These flailing legs and shredded wings seem to be a part of nearly every trip we take these days. The Cales are not kind to wildlife. In the past couple years, we have killed at least 2 snakes, 2 birds and 1 squirrel while driving on our vacations. Little Tweety here, however, was the victim during our visit to the Agate Fossil Beds in Nebraska........and little did Tweety know that he was the most exciting scenery of the visit.
Agate is located approximately 40 miles north of the small town of Scottsbluff, NE, and those miles are mighty barren. The isolation many times adds to a site's interest, as it seems untouched or more authentic without the human stain that has pervaded other locations.
Here on the lonely Nebraska prairie, a near featureless landscape was the home of a prehistoric waterhole. Over 20 million years ago, a drought caused all nearby wildlife to migrate to the one place that sustained their lives. This oasis, however, was also a deadly trap. Due to the ever-expanding dry land around the only water source, these animals could not forage for their prey as they once did, and died en masse around the water's edges. Hundreds of large mammal skeletons comprise a literal boneyard.
The problem, however, with Agate, which we realize is many visitor's preference, is the accessibility issue. The fossil sites are few and far between and the interpretation mediocre at best. A 1 1/2 mile hike to the main excavation site (the castle-shaped rock below) was unfortunately out of reach to us on the day of our visit due to the pouring rain we experienced.
The rangers (who also must live on the site....an ominous NPS post to be sure) do their best to interpret for the visitors (of which there are few....this is one of the least visited units in the National Park Service), but there is really not much to tell. An important site to be sure, paleontologically speaking, but grasping things here is difficult. The archeological aspect which brings other sites to life is absent here.
We would love to stay and chat on, but there is more carnage to be removed from our DeathMobile.....
FINAL RATING
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument - 2/10
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