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{{Short description|National monument in the United States}}
{{redirect|Fossil Lake|the lakebed in Oregon|Fossil Lake (Oregon)}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Fossil Butte National Monument
| iucn_category = V
| photo = Fossil Butte National Monument entrance sign.jpg
| photo_caption = Fossil Butte National Monument
| map = Wyoming#USA
| map_caption =
| relief = yes
| label = Fossil Butte
| label_position = right
| location = [[Lincoln County, Wyoming]], US
| nearest_city = [[Kemmerer, Wyoming|Kemmerer, WY]]
| coordinates = {{coords|41|51|52|N|110|46|33|W|region:US-WY|display=inline, title}}
| area_acre = 8,198
| area_ref = <ref name="area">{{NPS area |year=2011 |accessdate=2012-05-14}}</ref>
| established = {{start date|1972|10|23}}
| visitation_num = 16,552
| visitation_year = 2011
| visitation_ref = <ref name="visits">{{NPS visitation |accessdate=2012-05-14}}</ref>
| governing_body = [[National Park Service]]
| website = [https://www.nps.gov/fobu/index.htm Fossil Butte National Monument]
}}

'''Fossil Butte National Monument''' is a [[United States National Monument]] managed by the [[National Park Service]], located {{convert|15|mi|km}} west of [[Kemmerer, Wyoming]], United States. It centers on an assemblage of [[Eocene Epoch]] (56 to 34 million years ago) animal and plant fossils associated with '''Fossil Lake'''—the smallest lake of the three great lakes which were then present in what are now [[Wyoming]], [[Utah]], and [[Colorado]]. The other two lakes were [[Lake Gosiute]] and [[Lake Uinta (paleolake)|Lake Uinta]]. Fossil Butte National Monument was established as a national monument on October 23, 1972.

Fossil Butte National Monument preserves the best paleontological record of [[Cenozoic]] aquatic communities in North America and possibly the world, within the 50-million-year-old [[Green River Formation]] — the ancient lake bed. Fossils preserved include fish, alligators, bats, turtles, a dog-sized horse, insects, and many other species of plants and animals — suggest that the region was a low, subtropical, [[freshwater]] basin when the sediments accumulated, over about a 2 million-year period.<ref>[http://www.geotimes.org/sept06/Travels0906.html Geologic travel guide] from [[American Geological Institute]]</ref>

==Geologic formations==
[[Image:Map Wyoming NPS sites USA.gif|thumb|right|Map of major Wyoming geological formations, showing Fossil Butte (lower left) far south of [[Yellowstone National Park|Yellowstone]] (upper left), southwest across the state from [[Devils Tower]] (upper right).]]

During the [[Eocene]] this portion of [[Wyoming]] was a [[sub-tropical]] lake ecosystem. The '''Green River Lake System''' contained three ancient lakes, Fossil Lake, Lake Gosiute, and Lake Uinta. These lakes covered parts of southwest [[Wyoming]], northeast [[Utah]] and northwestern [[Colorado]]. Fossil Butte is a remnant of the deposits from Fossil Lake. Fossil Lake was {{convert|40|to|50|mile|km}} long from north to south and {{convert|20|miles|km}} wide. Over the two million years that it existed, the lake varied in length and width.<ref name="npsGeo">{{cite web|title=Geologic Formation|url=https://www.nps.gov/fobu/index.htm|website=Fossil Buttes National Monument|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=7 December 2016}}</ref>

Fossil Buttes National Monument contains only 13 square miles ({{convert|8198|acres|m2}}) of the 900-square-mile ({{convert|595200|acres|m2}}) ancient lake. The ancient lake sediments that form the primary fossil digs is referred to as the [[Green River Formation]]. In addition to this fossil-bearing strata, a large portion of the [[Wasatch Formation]], river and stream sediments, is within the national monument. The Wasatch Formation represents the shoreline ecosystem around the lake and contains fossil teeth and bone fragments of Eocene mammals. Among these are early primates and horses.<ref name=npsGeo/>

