Petrified Forest

https://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrified_Forest_National_Park Petrified Forest National Park is in Navajo and Apache counties in northeastern Arizona. Named for its large deposits of petrified wood, the park covers about 230 square miles (600 square kilometers), encompassing semi-desert shrub steppe as well as highly eroded and colorful badlands. Park Hours: 8am to 5pm, MST. Don't forget that Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings. We are an hour earlier than New Mexico, Utah, and the Navajo Nation. Would you like to see the park film? It is located at the park's YouTube Channel. Petrified Forest stretches north/south between I-40 and Hwy 180. There are two entrances into the park.*** ***WESTBOUND I-40***Travelers should take Exit 311, drive 28 miles through the park to Hwy 180 at the south end. Travel 19 miles to return to I-40 via Holbrook.*** ***EASTBOUND I-40***Travelers should take Exit 285 into Holbrook then travel 19 miles on Hwy 180 to the park's south entrance. Drive 28 miles north through the park to return to I-40. Painted Desert Inn In its almost 100 years overlooking the Painted Desert, the inn has undergone many changes. The original building from the early 1920s was made of petrified wood. Today's adobe facade dates to the 1930s renovation of the Painted Desert Inn. The national historic landmark functions only as a museum now, with no overnight accommodation and food service. Displays inside highlight the building's history, Route 66, and the Civilian Conservation Corps. There are also restored murals by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie. Exit #311 off Interstate 40, north 2 miles into Petrified Forest National Park. Painted Desert Visitor Center Painted Desert Visitor Center is located at exit #311 off of I-40. The center provides information, brochures, book sales, exhibits, and restrooms. A gift shop and convenience store are adjacent to the visitor center. It is part of the Painted Desert Community Complex which is on the National Register of Historic Places. This is the only place you can obtain a permit for Devil's Playground. Take Exit #311 off I-40. Rainbow Forest Museum Rainbow Forest Museum provides exhibits of petrified wood, fossils, and displays of prehistoric animals as well as information, book sales, and restrooms. From Holbrook, AZ take Hwy 180 South 18 miles, then 2 miles on the park road north. From I-40 Westbound take Exit 311 and drive through Petrified Forest National Park for 26 miles. Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area Sunlit Painted Desert hills of the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area Sunrise and sunset are favorite times to view the colorful Painted Desert of the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark Sunset lights up the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark west side. Sunset lights up the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark west side. Agate House Sunlight highlights the colorful petrified wood of Agate House Agate House was built over 900 years ago out of pieces of petrified wood Devil's Playground Eroded towers called hoodoos loom above Devil's Playground. Eroded towers called hoodoos loom above Devil's Playground. Puerco Pueblo Masonry wall foundations are all that are left of a hundred room pueblo Masonry wall remnants are all that are left of a hundred room pueblo. Painted Desert Community Complex Plaza Painted Desert Community Complex Plaza reveals the long lines of Mid-century style architecture Painted Desert Community Complex Plaza reveals the long lines of Mid-century style architecture Agate Bridge A large petrified log stretches across a gully This large petrified log stretches across a gully created by erosion. Blue Mesa Summer storm clouds build behind the banded badlands of Blue Mesa Summer storm clouds build behind the banded badlands of Blue Mesa. Blue Mesa Trail Two visitors walk the Blue Mesa Trail between blue, purple, and grey badlands. Visitors enjoy the otherworldly walk along the Blue Mesa. Crystal Forest Many petrified logs are scattered in front of the blue grey badlands at Crystal Forest. Many petrified logs are scattered among the badlands at Crystal Forest. Grassland Rainbow A full rainbow arches over the open grassland. A full rainbow arches over the open grassland. Expansion Land Scenery Swirly patterned rocks form a jumbled puzzle in front of red badlands Swirly patterned rocks form a jumbled puzzle in front of red badlands in the expansion lands. Flattops Mesas glow red at dawn The Flattops glow red at dawn. Painted Desert Inn CCC Lyle Bennett Skylight Montage Handpainted glass skylight at the historic Handpainted skylight panels by the CCC designed by architect Lyle Bennett grace the historic Painted Desert Inn NHL Fred Kabotie Mural at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark Many Hopi symbols