Valley Through Time
You are standing in the Florissant valley surrounded by ponderosa pine forests. But 34-35 million years ago, this was the site of Lake Florissant. The twelve-mile-long lake was formed when volcanic mudflows dammed a stream that flowed south through the ancient valley.
Fossil evidence shows a warm temperate climate during that time. Today a much cooler and drier ecosystem with its own distinctive plant and animal life exists where ancient redwoods once stood. Climates change. Plant and animal communities evolve. You'll see that this valley is still changing as you follow the ½ mile Ponderosa Loop through the forest.
[Caption below dotted line in lower portion of marker reads]
The approximate depth of Lake Florissant during the late Eocene Epoch.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Paleontology • Parks & Recreational Areas • Science & Medicine.
Location. 38° 54.835′ N, 105° 17.197′ W. Marker is near Florissant, Colorado, in Teller County. Marker is along the Ponderosa Loop Trail at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, about 250 feet WNW of the Visitor Center. Touch for map
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Just One Piece at a Time (within shouting distance of this marker); Is the Trio in Trouble? (within shouting distance of this marker); Layers of Time (within shouting distance of this marker); Delicate Impressions (within shouting distance of this marker); Ancient Clones (within shouting distance of this marker); Florissant Valley Today (within shouting distance of this marker); Dawn of the Recent Past (within shouting distance of this marker); Reading the Rings (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Florissant.
Also see . . .
1. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. (Submitted on October 23, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. What was Florissant like 34 million years ago? (NPS Climate Change Bulletin). (Submitted on October 23, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 23, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 109 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 23, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
