We made several stops on our outing. One that we wanted to see was the Hagerman Fossil Beds. We stopped at one location - Nate got out to take a look and said there wasn't much to see. Well, we discovered differently when we stopped at the Visitor Center. Some day we will have to go back and go on the self-guided tour.
At the visitor center we learned that the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument contain the largest concentration of fossilized horses in North America. The Monument is internationally significant because it protects the world's richest known fossil deposits from the late Pliocene Epoch. 105 vertebrate species, 38 invertebrate species and 35 plant species have been found here to date. Of these, 44 are considered "holotypes", meaning that they were first identified here; 7 of these species are found nowhere else. these plants and animals represent the last glimpse of time that existed before the Ice Age, and the earliest appearances of modern flora and fauna. Eight species are found nowhere else, and 43 were found here first. The Hagerman Horse, exemplifies the quality of fossils. From these fossil beds have come both complete and partial skeletons of this zebra-like ancestor of today's horse.
The Hagerman Horse
Our last stop before we headed home was the Malad Gorge. Ready for some more info? Here you go -People pass the 652-acre Malad Gorge State Park in the blink of an eye, never suspecting the spectacular canyon views that await them just a mile off the highway.
The Malad River crashes down stair step falls and into the Devils Washbowl, then cuts through a beautiful 250-foot gorge on its way to the Snake River, 2-1/2 miles downstream.Views of the gorge are best from the sturdy bridge that crosses the canyon. You can take a short hike to discover nearby fingers of the gorge where crystal-clear springs produce ponds and streams.
It was a little scary crossing this bridge. The highway is right next to it, and when semi trucks would drive by, the bridge would vibrate. It took about 30 minutes for the kids to talk Nate into crossing it. He's not a huge fan of heights.
It did kind of make the hair on my legs come to attention when I looked down at this. It probably doesn't look like a giant vertical leap, but it is.
1 comment:
Rilie....I love how you have all the facts about a place when you visit. I'm wondering...do you remember these facts or do you go home and google them? Whichever the answer is, I'm impressed.
Glad you've been blogging again...I've missed reading it.
Speaking of road trips....when are we going to get together?
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