments were that this is a fascinating place to visit if you have any interest in fossils and natural history.