Description:

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument displays preserved fossils and replicas dating back 20 million years, now viewable in its visitors center and museum. Another area of the museum chronicles the unique friendship between rancher James Cook and the Lakota of Red Cloud during the late 1800s. Two scenic hiking trails have informative signs pointing out important natural and historical features of the region. The 3,050-acre site is situated 50 miles north of Scottsbluff, along the Niobrara River and not far from the Nebraska National Forest.