are represented in this mural including eagles, corn, and rain. Many Hopi symbols are featured in this Fred Kabotie mural at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark Onyx Bridge, Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area a long petrified log stretches across a wash Onyx Bridge is a popular destination for hikers in the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area's north unit. Jasper Forest many petrified logs lay on the ground and on eroded pedestals of clay Jasper Forest has some of the most colorful logs in the park. Route 66 Alignment An old 1932 Studebaker auto sits near the Route 66 alignment An old 1932 Studebaker auto sits near the Route 66 alignment. Painted Desert Inn Punched Tin Light Fixtur handmade Spanish colonial style punched tin light fixtures were made by the CCC The handmade Spanish-colonial-style punched tin light fixtures were made by the CCC in the 1930s for the Painted Desert Inn NHL. Summer Solstice Petroglyph at Puerco Pueblo A beam of light touches a petroglyph at Puerco Pueblo on the summer solstice A petroglyph at Puerco Pueblo interacts with the sunlight on the summer solstice. Mountain Lion Petroglyph a petroglyph pecked into sandstone that represents a mountain lion This ancient petroglyph of a mountain lion has become an icon of the park. Paleontological Excavation Researchers dig for fossils in the badlands Researchers dig for fossils in the badlands. Colorful Piece of Petrified Wood yellow and other colors in a piece of brightly colored petrified wood Iron oxide is one of the many trace minerals that create the color of petrified wood. Sunset on the Tepees striped badlands glow red in the sunset light at the Tepees Striped badlands glow red in the sunset light at the Tepees. Kids Day Camp Field Trip with Park Paleontologist Bill Parker Kids excavating in the field with Park Paleontologist Bill Parker Kids excavating in the field with Park Paleontologist Bill Parker Milky Way Over Blue Mesa Dark blue sky filled with stars over banded badland. Petrified Forest is now an International Dark Sky Park! Tandem Bicycling at Blue Mesa Two people in colorful clothing on a tandem bicycle with banded badlands in the background Tandem Bicycling at Blue Mesa 2012 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2012 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Park Air Profiles - Petrified Forest National Park Air quality profile for Petrified Forest National Park. Gives park-specific information about air quality and air pollution impacts for Petrified Forest NP as well as the studies and monitoring conducted for Petrified Forest NP. Hieroglyphs 2012 SCPN-NAU Student Projects The 2012 SCPN-NAU School of Communication partnership took the form of a fall semester internship for NAU student, Kent Wagner. 2012 Student Projects Increasing temperature seasonality may overwhelm shifts in soil moisture to favor shrub over grass dominance in Colorado Plateau drylands Increasing variability of temperature favors a shift to shrublands over grasslands in arid southwestern landscapes. This effect is greater than the effect of increasing soil moisture, which favors a shift to grasslands over shrublands. Grassland with scattered junipers and hills in the background. Renewed emphasis on microvertebrate fossils recovers the oldest frogs in North America Until recently, relatively little research has been done on the microvertebrates of the Chinle Formation. . Fortunately, new fossils from Petrified Forest National Park and sites from a neighboring ranch and St. Johns, Arizona are starting to fill that gap. Late Triassic frog clings to the snout of a phytosaur 2011 SCPN-NAU Student Projects In spring 2011, the SCPN-NAU School of Communication collaboration began with a multimedia studies course focused on documenting park resources and resource projects. The class was taught by NAU professors Laura Camden and Peter Friederici. 2011 Student Projects The Colorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau is centered on the four corners area of the Southwest, and includes much of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Hazy Fajada Butte, Chaco Culture National Monument Monitoring Upland Vegetation and Soils on the Southern Colorado Plateau Vegetation and soils are the foundation upon which all terrestrial ecosystems are built. Soils provide the medium for the storage and delivery of water and nutrients to plants, which in turn provide animal populations with both habitat and food. Sampling grassland vegetation at a long-term monitoring plot at Wupatki National Monument Monitoring Bird Communities on the Southern Colorado Plateau Bird communities can tell us a lot about changing environmental conditions. High on the food chain, and sensitive to climate and habitat changes, birds are monitored on the Southern Colorado Plateau as indicators of riparian and upland ecosystem health. Male Williamson’s sapsucker. