09/29/2025
From Pliocene ponies to present-day precautions – Hagerman Fossil Beds has layers of safety! Thanks to the Legacy Restoration Fund, our paleontology lab is receiving a new fire suppression system, ensuring the safety of our essential research staff and the park’s iconic fossil collection.
Last week, Superintendent Wade Vagias joined park partners and the local community to mark the start of four major infrastructure projects across the Southern Idaho parks, including at our very own Hagerman Fossil Beds.
The upcoming renovation will equip the park’s paleontology lab with critical fire safety upgrades, enhancing lab safety and protecting the priceless paleontological resources housed on-site. Today, the collection at Hagerman Fossil Beds contains nearly 70,000 individual fossil specimens of animals that lived 4 to 3 million years ago, including mastodons, saber-toothed cats, and giant ground sloths.
This $1.8 million investment is made possible by the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund, enacted in 2020 as part of a concerted effort to address extensive maintenance and repair needs in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, it provides the National Park Service with up to $1.3 billion annually for five years to make significant enhancements to ensure the preservation of national parks and provide current and future visitors with opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment.
Thank you to our amazing NPS staff, as well as our generous partners National Park Foundation and Friends of Minidoka, for making the groundbreaking ceremony possible.
NPS Photos
