Park Hours (Today)
Sunrise to Sunset
Thousand Springs Visitor Center: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
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About the Park
During the Pliocene, this place looked quite different. Lush wetlands, forests, and grasslands provided excellent habitat for a variety of animals. From fascinating, now-extinct creatures like the saber-toothed cat, mastodon, and ground sloth, to more familiar animals like horses, beavers, and birds, the scientific study of Pliocene fossils is the key to Hagerman.
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What to See & Do
Celebrate the Fire Horse
Stop by the Thousand Springs Visitor Center for scheduled Year of the Horse events and lectures.
Birding in the Hagerman Valley
The Hagerman Valley is one of the most popular birding destinations in southern Idaho.
Enjoy a Picnic
Pack up a meal to enjoy with friends or family at a covered picnic shelter along the park road.
Hike the Emigrant Trail
The Emigrant Trail roughly parallels visible remnants of the Oregon Trail, capturing some of the experience of mid-1800s emigrants moving West.
Become a Hagerman Fossil Beds Junior Ranger
Visitors of all ages and abilities can become a Hagerman Fossil Beds Junior Ranger.
See Fossils on Display
See fossils on display and learn about Hagerman's contributions to the science of paleontology.
Visitor Centers
Thousand Springs Visitor Center
The new Thousand Springs Visitor Center, operated jointly with Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, is located about one mile north of Hagerman on Highway 30. Visitors will find maps and information for both Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument and the six units of Thousand Springs State Park. This is the only place at the monument to see Pliocene fossils on display. The visitor center also offers restrooms, drinking water, passport stamps, junior ranger programs, ranger talks, and a small giftshop.
Getting Here & Transit
How to Get Here
The Thousand Springs Visitor Center is located about one mile north of downtown Hagerman on US Highway 30.
Park Amenities
Operating Hours
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
The road leading to the Monument is a public road and is open 24 hours a day. Access to the Monument Overlooks closes at dusk. The Visitor Center has separate hours. Please be aware that the overlooks and trails are not maintained during winter.
- MondaySunrise to Sunset
- TuesdaySunrise to Sunset
- WednesdaySunrise to Sunset
- ThursdaySunrise to Sunset
- FridaySunrise to Sunset
- SaturdaySunrise to Sunset
- SundaySunrise to Sunset
Photos
Steep, rocky bluffs line a river, awash in warm sunset colors
A sidewalk leads to a boxy, wood-paneled building labelled as "visitor center"
A wooden platform with railing, along with two exhibit signs, overlooks the river and fossil beds.
An educational exhibit along a trail overlooks panoramic views of the Hagerman Valley.
When to Go
Crowd CalendarPlan your trip around peak seasons to avoid crowds or embrace the energy of the busy months. Our crowd predictions are based on historical NPS Visitor Use Statistics.
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Best Time
Year-round
Trip Length
1 day
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