{"id":"nps-agfo","slug":"agate-fossil-beds-national-monument","name":"Agate Fossil Beds National Monument","designation":"National Monument","category":"national-monument","categoryLabel":"National Monument","agency":{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov"},"managedBy":[{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov","unitCode":"AGFO","designation":"National Monument","sourceId":"nps-agfo"}],"states":["NE"],"stateNames":["Nebraska"],"location":{"lat":42.42170419,"lon":-103.753886},"bbox":[-103.7967,42.4078,-103.6913,42.4366],"acres":{"value":2999,"kind":"gis-estimate","source":"Computed from the simplified boundary","note":"Approximate. The managing agency publishes official acreage."},"firstProtected":null,"established":null,"administrations":[],"designationHistory":[],"summary":"In the early 1900s, paleontologists unearthed the Age of Mammals when they found full skeletons of extinct Miocene mammals in the hills of Nebraska -- species previously only known through fragments. At the same time, an age of friendship began between rancher James Cook and Chief Red Cloud of the Lakota. These two unprecedented events are preserved and protected here... at Agate Fossil Beds.","summarySource":"National Park Service","guide":{},"trConnection":null,"trConnections":[],"trTypes":[],"links":{"official":"https://www.nps.gov/agfo/index.htm","social":{},"recreationGov":null,"alltrails":null,"alltrailsExplore":"https://www.alltrails.com/explore?b_tl_lat=42.4366&b_tl_lng=-103.7967&b_br_lat=42.4078&b_br_lng=-103.6913","recreationGovSearch":"https://www.recreation.gov/search?q=Agate%20Fossil%20Beds%20National%20Monument","directions":"http://www.nps.gov/agfo/planyourvisit/directions.htm"},"images":[{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C7A058F-1DD8-B71B-0B188ED102F7285F.jpg","title":"Visitor Center on the Prairie","alt":"The visitor center sits in the middle of mixed grass prairie.","caption":"From the Fossil Hills Trail the Visitor Center is a ship in a sea of prairie grasses.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C7A06A9-1DD8-B71B-0BA914D99661189C.jpg","title":"The Agate Fossil Hills and Tipis","alt":"Tipis and Fossil Hills represent the two subjects that Agate Fossil Beds interprets.","caption":"One of the first impressions that visitors have are the tipis and the Fossil Hills.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C7A07B9-1DD8-B71B-0B077C3CA4979281.jpg","title":"A July Storm Passes","alt":"Thunderheads are common in July.","caption":"Summer storms include thunderheads and lightning and can be exciting and dangerous.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C7A08CC-1DD8-B71B-0B129817C3E756C3.jpg","title":"Dinohyus in the Visitor Center Fossil Diorama","alt":"The Dinohyus was a scavenger, nicknamed \"Terrible Pig\"","caption":"Visitors stare in wonder at the huge head of the \"apex\" predator of the plains some 20 million years ago.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C7A0A12-1DD8-B71B-0BC1CC6CDF2CFD4E.jpg","title":"The James H. Cook collection","alt":"This buckskin shirt decorated with quills was worn by Red Cloud.","caption":"Visitors agree that this shirt decorated with quillwork and worn by Red Cloud of the Oglala Lakota is a priceless piece of history.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"}],"activities":["Arts and Culture","Cultural Demonstrations","Astronomy","Stargazing","Food","Picnicking","Guided Tours","Self-Guided Tours - Walking","Hiking","Junior Ranger Program","Wildlife Watching","Birdwatching","Park Film","Museum Exhibits","Shopping","Bookstore and Park Store"],"topics":["Farming and Agriculture","Ranches","Native American Heritage","Westward Expansion","Homesteading","Animals","Birds","Tortoises and Turtles","Fossils and Paleontology","Geology","Grasslands","Prairies","Night Sky","River and Riparian","Rock Landscapes and Features","Scenic Views"],"fees":[],"passes":[],"hours":[{"name":"Trails","description":"The park's two trails are open from dawn till dusk every day.\n\nVisitor Center features Miocene Mammal fossils, a 12 minute movie, and the James H. Cook Collection,  a unique collection of American Indian artifacts that were gifts to James Cook and his family.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"All Day","monday":"All Day","thursday":"All Day","sunday":"All Day","tuesday":"All Day","friday":"All Day","saturday":"All Day"},"exceptions":[]}],"directions":"From US 20: 22 miles south of Harrison, NE on State Hwy 29, then three miles east on River Road (paved) From US 26: 34 miles north of Mitchell, NE on State Hwy 29, then three miles east on River Road (paved). From State Hwy 71: 25 miles west on the unpaved portion of River Road.","weatherInfo":"Summers can be very warm, high 90's to 100 with the frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Plan to hike early and come down from the higher points if storms threaten. Winter temperatures can dip as low as -20 with snow and wind. Heaviest snows can be expected in late Spring.","contacts":{"phone":"3086654113","email":"agfo_ranger_activities@nps.gov"},"visitorCenters":[{"name":"Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Visitor Center","description":"The visitor center is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. Summer hours are May 15 through September 30. The visitor center features a large diorama of Miocene mammal fossils, 12-minute park movie, and the James H. Cook Collection of Lakota artifacts, a unique collection of American Indian artifacts gifted to the Cook family by Chief Red Cloud and his descendants. Two trails are open every day from dawn till dusk.","url":"http://www.nps.gov/agfo","lat":42.4252104811,"lon":-103.734175665}],"campgrounds":[],"thingsToDo":[],"nearby":[{"slug":"north-platte-national-wildlife-refuge","km":50},{"slug":"pine-ridge-national-recreation-area","km":55},{"slug":"nebraska-national-forest","km":56},{"slug":"oglala-national-grassland","km":56},{"slug":"scotts-bluff-national-monument","km":65},{"slug":"fort-laramie-national-historic-site","km":70}],"hasBoundary":true,"boundarySource":{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division","url":"https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2224545"},"sources":[{"name":"NPS Data API","url":"https://developer.nps.gov/api/v1/parks?parkCode=agfo"},{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division boundaries","url":"https://services1.arcgis.com/fBc8EJBxQRMcHlei/arcgis/rest/services/NPS_Land_Resources_Division_Boundary_and_Tract_Data_Service/FeatureServer/2"}],"editorialStatus":"draft","synced":"2026-11-09T02:12:45.601Z","alerts":[{"source":"NPS","kind":"Information","title":"Archives and Collections Unavailable","text":"The Agate Fossil Beds National Monument archive and collections are temporarily unavailable for research or study. If you have a pending research request or have questions, please send an email to scbl_afgo_superintendant@nps.gov and the park will contact you.","url":null,"updated":"2026-10-20 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-D2492F78-36EC-4F7B-83F1-177B2668F9CD"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Information","title":"No Fuel Services","text":"Fuel up before visiting! Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is 30-50 miles from the nearest service stations.","url":null,"updated":"2021-05-07 13:38:17.0","id":"nps-9A56AD4A-0360-4772-97E2-9F3DC94863D2"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Information","title":"Limited Cell Phone Coverage","text":"Cell phone voice and data coverage is very limited in the park and surrounding area. Free visitor WiFi is available in the visitor center.","url":null,"updated":"2021-05-07 13:18:05.0","id":"nps-BFA383C7-564D-4846-9653-8C19DE71D34F"}],"url":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/sites/agate-fossil-beds-national-monument/","boundaryUrl":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/boundaries/agate-fossil-beds-national-monument.geojson"}