Herds of Ice Age Columbian mammoths – the largest of elephant species with tusks longer than six feet and molars the size of a human head – once roamed the lush and verdant wetlands of Las Vegas.  In an area alternately known as the Upper Las Vegas Wash or Tule Springs their fossil remains lay undisturbed for centuries.

Camelops, larger versions of today’s Bactrian camels, and American lions, weighing up to 1100 pounds, also made this area their home along with at least three species of ancient horse and massive sloths.The Dire Wolf, Saber Tooth Cat, Bison, Ice Age Horse, and even Llamas lived here.

Thousands of Pleistocene-era fossils have been found in Tule Springs, and thousands remain for scientific excavation, examination and public viewing.  What makes this area unique is the vast span of time the fossils represent.  Fossils and fossilized pollen in the area span nearly 250,000 years of time, offering important insight into at least two Ice Ages and multiple warming and cooling periods.