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Waco, Texas / Museums

Mammoth Site

A National Monument featuring the remains of the largest known concentration of Ice Age Columbian mammoths in North America, discovered accidentally by two teenagers in 1978.

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Mammoth Site
Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0

What is the Mammoth Site known for?

The Mammoth Site, known as the Waco Mammoth National Monument, is a paleontological site and museum featuring fossils of Columbian mammoths and other Pleistocene mammals. It is recognized as the nation's first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of Ice Age Columbian mammoths and the largest known concentration of mammoths that died in a single or recurring event, likely a flash flood.

What are the hours for the Mammoth Site?

The site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

How was the Mammoth Site discovered?

The site was discovered in 1978 by two young men, Paul Barron and Eddie Bufkin, who were searching for arrowheads and fossils near the Bosque River when they stumbled upon a large bone eroding from a ravine.

What else can be found at the Mammoth Site besides mammoths?

In addition to the remains of Columbian mammoths, fossils of a camel and a juvenile saber-toothed cat have also been discovered at the site.

Where is the Mammoth Site located?

The site is located at 6220 Steinbeck Bend Dr. in Waco, Texas, within 100 acres of wooded parkland along the Bosque River.

What should I check before going?

Use Gyde for context, then check official sources for current hours, tickets, construction, and closures.

What to know

The Waco Mammoth National Monument is a paleontological site and museum located within 100 acres of wooded parkland along the Bosque River. It preserves the fossils of at least 22 to 24 Columbian mammoths, as well as the remains of a camel and a juvenile saber-toothed cat, all dating back approximately 66,800 years. The site is widely recognized as the largest known concentration of mammoths that died in a single or recurring catastrophic event, likely a flash flood, and represents the nation's first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of Columbian mammoths. The discovery of the site was entirely accidental. In 1978, two 19-year-olds, Paul Barron and Eddie Bufkin, were searching for arrowheads and fossils near the Bosque River when they stumbled upon a large bone eroding from a ravine. Initially unsure of the find, the bone was later identified by Baylor University's Strecker Museum staff as a Columbian mammoth femur, rather than a cow or dinosaur bone. Following the discovery, investigation of the site began in 1978 and continued through 1997. Plans to transform the site into a public park began in 2006, and it opened to the public in December 2009. On July 10, 2015, the site was designated as the 408th unit of the National Park System. Today, the monument is managed through a partnership between the Waco Mammoth Foundation, the National Park Service, the City of Waco, and Baylor University.

Visitor tips

  • The site is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Note that the monument is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

Nearby context

Situated along the banks of the Bosque River, the monument provides a natural escape within the city of Waco, blending paleontological science with wooded parkland.

Sources

Evidence and links