Fossil Butte National Monument is a United States National Monument managed by the National Park Service, located 15 miles (24 km) west of Kemmerer, Wyoming, United States. It centers on an assemblage of Eocene Epoch (56 to 34 million years ago) animal and plant fossils associated with Fossil Lake—the smallest lake of the three great lakes which were then present in what are now Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. The other two lakes were Lake Gosiute and Lake Uinta. Fossil Butte National Monument was established as a national monument on October 23, 1972.
Ulrich’s Fossil Gallery and Quarry has been in the same location since 1947, when Carl Ulrich started fossil hunting in the area. We are a working quarry, offering tours 7 days a week, where you can come dig for you own fossil fish! We also have an open fossil shop where we sell do-it-yourself prep kits, as well as professionally prepared fossils, all directly from our own quarry.
My Thought
Getting to visit Fossil Butte National Monument and the Ulrich Fossil Gallery was such a unique experience. It was amazing getting to see one of the most important fossil sites in Wyoming and learn more about the incredible life that existed there millions of years ago. The fossils from Fossil Butte really show just how different the world was during the Eocene, from fish and plants to the many other organisms preserved in the rock.
The Ulrich Fossil Gallery was especially cool because it gave a closer look at the work that goes into preparing and studying these amazing specimens. Seeing the fossils in person and learning about the history behind the discoveries made this stop feel like more than just looking at displays, it felt like getting a glimpse into the process of uncovering Earth’s past. This was another one of those stops that reminded me why visiting these places is so special, because every museum and site has its own story to tell.
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