Fossil Butte NM

The ridges of southwestern Wyoming's windswept sagebrush desert are home to some of the world's best preserved fossils. Insects, fish, plants, reptiles, birds, and mammals are remarkable for their abundance, variety, and detail of preservation. The story they tell of ancient life in the warm, wet environment in and around a freshwater lake is preserved here. The fossils provide a rare glimpse into a lost world, one that was very different from the cold, dry landscape of today. The area is now known as Fossil Lake, and it is a popular destination for paleontologists and tourists alike. Thanks to the exceptional level of preservation, Fossil Lake is an important site for understanding the history of life on Earth.