Washington State Parks News Releases

News Release 11-016

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W., P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, (360) 902-8500
Don Hoch, Director

Traveling fossil exhibit featured at Dry Falls Visitor Center

OLYMPIA – May 10, 2011 – Seattle's Burke Museum is working with the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to offer the exhibit, "Cruisin' the Washington Fossil Freeway," through July 31 at the Dry Falls Visitor Center at Sun Lakes Dry Falls State Park near Coulee City. The exhibit features the art of Ray Troll and the science of paleontologist Kirk Johnson, working together to present the story of early life on earth.

The Dry Falls Visitor Center is at 34875 Park Lake Road NE, Coulee City on highway 17. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free. For more information, call (509) 632-5214 or e-mail Dry.Falls@parks.wa.gov.

Ammonite, trilobite and dinosaurs fossils exist all over Washington State. That’s the message Johnson and Troll share in the traveling exhibit. Fossils have long been a subject of fascination and are used by paleontologists to help answer questions about early life on Earth.

Cruisin the Washington Fossil Freeway features a specially commissioned Washington fossil map by artist Troll. The exhibit also includes panels of Troll's whimsical, fossil-inspired artwork as well as several real fossil specimens. The exhibit combines visuals and text from paleontologist Johnson to tell the tale of prehistoric life and death in Washington.

Along with the fossils on display are a saber tooth cat skull, short-face bear skull, bear-dog skull Pygmy mammoth skull and a Jefferson ground sloth skull. There is an artist’s interpretation of the Blue Lake rhino which was found in a cave near Blue Lake also on display in the Dry Falls Visitor Center. Come touch the cast of a mammoth tooth and travel the fossil freeway at Dry Falls Visitor Center.

The Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation. The 98-year-old park system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.

Washington State Parks is now on Twitter at WaStatePks_NEWS and YouTube at WashingtonStateParks.

-30-