July 14
We left Antelope Island around 8:30 am heading to Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming. The scenery was very stark, dry and barren during most of the ride. We passed by the nation’s largest open pit coal mine. After 156 miles and three hours we arrived at the visitor center. Fifty million years ago southwest Wyoming’s climate was much like Florida’s today. Three great lakes existed in the area. Fossil Butte NM preserves only 1% of the Fossil Lake deposits which are one part of the Green River Formation. This formation includes the best paleontological record of Tertiary aquatic communities in North America and possibly the world. The fossils include amazing detail. We viewed some incredible fossils of fish, turtles, plants, insect, mammals, birds, and even a 13 ft crocodile. We watched as a paleontologist prepared a fish fossil using a tiny drill and microscope.
The Davids' Cross-Country Trip 