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. [Site Under Development] petrified logs on desert landscape 2003 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2003 Environmental Achievement Awards 2007 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2007 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Modeling Past and Future Soil Moisture in Southern Colorado Plateau National Parks and Monuments In this project, USGS and NPS scientists used the range of variation in historical climate data to provide context for assessing the relative impact of projected future climate on soil water availability. This report provides the results of modeled SWP generated for 11 ecosystems in nine Southern Colorado Plateau Network parks. Extensive grassland at Wupatki National Monument Monitoring Night Skies and Natural Soundscapes on the Southern Colorado Plateau Many national parks in the Southern Colorado Plateau region contain large areas of wilderness, where dark night skies and natural soundscapes are important human values. Dark night skies, which depend upon the visibility of stars and other natural components, are diminishing resources in several park units because of anthropogenic activities. Natural soundscapes—that is, the natural sounds of wildlands—are degraded by sounds caused by humans or human technology. Clouds and sky turning red and orange over Navajo National Monument at sunset Searching for Change in Petrified Forest National Park Grasslands The Southern Colorado Plateau Network of the National Park Service has been monitoring grasslands in Petrified Forest National Park since 2007. Data collected from the park between 2007 and 2018 was analyzed to investigate how the condition of the grasslands changed over time. Arid grassland with rocky formations in the background. Survey of New Park Lands at Petrified Forest National Park During 2004 Congress authorized the expansion of the Petrified Forest National Park boundary to preserve important paleontological and archeological resources. A team of paleontologists, under the supervision of Bill Parker and Adam Marsh, have documented nearly 300 new fossil localities in the new lands added to the park. This article features the incredible paleontological work and discoveries documented at Petrified Forest National Park. youth group hiking a desert trail Fostering Children’s Dreams of Becoming a Paleontologist 100,000 Times Children, young and old, ventured to Petrified Forest National Park on June 6th to celebrate Dinosaur Day. Among the many fossil-focused activities, a “TOP SECRET” surprise was being guarded closely under the “Smokey Bear” hats worn by the park rangers and paleontologists at the park. The 100,000th Junior Paleontologist booklet would be handed to one of the young participants. Two rangers and three kids standing in front of fossils Painted Desert Inn Cultural Landscape The Painted Desert Inn Historic District, which covers approximately 15 acres, is located within Petrified Forest National Park. The district is significant for its association with 20th century trends in tourism and recreation and its association with NPS Rustic Style architecture and landscape architecture from 1924 to 1949. It was designed by National Park Service architects and constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1937-1940. Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark (NPS) Rainbow Forest Complex Cultural Landscape The 172-acre Rainbow Forest Complex is on the arid windswept plains of the Colorado Plateau in Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona. For 39 years it served as park headquarters and as such was the most visited destination. It consists of interpretive trails, the visitor center and museum, a concession building, a picnic area, and residential and service areas. The buildings at Rainbow Forest represent architectural styles from different NPS eras. Rainbow Forest Museum (NPS) Designing the Desert: Landscape & the Painted Desert Community Complex The landscape design for the Painted Desert Community Complex reflects the modern aesthetic and services that characterized the NPS Mission 66 program. As a premiere example of what would become known as Park Service Modern, the use of plantings, circulation, and open space all supported a new idea of the visitor center and park headquarters. In form, material, and intention, the complex made a clean break with the past to initiate a new era for the park and its visitors. Columns support a roof overhang of a low structure, next to a plaza with a tree in a planter. Southwest River Environments In the arid Southwest, water means life, and prehistorically, rivers were the lifelines of the people. The Colorado River flowing through a canyon Vegetation Characterization and Mapping on the Southern Colorado Plateau Vegetation mapping is a tool used by botanists, ecologists, and land managers to better