Swamps covered this area when Big Bend emerged from the sea 70 million years ago. Fossils from the muds and clays of these swamps tell about the last days of the dinosaurs. After the dinosaurs became extinct, mammals rose to dominance. In Big Bend, the swamps gave way to forests. The Fossil Discovery Exhibit, 1/2 mile down the road, allows visitors to experience Big Bend's prehistoric plants and animals, and the world they lived in, through 130 million years of geologic time. Specimens from Big Bend's remarkable fossil record and vivid artwork illustrate the fascinating story of Big Bend's ancient life. A short trail also leads to a panoramic view of nearby geologic points of interest, and highlights the sediments that protect Big Bend's fossils. In addition to the main building and trail, the area around the exhibit includes covered picnic tables, a play area, and a vault toilet.
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Itineraries across USA
Acadia
Arches National Park
Badlands
Big Bend
Biscayne
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison
Bryce Canyon
Canyonlands
Capitol Reef
Carlsbad Caverns
Channel Islands
Congaree
Crater Lake
Cuyahoga Valley
Death Valley
Dry Tortugas
Everglades
Gateway Arch
Glacier
Grand Canyon
Grand Teton
Great Basin
Great Smoky Mountains
Guadalupe Mountains
Haleakalā
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
Hot Springs
Indiana Dunes
Isle Royale
Joshua Tree
Kenai Fjords
Kobuk Valley
Lassen Volcanic
Mammoth Cave
Mesa Verde
Mount Rainier
North Cascades
Olympic
Petrified Forest
Pinnacles
Rocky Mountain
Saguaro
Shenandoah
Theodore Roosevelt
Virgin Islands
Voyageurs
White Sands
Wind Cave
Yellowstone
Yosemite
Zion