Waco Mammoth National Monument

04/18/2026

TODAY! Rain or shine, we're ready!!

Celebrate the arrival of spring at Waco Mammoth National Monument on Saturday, April 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a day of discovery and family-friendly fun. This exciting kickoff event will feature interactive exhibitors, sweet treats, and engaging activities for all ages.

Visitors can bring their finds to the fossil ID tent, take part in a scavenger hunt, and enjoy story time with park staff. Additional highlights include an Audubon bird walk, Paleoteria, and a guided nature walk through the park.

Join us for a day of exploration, learning, and outdoor adventure as we welcome the spring season at the monument.

01/26/2026

UPDATE TO PARK CLOSURE: Waco Mammoth NM will be closed Tuesday, January 27th due to the winter weather over the last few days.

01/26/2026

UPDATE TO PARK CLOSURE: Waco Mammoth NM will be closed Monday, January 26th due to the winter weather over the last few days.

01/23/2026

PARK CLOSURE - Due to the winter weather, Waco Mammoth National Monument will be closed on Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25. Park management will reassess conditions on Sunday evening and announce any changes to park hours for Monday, January 26.

You can check our website (www.nps.gov/waco) or social media for the latest information.

12/24/2025

Season's Greetings, Mammoth Herd!

Waco Mammoth National Monument will be closed on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25th. Normal hours, 9am to 5pm, will resume on Friday, December 26th.

We will also be closed New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1st. Normal hours will resume on Friday, December 26th.

11/26/2025

Are you traveling through Texas for the holidays? Stop by Waco Mammoth National Monument for a mammoth-sized family photo!

The park will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but we are open through the weekend from 9am to 5pm.



📸: NPS Staff
Alt Text: A hand-painted mural of a male Columbian mammoth as he marches across the wall.

11/13/2025

Waco Mammoth National Monument has returned to normal operations. Come see your favorite Pleistocene Epoch animals today!

We're open 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm. The park will be closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.



Image: NPS Staff
Alt text: Two hand-painted murals of Columbian Mammoths sit above their fossilized bones.

10/01/2025

During the federal government shutdown, this account will continue to share critical information about park access, safety, and resources. Some services may be limited. For more details, visit: doi.gov/shutdown

Operations in the Absence of Appropriations

09/29/2025

Fall Fossil Festival is back!

Waco Mammoth National Monument's annual Fall Fossil Festival returns on Saturday, October 18.

The City of Waco Parks and Recreation Department and the National Park Service invite you to come enjoy family activities. Plus, meet the Artist-in-Residence, Merli Guerra, as she presents TRACE and DATUM performances!

The event will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Admission to the event is free. Guided talks of the fossil bed in the Dig Shelter will be open all day (additional fees apply). The park's hiking trails, restrooms and gift shop will also be open.

08/25/2025

Happy Birthday National Park Service!!

Please be patient with us, we’re from the 1900s.

That old? The National Park Service was created on August 25, 1916 to "preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations." Over 109 years, we've grown into more than 433 national parks and many programs that reach communities around the country.

Today, using , share your favorite park stories, trip photos, and best memories from visiting a national park!

08/07/2025

Paleontology, technology and the arts have come together through the work of Merli V. Guerra, assistant professor of dance technology. Inspired by the Waco Mammoth National Monument and its fossils of a nursery herd of Pleistocene Columbian mammoths, Guerra aimed to “make the intangible tangible” by creating a trace fossil of a dance.

The result is “Fossilizing the Ephemeral,” Guerra’s research and performance project, which uses motion capture, 3D modeling and fabrication to create physical sculptures based on dancers’ movements.

“Dance is never performed the same way twice,” Guerra explained. “Each sculpture is innately unique with every printing, just like the bones themselves. It’s a way of preserving something that’s usually fleeting.”

Read more about Guerra’s collaboration with the National Park Service and being named Waco Mammoth’s first artist in residence: tx.ag/StepsOfGiants

07/31/2025

It's Back to School Time! Schedule your virtual classroom tour and get up close and personal with the fossils discovered at Waco Mammoth National Monument.

Click here: https://www.nps.gov/waco/distance-learning.htm



📸: NPS Staff
Alt Text: A banner that reads "Schedule A Virtual Field Trip Today!" is displayed between the fossilized tusks of a Columbian mammoth.