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Waco Mammoth National Monument

Waco Mammoth National Monument consists of 5 acres surrounded by 100 acres of parkland along the Bosque River in Texas. Inside the monument are the fossilized remains of Columbian mammoths, a camel, an alligator, a saber-toothed tiger cub, dire wolves, and more that have yet to be uncovered. These animals perished over 75,000 years ago during the Pleistocene Era (Ice Age), some in a group and others alone. The monument is the only known location where a group of Columbian mammoths died, complete with adult mammoths and juveniles. No one knows how these animals died, but evidence points to at least two separate events divided by thousands of years. Some who visit this site declare that they can almost hear them as they lie.

Things to Do

Things To Do Near Waco Mammoth National Monument

The activities found at the Waco Mammoth National Monument are a result of the people of Waco working for 36 years after the discovery of the fossils until President Obama declared the site a National Monument in 2015. Once the community realized the importance of the find, a 100-acre area surrounding the mammoth dig was created to protect the site, which later became a state park with extra security where oak, spruce, and elm trees provide shaded picnic areas alongside the Bosque River. Hiking and biking trails run throughout this beautiful area. Inside the monument, visitors view the remains from a distance while watching paleontologists continue working to uncover and preserve more fossils. The monument offers virtual visits that explain what various techniques have been revealed about the site and discuss what happened, why it happened, when it happened, and how it happened. 

Hiking Trails

Sightseeing

Museums

Nearby Shops and Restaurants

map-marker-alt-regular How to Get There

How To Get To Waco Mammoth National Monument

To get to the Waco Mammoth National Monument from the state's capital, Austin, TX, find Interstate 35 North (I-35 N) and drive for 102 miles. Take Exit 335 C and follow the signs to South Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard. Turn left on South Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and go for 3.9 miles, at which point it becomes Steinbeck Bend Drive. The monument is 1.5 miles ahead on the left.

Waco Mammoth National Monument is open year-round. Visitors find plenty of parking space when they arrive. 

Address

622 Steinbeck Bend Drive, Waco, TX 76708

Fee: Entry fee $0

Visiting the Waco Mammoth National Monument in an RV is quite simple. Realizing the site's appeal before it became a national monument, Waco provided plenty of parking space for RVs. The monument and the surrounding park are a comfortable place to stop, observe, learn, and rest from the trials of the road. Take the time to visit one of the city's attractions, shops, and restaurants and enjoy a quick picnic after visiting the fossil site. Then, take to the road again in your RV.