Examine fossils at Mammoth National Monument in Waco, Texas

Take a look into the past.

In 1978, two men searching for arrowheads near the Bosque River in Waco, Texas, made the discovery of a lifetime. That discovery was the femur bone of a Columbian mammoth. Staff from the nearby Strecker Museum rushed to begin excavating the site. From then until 1990, the team worked to uncover the fossils of 16 Columbian mammoths. But that wasn’t where their exploration stopped. In another seven years, the crew found the remains of a camel, alligator, saber-tooth cat, and other animals.

Today, Mammoth National Monument marks the spot where these discoveries took place. Plan your visit to the area with this photo guide full of helpful information.