Buses—The nearest bus connections are in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Airport—Scottsbluff, Nebraska, has an airport served by a scheduled commercial airline. Rentals—Cars may be rented at the airport or at car rental agencies in Scottsbluff.
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, 301 River Road, Harrison, NE 69346.
[Illustration: To reach the park from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, take Nebr. 26 west to Mitchell, then Nebr. 29 north to the park. From Fort Robinson, Nebraska, take Nebr. 20 west to Harrison, then Nebr. 29 south to the park.]
[Illustration: The trail from the visitor center takes you across the Niobrara River, up University Hill to the fossil layer, then to the fossil exhibit on Carnegie Hill, and back to the visitor center. The walk takes about one hour.]
[Illustration: Two fishermen try their luck in the Niobrara.]
To ensure your safety and to protect the park’s natural and historical resources, several regulations have been established by the National Park Service. Collecting of fossils, rocks, plants, or other objects is not permitted. Please be sure to leave everything as you find it along the trails and throughout the park for others to enjoy. If you have any questions about park regulations and policies, please ask the staff. The rangers are here to help you and to enforce the regulations.
Though snakes are not prevalent, be sure to watch for rattlesnakes as you walk about through the park, along the trails, and near the exhibits at Carnegie and University Hills. Avoid them if you see them, but do not harm them. As a general rule it is best to keep a good distance from any wildlife you see, not only to protect yourself and your children, but to avoid frightening or hurting the animal. It is best to observe wildlife at a safe distance with field glasses. While walking about the park, do not take chances by climbing on loose rock, or going into unauthorized areas, and do not let your children go beyond your control. Park your vehicle in authorized places and observe the normal rules of road safety and courtesy while you are in the park, and when entering and leaving it.
One of the joys of visiting the national parks, author Freeman Tilden once said, is having an unexpected, provocative experience. You go to a park to see or do one thing, and you come across something else that strikes your fancy as well. Tilden called it serendipity. At Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, one such experience might be birdwatching. In this piece, Doris B. Gates writes of her annual bird surveys in this area.