understand the abundance, diversity, and distribution of different vegetation types across a landscape. Vegetation plots used for the classification and mapping of El Malpais NM Climate Change on the Southern Colorado Plateau The combination of high. elevation and a semi-arid climate makes the Colorado Plateau particularly vulnerable to climate change. Climate models predict that over the next 100 years, the Southwest will become warmer and even more arid, with more extreme droughts than the region has experienced in the recent past. One result of climate change may be more, larger floods, like this flash flood in Glen Canyon NRA Petrified Forest National Park: A Place for Birds Birds have always lived in the place that is now Petrified Forest National Park. Dinosaurs that were the direct ancestors of modern-day birds lived in this area more than 200 million years ago. Their fossilized remains are found throughout the park. In prehistoric times, people carved bird likenesses in the rocks and cliffs throughout the area. Today, the park protects 257 species of birds. Northern harrier hawk flying low over grasslands, with colorful rock layers visible in the distance. Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Mesozoic Era The Mesozoic Era (251.9 to 66 million years ago) was the "Age of Reptiles." During the Mesozoic, Pangaea began separating into the modern continents, and the modern Rocky Mountains rose. Dinosaurs, crocodiles, and pterosaurs ruled the land and air. As climate changed and rapid plate tectonics resulted in shallow ocean basins, sea levels rose world-wide and seas expanded across the center of North America. fossil dinosaur skull in rock face Series: Badlands Geology and Paleontology Badlands National Park is well-known for its geology and paleontology. Fossils found in the park range from 75- to 28-million years old and many are in excellent condition. The flat-lying layers of the park's formation represent classic sedimentary rock layers. a layered badlands butte's jagged edges reach into a bright blue sky. Series: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available. park scene mountains Series: NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Since 2002, the National Park Service (NPS) has awarded Environmental Achievement (EA) Awards to recognize staff and partners in the area of environmental preservation, protection and stewardship. A vehicle charges at an Electric Vehicle charging station at Thomas Edison National Historical Park Series: Defining the Southwest The Southwest has a special place in the American imagination – one filled with canyon lands, cacti, roadrunners, perpetual desert heat, a glaring sun, and the unfolding of history in places like Tombstone and Santa Fe. In the American mind, the Southwest is a place without boundaries – a land with its own style and its own pace – a land that ultimately defies a single definition. Maize agriculture is one component of a general cultural definition of the Southwest. Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 11, No. 1, Spring 2019 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> Tule Springs Fossil Beds Series: Park Air Profiles Clean air matters for national parks around the country. Photo of clouds above the Grand Canyon, AZ Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 09, No. 2, Fall 2017 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> skull on the lawn at the national mall Series: SCPN-NAU School of Communication Collaboration The Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN) of the National Park Service has been partnering with the Northern Arizona University (NAU) School of Communication since 2011 to develop student multimedia projects that highlight resources and activities in network parks. This collaboration gives NAU students hands-on experience in creating multimedia projects and provides network parks with products that can help to promote their unique resources and scientific or educational project work. SCPN-NAU student projects Women & Paleontology in the Badlands Although Badlands National Park is proud to employ many female paleontologists today, this scientific field was not always accepting of women. In this article, learn about how women's roles in paleontology have changed over years of Badlands research. a woman in a white lab coat uses a small pick while working on a baseball-sized fossil skull. Painted Desert Community Complex H.D. Cultural Landscape The Painted Desert Community Complex is located within Petrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona. This complex was designed by Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander in 1958 to serve as the park’s headquarters, which includes administrative offices, maintenance facilities, visitor and resident services, employee housing, and a designed landscape. The complex is nationally significant as an architecturally distinct example