View of sand dunes and vegetation at Fossil Lake, with the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes and Lost Forest in the background, Feb. 21, 2017, by Greg Shine, BLM.

The Fossil Lake Area of Critical Environmental Concern includes the dry lake bed of Fossil Lake, once the bottom of an ancient lake more than 200 feet deep, and an area that - since 1877 - continues to be an important location for scientific discovery.

Over more than 100 years, paleontologists identified over 23 species of mammals, 74 species of birds, 6 species of fish, and 6 species of mollusk from fossils unearthed here.

Some species are extinct, such as the mammoth, Dire wolf, giant beaver, and a large species of eagle. Others, such as the Tui chub, rabbit, ground squirrel, salmon, and prairie dog, exist here or in other parts of North America.

These fossils range in age from about 10,000 years old, to as much as 400,000 years old.

Each year, new species continue to be unearthed by research groups at Fossil Lake.

Collecting fossils is strictly prohibited at the site, and the entire area is closed to off-highway vehicle use to protect the fragile fossils located there. Access to this special area is limited to walk-in traffic only.

Contact: Bureau of Land Management Lakeview District 1301 South G Street Lakeview, OR 97630 541-947-2177 BLM_OR_LV_Mailbox@blm.gov