Near Florissant in Teller County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

What If?

Photographed By Connor Olson, February 6, 2024

1. What If? Marker

Inscription. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument safeguards a buried treasure: one of the world's richest fossil deposits. Look around. This 6,000 acre open space belongs to all of us—and to future generations. But what if instead of a public resource, it was a private resort? This was a strong possibility in 1969 when people succeeded in stopping developers and preserving this landscape as a national monument. How will future cultures and societies value places like this?

One of the more remote hiking trails at the Monument, the Boulder Creek Trail, leads to a quiet stream area adjacent to a spectacular granite boulder pile. What if instead this was the ninth hole of a golf course?

Does the skyline in this view look familiar? What if this was the scene from this location? Would you even be allowed to be here? Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument protects the values of our geoheritage, yet its future story is still to be written.

Erected by National Park Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Natural Features. A significant historical year for this entry is 1969.

Location. 38° 55.014′ N, 105° 16.982′ W. Marker is near Florissant, Colorado, in Teller County. Marker can be reached from County

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Route 1 south of County Route 421. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 15807 County Road 1, Florissant CO 80816, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fierce Competition (within shouting distance of this marker); The Big Stump (approx. 0.2 miles away); Charlotte Hill (approx. 0.2 miles away); Making of a Monument (approx. ¼ mile away); Ancient Forest Diversity (approx. ¼ mile away); Stumps of Stone (approx. 0.3 miles away); Valley Through Time (approx. 0.3 miles away); Is the Trio in Trouble? (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Florissant.

More about this marker. The marker is on the Petrified Forest Loop Trail in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

Intended area of development image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Connor Olson, February 6, 2024

2. Intended area of development

Credits. This page was last revised on February 6, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 6, 2024, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 45 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 6, 2024, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.