==History==
Coal mining for the railroad led to the settlement of the nearby town of '''Fossil, Wyoming'''.<ref name="npsgeo">{{cite web|title=Geologic Formations|url=https://www.nps.gov/fobu/index.htm|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=7 December 2016}}</ref> When the fossils were discovered, miners dug them up to sell to collectors. In particular, [[Lee Craig]] sold fossils from 1897 to 1937. Commercial fossil collecting is not allowed within the National Monument, but numerous quarries on private land nearby continue to produce extraordinary fossil specimens, both for museums and for private collectors.

==Climate==
{{Weather box
|location = Fossil Butte, Wyoming, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1990–present
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high F = 53
|Feb record high F = 55
|Mar record high F = 69
|Apr record high F = 77
|May record high F = 89
|Jun record high F = 92
|Jul record high F = 109
|Aug record high F = 96
|Sep record high F = 93
|Oct record high F = 81
|Nov record high F = 67
|Dec record high F = 57
|year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 41.5
|Feb avg record high F = 44.3
|Mar avg record high F = 56.3
|Apr avg record high F = 69.7
|May avg record high F = 78.1
|Jun avg record high F = 85.8
|Jul avg record high F = 92.3
|Aug avg record high F = 89.9
|Sep avg record high F = 84.3
|Oct avg record high F = 73.7
|Nov avg record high F = 58.2
|Dec avg record high F = 45.2
|year avg record high F = 92.9

|Jan high F = 27.9
|Feb high F = 30.5
|Mar high F = 41.1
|Apr high F = 52.4
|May high F = 62.9
|Jun high F = 73.5
|Jul high F = 83.4
|Aug high F = 81.8
|Sep high F = 71.7
|Oct high F = 57.0
|Nov high F = 40.3
|Dec high F = 28.6
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 16.2
|Feb mean F = 18.3
|Mar mean F = 28.4
|Apr mean F = 37.5
|May mean F = 46.3
|Jun mean F = 54.4
|Jul mean F = 62.6
|Aug mean F = 61.2
|Sep mean F = 52.0
|Oct mean F = 40.1
|Nov mean F = 27.2
|Dec mean F = 16.9
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 4.5
|Feb low F = 6.1
|Mar low F = 15.6
|Apr low F = 22.6
|May low F = 29.7
|Jun low F = 35.4
|Jul low F = 41.8
|Aug low F = 40.6
|Sep low F = 32.2
|Oct low F = 23.3
|Nov low F = 14.0
|Dec low F = 5.2
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -20.0
|Feb avg record low F = -17.4
|Mar avg record low F = -5.7
|Apr avg record low F = 10.0
|May avg record low F = 17.3
|Jun avg record low F = 24.6
|Jul avg record low F = 31.8
|Aug avg record low F = 29.7
|Sep avg record low F = 19.5
|Oct avg record low F = 7.7
|Nov avg record low F = -7.6
|Dec avg record low F = -18.8
|year avg record low F = -26.6

|Jan record low F = −38
|Feb record low F = −33
|Mar record low F = -22
|Apr record low F = -8
|May record low F = 8
|Jun record low F = 13
|Jul record low F = 25
|Aug record low F = 21
|Sep record low F = 10
|Oct record low F = -24
|Nov record low F = -23
|Dec record low F = −45
|year record low F =

