8-9

Two adventures in one day: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

& Pikes Peak

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is famous for the preserved insect and plant fossils found in the mudstones and shales of the Florissant Formation. 

While in the Visitor Center we viewed a 14 minute film and walked through the small center where exhibits and fossils were on display.

 

 

We had timed our arrival to join in a Ranger-led program and hike where we learned the history of the park. 

 

Florissant comes from the French word for flowering.

  In the 19^th century tourists removed large amounts of petrified wood from the site but it wasn’t until 1969 that the site was established as a National Monument to protect the remaining fossils.

 

 

 

After a picnic lunch we drove to Pike’s Peak Highway where we paid the entrance toll fee. 

 

 

Pike’s Peak is one of North America’s most visited mountains. 

There are many pull-offs along the 19 mile drive up to the summit. 

On the day we visited we were only able drive up to the 16-mile lot where we parked and boarded a shuttle to the summit.

As soon as I climbed out of the shuttle at the summit I experienced nausea and lightheadedness.

  I found it difficult to breathe and found it necessary to sit down immediately as I feared passing out.

I didn’t venture too close to the edge. 

 Monte braved one of the short trails leading to an observation point where he took several photos.

 

 

 

 

Eventually, we made our way into the Summit House where I just sat for a half hour or so until I felt able to walk to the shuttle stop for the return trip to the lot where our truck was parked.

 

 

 

There is a brake check station as well as a café and gift shop at mile marker 13. 

 

We stopped at a couple of pull-offs on our descent to take pictures.

 

 

It took a full 24 hours before I finally felt “normal”.