of Mission 66. North end of Painted Desert Community Complex plaza, 2010 (J. Cowley, NPS) Triassic Period—251.9 to 201.3 MYA The brightly colored Triassic rocks of Petrified Forest National Park yield not only the petrified trees but many other plant and animal fossils. fossil footprint on stone Mesozoic Era The Mesozoic Era (251.9 to 66 million years ago) was the "Age of Reptiles." During the Mesozoic, Pangaea began separating into the modern continents, and the modern Rocky Mountains rose. Dinosaurs, crocodiles, and pterosaurs ruled the land and air. As climate changed and rapid plate tectonics resulted in shallow ocean basins, sea levels rose world-wide and seas expanded across the center of North America. fossil dinosaur skull in rock face Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 13, No. 1, Spring 2021 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> park ranger in uniform Meet Deb Wagner—Petrified Forest National Park’s Paleontology Lab Manager Deb Wagner manages the fossil preparation lab at Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. She is responsible for a variety of tasks, from fossil preparation to managing lab supplies to tracking specimens. Among her recent projects was the molding and casting of a phytosaur skull. park ranger in uniform The Intersecting Crossroads of Paleontology and Archeology: When are Fossils Considered Artifacts? Understanding human knowledge and attitudes (human dimensions) towards paleontological resources through the cooccurrence of fossils and artifacts and/or tribal consultation (archeological context) helps us better appreciate those human values, perspectives, and beliefs. This understanding is important to the management, protection, and interpretation of these non-renewable resources.  colorful arrowhead on black background New Fossils Clarify the Early Evolution of Modern Frogs in North America The fossil record of early frogs is very incomplete, especially in North America. A new fossil frog was discovered in the Late Triassic Chinle Formation (~220 million years ago) at Petrified Forest National Park that pushes back the earliest occurrence of frogs in North America by nearly 20 million years. This research is a collaboration between NPS and Virginia Tech paleontologists that continues to search for microfossils of early vertebrate groups. drawing of a dripping frog hanging on the jaw of a much larger phytosaur Series: Intermountain Park Science 2021 Integrating Research and Resource Management in Intermountain National Parks Group of National Park Service staff and volunteers standing in front of a desert canyon. The Petrified Forest Boundary Expansion Project From 2013-2015, Mr. Reitze developed and supervised an archeological survey project at Petrified Forest National Park. The purpose of the project was to begin archeological inventory in the approximately 45,000 acres acquired by the NPS in 2004. NPS Paleontologists Discover Hidden Cradle of Tetrapod Evolution at Petrified Forest National Park: Implications for the Triassic Origins of Living Tetrapod Communities Paleontologist Ben Kligman reports on the diverse fossil discoveries from an important locality at Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. three people working in a fossil quarry Find Your Park on Route 66 Route 66 and the National Park Service have always had an important historical connection. Route 66 was known as the great road west and after World War II families on vacation took to the road in great numbers to visit the many National Park Service sites in the Southwest and beyond. That connection remains very alive and present today. Take a trip down Route 66 and Find Your Park today! A paved road with fields in the distance. On the road is a white Oklahoma Route 66 emblem. Maars and Tuff Rings Maars and tuff rings are low-standing pyroclastic cones with large craters that usually form from highly-explosive eruptions caused by the interaction of magma with ground or surface waters. Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley National Park is a maar. lakeshore and tundra Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Water Resources on the Colorado Plateau Describes the origin, uses, threats to, and conservation of water on the Colorado Plateau. Dark green body of water winding through red rock formations with brilliant sun overhead. Small but Mighty: Petrified Forest National Park’s Public Fossil Preparation Lab Grows Despite COVID-19 Pandemic Preparator Diana Boudreau reports on changes at the Museum Demonstration Lab at Petrified Forest National Park, a key venue for communicating new discoveries and ongoing research to visitors. photo of a paleontologist talking with children in a fossil lab Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 14, No. 1, Spring 2022 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> photo of 2 people kneeling in shallow water at the base of a steep slope