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.74
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.78
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.90
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.09
|May precipitation inch = 1.54
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.08
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.57
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.91
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.10
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.26
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.89
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.86
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 8.5
|Feb precipitation days = 8.3
|Mar precipitation days = 7.8
|Apr precipitation days = 7.7
|May precipitation days = 9.9
|Jun precipitation days = 7.0
|Jul precipitation days = 5.1
|Aug precipitation days = 6.8
|Sep precipitation days = 6.9
|Oct precipitation days = 7.4
|Nov precipitation days = 8.2
|Dec precipitation days = 9.3

|Jan snow inch = 14.4
|Feb snow inch = 12.7
|Mar snow inch = 11.4
|Apr snow inch = 6.1
|May snow inch = 2.1
|Jun snow inch = 0.3
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.3
|Oct snow inch = 3.7
|Nov snow inch = 10.0
|Dec snow inch = 15.5
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 9.9
|Feb snow days = 8.6
|Mar snow days = 7.6
|Apr snow days = 4.9
|May snow days = 1.9
|Jun snow days = 0.2
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.2
|Oct snow days = 2.4
|Nov snow days = 6.5
|Dec snow days = 9.8
|year snow days = 52.0

|Jan snow depth inch =
|Feb snow depth inch =
|Mar snow depth inch =
|Apr snow depth inch =
|May snow depth inch =
|Jun snow depth inch =
|Jul snow depth inch =
|Aug snow depth inch =
|Sep snow depth inch =
|Oct snow depth inch =
|Nov snow depth inch =
|Dec snow depth inch =
|year snow depth inch =

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00483582&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Fossil Butte, WY
|access-date = December 5, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=riw
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Riverton
|access-date = December 5, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Exhibits==
[[File:Trionychidae FBNM.jpg|thumb|This 1.7-meter (5 foot 6 inch) ''[[Axestemys byssinus]]'' is one of the largest turtles known from Fossil Lake.]]
The Fossil Butte National Monument Visitor Center features over 80 fossils and fossil casts on exhibit, including fish, a crocodile, turtle, bats, birds, insects and plants.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bleizeffer |first=Dustin |date=2025-03-28 |title=Paleontological pee stop: Fossil Butte is more than just a Wyoming rest area |url=https://wyofile.com/paleontological-pee-stop-fossil-butte-is-more-than-just-a-wyoming-rest-area/ |access-date= |work=WyoFile |language=en-US}}</ref> A 13-minute video is shown about the fossils found at the site and what scientists have learned. Interactive exhibits let visitors create fossil rubbings to take home, and a computer program discusses fossils, geology and the current natural history of the monument.

==Activities==
During the summer, lab personnel prepare fossils in public. Summer activities also include ranger programs, hikes, paleontology and geology talks, and participation in fossil quarry collections for the park. [[File:Asterotrygon maloneyi Fossil Shack coll.jpg|thumb|Stingray prepared by R. Lee Craig (''Asterotrygon maloneyi''). In the collection of Fossil Shack. Prepared circa 1920.]]

A Junior Ranger program can be completed by children aged 5–12 (with exercises scaled to the child's age) in 3–4 hours. A highlight is hiking 3/4 mile up the butte to the dig, where interns from the [[Geological Society of America]] talk about their excavation and let children help them flake apart sedimentary deposits to discover fish fossils and [[coprolite]]s.

==List of fossil species recovered at Fossil Butte National Monument==
{{Main|Paleobiota of the Green River Formation}}
'''''Fish:'''''
*''[[Asterotrygon]]'' spp, an extinct [[stingray]]
*''[[Diplomystus|Diplomystus dentatus]],'' an extinct [[Actinopterygii|ray-finned fish]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fossils - Fossil Butte National Monument |url=https://www.nps.gov/fobu/learn/nature/fossils.htm |access-date=2019-01-29 |website=U.S. National Park Service |language=en}}</ref>
*''[[Knightia]]'' spp, an extinct fish related to [[herring]] and [[sardines]]
*Seven extinct species of [[perch]]
*''[[Heliobatis radians]]'', an extinct [[stingray]]
*''[[Notogoneus]]'' spp, an extinct bottom-feeding fish
*''[[Crossopholis magnicaudatus]]'' ([https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crossopholis_magnicaudatus.jpg Commons]), a 1-meter (40 inches) long predatory [[paddlefish]]
*''[[Asineops]] squamifrons'', called 'mystery fish'- allocated its own family ''Asineopidae''
*Two extinct species of the family Osteoglossidae
*''[[Percopsidae|Amphiplaga brachyptera]],'' an extinct [[freshwater fish]]
*Two extinct species of the genus ''[[Mooneye|Hiodon]]''

