Hagerman, Idaho, is a small town with a rich paleontological site that has fossils of some of the oldest horses in North America.
Understand
Get in
There's no public transportation to Hagerman, so your only real option is to drive. The nearest airports are in Twin Falls and Boise.
Get around
See
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
Near Hagerman is a paleontological site with fossils of ancient horses and many other animals. Horses evolved in North America, though they became extinct on the continent about 10,000 years ago after spreading to Eurasia.
- Hagerman Fossil Beds Visitor Center, 221 North State St, 42.817784°, -114.898297°. The visitor center in town has fossil casts on display. The horses are the most famous, but there are birds and other animals too. You can also see a movie about the site, and information and maps.
- Snake River Overlook, 42.763196°, -114.921959°. With a view of the Snake River.
- Oregon Trail Overlook, 42.770238°, -114.960957°. Has information about the Oregon Trail, which passed through this area leaving ruts that are still visible.
For hikers, the three-mile (5 km) Emigrant Trail goes between the two overlooks and lets you see part of the Oregon Trail.
Some visitors have tried to hike off-trail to the exact locations where fossils have been found. This is not permitted because the ground is unstable, and there are no uncovered fossils to see out there anyway. If you want to see fossils, your only option is to go to the visitor center.
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Stay safe
When hiking at the national monument, look out for red ants, scorpions, snakes, ticks, yellow jackets, bees, and mosquitoes. Don't feed the squirrels.
Do not hike off-trail. Landslides are a risk, and there are no fossils to see out there.