A little, but unique site on the northern outskirts of Las Vegas is Tule Springs Fossil Beds. There are a couple of units, but the park is located right off a main road making it a more accessible park than others which often involve driving a couple hours outside of any city. Tule Springs is known for the preservation of fossil beds from the Ice Age. It is next to Ice Age Fossils State Park, allowing visitors various ways to explore the unique ecosystem. As the name suggests, several fossils have been found at Tule Springs. Additionally, the rare Las Vegas poppy grows there, allowing visitors a unique opportunity to see the beautiful little flowers.

The park is not very developed, so there are only a couple of trails; however, due to the low-key nature of the park, it is also a wonderful and easy way to get out in nature in solitude. When we were there we didn’t see a single other person along the trails and only encountered one person at the trailhead (who was releasing a scorpion they found in their yard and not visiting the park). We were able to explore the park is complete solitude and enjoy exploring the landscape. For those visiting the Vegas area we recommend a stop at Tule Springs for some unique and beautiful topography.