'''''Amphibians:'''''

* ''[[Sirenidae|Aleoamphiuma tetradactylum]]'', an extinct omnivorous salamander
* ''[[Frog|Aerugoamnis paulus]]'', an extinct frog

'''''Mammals:'''''

*''[[Coryphodon]]''
*''[[Onychonycteris finneyi]]'' and ''[[Icaronycteris|Icaronycteris index]]'', bats
*''[[Heptodon]]'', an extinct [[tapir]]
*''[[Apatemyidae|Apatemys chardini]]'', a tree-dwelling mammal similar to the [[lemur]]
*''[[Protorohippus]]'', an early horse-like mammal
*''[[Pantolestidae|Palaeosinopa didelphoides]]'', an otter-like carnivore
*''[[Hyopsodontidae|Hyopsodus wortmani]]'' 'tube sheep', a small omnivore
*''[[Brontotheriidae|L. popoagicum]]'', an extinct [[odd-toed ungulate]]

'''''Birds:'''''
*[[Frigate bird]]s
*''[[Lithornithidae|Pseudocrypturus cercanaxius]]'', an extinct shoreline bird
*''[[Galliformes|Gallinuloides wyomingesis]]'', an extinct land fowl
*''[[Coraciiformes|Primobucco mcgrewi]]'', an extinct roller bird
*Four extinct species of [[parrot]]- ''[[Halcyornithidae|Cyrillavis coldurnorum]], [[Halcyornithidae|Cyrillavis olsoni]], [[Avolatavis|Avolatavis tenens]]'' and ''[[Messelasturidae|Tynskya eocaena]]''

'''''Reptiles:'''''
*''[[Afairiguana]]'', an extinct [[anole]]
*''[[Boidae|Boavus idelmani]]'', a small extinct snake
*''[[Bahndwivici]], [[Afairiguana|Afairiguana avius]]'' and ''[[Bahndwivici|Bahndwivici ammoskius]]'', extinct lizards
*''[[Dermatemydidae|Baptemys wyomingenis]]'', an extinct river turtle
*''[[Emydidae|Echmatemys wyomingensis]]'', an extinct pond turtle
*''[[Borealosuchus wilsoni]] and [[Tsoabichi|Tsoabichi greenriverenis]]'', extinct crocodiles
*Three species of [[Trionychia|soft-shell turtles]]- ''[[Trionychidae|Apalone heteroglypta]], [[Axestemys byssinus]]'' and ''[[Trionychidae|Hummelichelys guttata]]''
*[[Baenidae]], turtle
'''''Plants:'''''
*[[Palm tree]]s
*[[Cattails]]
*''[[Gyrocarpus]]'' spp
*''Lagokarpos Lacustris,'' a type of distinct 'winged fruit' plant ''Lagokarpos'' found in lake deposits
*''[[Simaroubaceae|Ailanthus confucii]]''
*''[[Platycerium]]'', a staghorn [[fern]]
*''[[Salviniaceae|Salvinia preauriculata]]'', a water fern
*''[[Lygodium|Lygodium kaulfussi]]'' 'climbing fern'
*''[[Nelumbo]]'' spp
*[[File:The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (17975178659) Chaneya tenuis.jpg|thumb|right|upright|†''[[Chaneya|Chaneya tenuis]]'']]''[[Chaneya|Chaneya tenuis]]''; a genus of uncertain affinities
*[[Aristolochia|Birthwort]] (species unknown)
*[[Sapindaceae|Soapberry]]
*Species similar to a [[walnut]]

'''''Arthropods:'''''

