Waco Mammoth National Monument sits within 100 acres of wooded parkland along the Bosque River. Can you believe that years ago, there were Columbian Mammoths roaming around near by where you live now? It’s unbelievable !
In 1978, two men stumbled upon a large mammoth bone near the Bosque River. Recognizing the unusual nature of the find, they removed the bone and took it to Baylor University’s Strecker Museum for further investigation. Without doubt, the museum staff identified the femur bone as that belonged to a Columbian Mammoth.Thousands of years ago during the Ice Age, Columbian mammoths lived in what’s now Texas. A team was organized and the excavation began and between 1978 and 1990 fossils of sixteen Columbian Mammoths were discovered.Initially managed and funded by the City of Waco it was it was established as Waco Mammoth National Monument in the year 2015.
The main attraction here is the dig site and there is an entrance fee to be paid to visit this site. The National Park Annual pass won’t be able to get you a free admission. The entrance fees helps with the maintenance and further research in the site.
Waco Mammoth National Monument is located 15-20 mins from downtown Waco. The exact address is mentioned below. As you park, make your way to the visitor center and pick up your tickets for the dig site. Also make sure you pick up the Junior Ranger booklets before you head out so the kids can work on their books along the way.
As you walk out the gift shop/Welcome center you will find various exhibits displayed outside.Take a few minutes to look at all the items and learn more about various animals and the fossils. Then, take a short hike on a paved trail down to the dig site. Upon checking the tickets they will let you inside the dig site and you can start exploring the Columbian mammoth fossils.The park ranger will give you a guided tour of the dig site, explaining all the details on what exactly they are, how it was found and some more scientific facts about the animals. At the end of this guided tour, the kids can ask questions to the Park ranger if they have any. Now that you have more information about what you are seeing, you can further roam around to get a better understanding of what the fossils.
As, you head outside, you can enjoy a hike on the trail that goes around the monument but you won’t be able to see any mammoth fossils on the trail.
Head to the picnic area, have a snack or head straight back to the Welcome center to complete the Junior Ranger Program. Don’t forget to purchase some souvenirs for yourself! Young explorers can also dig some fossils in the sandbox in front of the Welcome Center.
This is the best place to visit for young families, because the trail to the digit and the digit are stroller friendly. The hikes are very short and manageable.Overall you will need anywhere between 1-2 hours for this adventure.
The Physical address of the Monument is:
6220 Steinbeck Bend Drive
Waco 76708