Nevada’s Newest State Park Officially Opens January 2024 And You’ll Want To Plan A Visit Today

Looking for a new state park in Nevada to explore? You're going to love Ice Age Fossils State Park near Las Vegas. This brand-new state park just opened in January 2024, and it's a great place to learn about prehistoric history. Read on to learn more about it!

Ice Age Fossils State Park is just north of Las Vegas. It encompasses 315 acres of desert land.

It's hard to imagine a time when this part of our nation was covered with ice. But, during the Ice Age, also known as the Pleistocene Era, it was.

This period started about 2.6 million years ago and lasted until roughly 11,000 years ago.

During that time, huge mammals - now extinct - roamed the earth.

One of the most well-known creatures of this time period was the Columbian - or wooly - mammoth. A life-sized model of one greets you when you enter the park.

On trails around the park, you'll get up close and personal with more models of the animals that lived during the Ice Age.

You'll also see models of ground sloths, dire wolves, American lions, camels, and more.

Abundant fossils were found in this area during a huge interdisciplinary scientific expedition in 1962 and 1963.

Governor Brian Sandoval declared this area a state park in 2017, and it's been in development since then.

Enthusiastic staff and abundant signage will help you learn about this interesting time in world history. But, this park is very alive today, too. You can expect to see some modern wildlife during your visit, such as this burrowing owl shown here.

You'll also find a wide variety of interesting desert plants while you explore the park.

And, the views of the mountains are incredible.

This park may not look like much at first, but you'll love visiting it, and you'll leave having learned a great deal. The addition of this park to the Nevada State Parks system enriches our great state.

You're going to love Ice Age Fossils State Park! Plan a visit soon. Have a picnic, check out the visitor center, enjoy a ranger-led program, and walk on one of the park's three trails. This is a wonderful way to spend a day anytime you're near Las Vegas.

In search of somewhere to stay in Las Vegas proper or near this park? Check out Booking.com!