* ''[[Palaemonidae|Bechleja rostrata]]'', an extinct species of [[shrimp]]
* ''[[Cambaridae|Procambarus primaevus]]'', an extinct species of [[crayfish]]
* Three unidentified species of [[spider]]
* [[Dragonfly|Dragonflies]]
* [[Damselfly|Damselflies]]
* [[Cricket (insect)|Crickets]]
* Other insects including [[bee]]s and [[ant]]s

Primary source:<ref name="FBNM">[https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?tagid=0&maxrows=20&id=F17B1C64-155D-451F-6765341D9B8E553F Green River Formation Fossils] at Fossil Butte</ref>
{{-}}

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="250px" heights="220px">
File:Knightia eocaena FBNM.JPG|''[[Knightia|Knightia eocaena]]'' fish, about {{convert|10|cm|in}} long. ''Knightia'' is the most commonly excavated fossil fish in the world.<ref name=FBNM/>
File:Cockerellites liops Green River Formation.jpg|''[[Cockerellites liops]]'' from Fossil Lake. An extinct [[perch]]. About {{convert|11.5|cm|in}} long.<ref name=FBNM/>
File:Fossil Sabalites sp palm.jpg|Fossil ''Sabalites'' sp. palmetto frond, about {{convert|2|m|ft|spell=in}} long.<ref name=FBNM/>
File:Notogoneus osculus.png|''[[Notogoneus|Notogoneus osculus]],'' a {{convert|53|cm|in|adj=mid|-long}} bottom-dwelling fish from Fossil Lake.
File:Fossil bird Field Museum.jpg|An unidentified fossil bird from FBNM, in the collections of the [[Field Museum]]
File:Buprestidae beetle, FBNM.jpg|A well-preserved [[Buprestidae]] beetle ({{cvt|3.5|cm|disp=or||}} long) from the FBNM collections. Other beetles, flies and ''[[Hemiptera]]'' bugs have also been found in the Fossil Lake sediments.<ref name=FBNM/>
File:Heliobatis radians Green River Formation.jpg|''[[Heliobatis radians]]'', an extinct [[stingray]], had small teeth for crushing snails and other mollusks and barbed spines on the tail for defense. This specimen is about {{convert|35|cm|in}} long, including the tail.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Crooked Creek National Natural Landmark]]
*[[Wyoming Dinosaur Center]]
*[[Paleontology in Wyoming]]
*[[Dinosaur National Monument]], Colorado, Utah
*[[List of national monuments of the United States]]
'''''Other NPS [[Cenozoic]] Era sites in the western U.S.:'''''
*[[John Day Fossil Beds National Monument]], Oregon
*[[Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument]], Idaho
*[[Agate Fossil Beds National Monument]], Nebraska
*[[Badlands National Park]], South Dakota
*[[Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument]], Colorado

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Fossil Butte National Monument}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [https://www.nps.gov/fobu/index.htm National Park Service: official '''Fossil Butte National Monument''' website]
:*[https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=F17B1C64-155D-451F-6765341D9B8E553F Photo Gallery of Green River Formation Fossils] from FBNM
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906194457/http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/2006/fossilbutte/html2/fossil06.htm Photo tour of FBNM], from [[USGS]]
* [http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/tertiary/eoc/greenriver.html Paleontology of Green River fossils], from [[University of California, Berkeley]]
* [http://www.geotimes.org/sept06/Travels0906.html Geologic travel guide] from [[American Geological Institute]]

{{Protected areas of Wyoming}}
{{National Monuments of the United States}}
{{Registered Historic Places}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National Park Service national monuments in Wyoming]]
[[Category:Eocene]]
[[Category:Fossil parks in the United States]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Lincoln County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Natural history museums in Wyoming]]
[[Category:Museums in Lincoln County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1972]]
[[Category:Paleontology in Wyoming]]
[[Category:Paleontological protected areas in the United States]]
[[Category:1972 establishments in Wyoming]]
[[Category:1972 in paleontology]]

Fossil Butte National Monument - Revision history

imported>Telecineguy: /* See also */ rm error