Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park

U.S. National Natural Landmark
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park
Nevada State Park
Park guide interpreting a life-size ichthyosaur image
Country	United States
State	Nevada
County	Nye

Location	Gabbs
- elevation	6,975 ft (2,126 m) ^[1]
- coordinates	38°52′43″N 117°35′42″W / 38.87861°N 117.59500°W / 38.87861; -117.59500Coordinates: 38°52′43″N 117°35′42″W / 38.87861°N 117.59500°W / 38.87861; -117.59500

Area	1,540 acres (623 ha)

Founded	1957
Management	Nevada Division of State Parks

Location of Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in Nevada

Designated	1973

Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park is a state park of Nevada, United States, preserving several undisturbed ichthyosaur fossils of the species Shonisaurus popularis, as well as the early-20th-century ghost town of Berlin. The 1,540-acre (620 ha) park is located 23 miles (37 km) east of Gabbs in far northwestern Nye County, approximately 150 miles (240 km) east of Reno.^[2] The ichthyosaur fossils were designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973.^[3]

Ichthyosaur fossils were first discovered in the area in 1928. Excavations were conducted through the 1960s, and the remains of approximately 40 ichthyosaurs were found. Until 2004, these remains included the largest ichthyosaurs ever discovered. Several specimens were left where they were found (in situ), and can be viewed by the public. These specimens are protected from the elements by a large barn. The fossils are about a 10-minute drive from Berlin Ghost Town.

Berlin, Nevada

The ghost town of Berlin

The town of Berlin sprang up in 1896 when substantial gold veins were discovered nearby. In total, the Berlin Mine produced 42,000 troy ounces (46,080 oz; 1,306.346 kg) of gold, all removed from tunnels by hard rock mining techniques. The mine became unprofitable by 1911, and the town of Berlin became uninhabited shortly thereafter.

Today, the ore mill still stands, and the stamps and mercury float tables can be viewed. Several additional buildings still stand including residential homes, blacksmith shop, stage coach shop with attached stable, machine shop and assay office. Some buildings are open to enter, while others offer interior views of their contents through the windows. There are also headworks on some of the mine shafts.

Activities

The park offers camping, picnicking and a nature trail. Guided tours of the fossil shelter are offered from March to November. Guided mine tours, which proceed approximately 500 feet (150 m) into a tunnel that connects with the Berlin Mine, are provided by park personnel. All other access to the underground works is prohibited and considered extremely dangerous.

References

↑ "Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 1990-02-01. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
↑ Bryner, Jeanna (Oct 10, 2011), "Lair of Ancient 'Kraken' Sea Monster Possibly Discovered", news.yahoo.com, retrieved 2-11-11-09 Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
↑ "Ichthyosaur Site". nps.gov. National Park Service.

External links

Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park.

Protected areas of Nevada

Federal

National Parks and Monuments	Basin and Range NM Death Valley NP Great Basin NP Tule Springs Fossil Beds NM

National Recreation Areas	Lake Mead Spring Mountains (USFS)

National Forests	Humboldt-Toiyabe Inyo Lake Tahoe Basin

National Conservation Areas	Black Rock Desert–High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails Red Rock Canyon Sloan Canyon

National Wilderness Areas	Alta Toquima Arc Dome Arrow Canyon Bald Mountain Becky Peak Big Rocks Black Canyon Black Rock Desert Boundary Peak Bridge Canyon Bristlecone Calico Mountains Clover Mountains Currant Mountain Death Valley Delamar Mountains East Fork High Rock Canyon East Humboldt Eldorado Far South Egans Fortification Range Goshute Canyon Government Peak Grant Range High Rock Canyon High Rock Lake High Schells Highland Ridge Ireteba Peaks Jarbidge Jimbilnan Jumbo Springs La Madre Mountain Lime Canyon Little High Rock Canyon Meadow Valley Range Mormon Mountains Mt Charleston Mt Grafton Mt Irish Mt Moriah Mt Rose Muddy Mountains Nellis Wash North Black Rock Range North Jackson Mountains North McCullough Pahute Peak Parsnip Peak Pinto Valley Quinn Canyon Rainbow Mountain Red Mountain Ruby Mountains Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Shellback South Egan Range South Jackson Mountains South McCullough South Pahroc Range Spirit Mountain Table Mountain Tunnel Spring Wee Thump Joshua Tree Weepah Spring White Pine Range White Rock Range Worthington Mountains

National Wildlife Refuges	Anaho Island Ash Meadows Desert Fallon Moapa Valley Pahranagat Ruby Lake Sheldon Stillwater

State

Historic Parks	Belmont Courthouse Dangberg Home Ranch Elgin Schoolhouse Fort Churchill Mormon Station Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort Ward Charcoal Ovens

Recreation Areas	Big Bend Lahontan Rye Patch South Fork Walker Lake Wild Horse

Other	Beaver Dam Berlin–Ichthyosaur Cathedral Gorge Cave Lake Dayton Echo Canyon Kershaw–Ryan Lake Tahoe – Nevada Spring Mountain Ranch Spring Valley Valley of Fire Van Sickle Washoe Lake

Previous	Floyd Lamb

National Register of Historic Places in Nevada

Carson City Churchill Clark Douglas Elko Esmeralda Eureka Humboldt Lander Lincoln Lyon Mineral Nye Pershing Storey Washoe White Pine

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