Scotts Bluff National Monument: Paleontological Resource Inventory (Public Version)
Shaffer AB, Evanoff E, Welsh E, Tweet JS, Santucci VL. 2026. Scotts Bluff National Monument: Paleontological Resource Inventory (Public Version). Science Report. NPS/SR—2026/504. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2319364
Scotts Bluff National Monument (SCBL) was established in 1919 in order to preserve the scenic, scientific, geologic, and historic resources of the area surrounding Scotts Bluff in western Nebraska, with paleontological resources representing an important constituent component. Similar to other National Park System units in the western Great Plains (e.g., Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Badlands National Park), the fossils preserved at SCBL provide important insight into the mid-Cenozoic fauna of the region. The fauna recorded from SCBL includes a diverse array of mammals alongside invertebrates, reptiles, and birds, with many examples of these being well-preserved. Fossils are represented in all exposed geologic strata within SCBL, with the greatest diversity and abundance present in the Oligocene Brule Formation. In order to comprehensively assess the paleontological resources present at SCBL, an inventory of the monument was undertaken in 2025. The field-based component of this inventory took place at SCBL in June 2025 and resulted in documentation of 30 new paleontological localities within the monument. In addition, a review of published and gray literature was conducted to gain a thorough understanding of the current state of paleontological knowledge related to the monument. From the field and literature components of this inventory, the significance of the paleontological resources preserved at SCBL is demonstrated, with future research likely to produce important scientific information, possibly including new taxa. This report provides foundational data on the scope, significance, and distribution of paleontological resources at SCBL and provides recommendations to support the management, interpretation, and research of these resources.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Shaffer, Austin; Evanoff, Emmett; Welsh, Ed; Tweet, Justin; Santucci, Vincent
- Date of Issue
- 2026-09
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2319364
- Units
- NRSS , SCBL
- Keywords
- Oligocene, trace fossils, vertebrate paleontology
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Paleontology | Paleontology , NPS.gov Subject Site: Fossils and Paleontology