Ashfall Fossil Beds is now closed for the season.

Thank you for everyone who visited this year. We look forward to reopening the park again in May 2025.

About Ashfall

Ashfall Animals

Of the eighteen species of vertebrates recovered from the Ashfall site, twelve are mammals. The barrel-bodied rhino and five species of horses are the most common skeletons. The variety of species found at Ashfall were common in North America ten to twelve million years ago. 

Species of Horses

Pseudhipparion gratum,
Small 3-toed horse

Neohipparion affine,
Slender 3-toed horse

Cormohipparion occidentale,
Stout 3-toed horse

Pliohippus pernix,
Stout 1-toed horse

Protohippus simus,
Slender 1-toed horse

Species of Camels

Aepycamelus,
Giraffe-like camel

Protolabis heterodontus,
Primitive Llama-Sized Camel

Procamelus grandis,
Ancestral camel

Species of Rhino

Teleoceras major,
Barrel-bodied rhino
Most common animal in the site

Species of Deer

Longirostromeryx wellsi,
Sabre-toothed deer

Species of Dogs

Leptocyon,
Fox-sized Dog

Cynarctus,
Raccoon Dog

Epicyon,
Bone-crushing Dog
Known from tracks, coprolites, and bite marks

Species of Turtles

Hesperotestudo,
Giant tortoise

Sternotherus,
Musk turtle or stinkpot

Chrysemys,
Painted Turtle

Species of Birds

Apatosagittarus terrenus,
Secretary Bird Mimic

Balearica exigua,
Crowned crane

Anchigyps voorhiesi,
Eagle-like Scavenger