Ashfall Pictures

[Ramo]

Last month I was working of in Mitchell SD, so on my way home I stopped at the Ashfall Fossil beds in NE Nebraska. (It seemed like it was a long ways from anywhere, until I went to Fossil Butte this month)

Anyways I thought I'd show a few pictures of the museum and site. I guess this place was discovered rather recently, now they have a small museum, and the "rhino Barn" built over an unbelievable assortment of rhinos in life-like positions, like they were found. They are in better condition than most cow skeletons I've come across!

Photo 1 Prep lab

Photo 2 Wading bird with lizard in stomach

Photo 3 action photo

[Ramo]

Photo 4 in the rhino barn

Photo 5 Rhino Barn

Photo 6 outside the Rhino barn where a dig was conducted back in the 70's where most of the stuff you see in museums around the world from this spot came from.

[Auspex]

...Photo 2 Wading bird with lizard in stomach...

Incredible fossil, isn't it? I've never seen it in person, but I believe that is their Crowned Crane (Balearica exigua).

[Xiphactinus]

That's one of my favorite fossil sites. We went there on a family vacation in the mid 90's. Got lucky enough to meet Mike Voorhies (sp?) who discovered the site. He was great to talk with! Incredible fossils.

Thanks for the photos!

[Ramo]

Auspex, You know when I took that bird picture I was thinking of you.

Edited June 26, 2012 by Ramo

[THobern]

Death assemblages can be really spectacular. Interestingly, I remember some South American fossils also being found in tuff, and if I remember correctly it was also rhinos then.

[siteseer]

I've always wanted to visit that site but it was always too far off the path I was taking when driving through Nebraska. Thanks for the photos.

Last month I was working of in Mitchell SD, so on my way home I stopped at the Ashfall Fossil beds in NE Nebraska. (It seemed like it was a long ways from anywhere, until I went to Fossil Butte this month)

Anyways I thought I'd show a few pictures of the museum and site. I guess this place was discovered rather recently, now they have a small museum, and the "rhino Barn" built over an unbelievable assortment of rhinos in life-like positions, like they were found. They are in better condition than most cow skeletons I've come across!

Photo 1 Prep lab

Photo 2 Wading bird with lizard in stomach

Photo 3 action photo

[Shamalama]

That is another site on my bucket list. I think there is another one near the Colorado Border called Agate Fossil Beds which is similar to the Ashfall site.

[Bullsnake]

Amazing! Thanks for showing, Ramo!

[Auspex]

Auspex, You know when I took that bird picture I was thinking of you.

You take good care of me

[siteseer]

Yes, the Agate site is worth visiting. I checked it out in the early 90's. There were displays and a gift shop where you could buy a nice souvenir booklet about the deposit. You could walk a path to an enclosed outcrop where you could see fossils in situ. Along the path were warnings of rattlesnake crossings.

The Agate site is not far from Oligocene Badlands, so if you are on a collecting trip, take a break and pay a visit.

Jess

That is another site on my bucket list. I think there is another one near the Colorado Border called Agate Fossil Beds which is similar to the Ashfall site.

[sward]

Thanks for taking us on vacation with you. Fascinating site. How many rhinos are in the barn?

[trilobiteruss]

Thanks for sharing, when we were digging dinos in the Hell Creek for a few years in NW South Dakota we would occasionally visit the Ashfall site, it does seem out in knowhere, but is sure awesome as your shared. thanks for stirring up the memories!

russ