Hancock Park

Hancock Park is a public park in the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles containing several natural asphalt seeps with black, glossy pools of tar. Between the pits lie grassy areas and pathways, while statues of Ice Age animals stand at the edges of the largest tar pit.

George Allan Hancock discovered the fossil deposits in 1883 while drilling for oil and later transferred the land to the public so the finds could be protected. Excavations began officially in the early 20th century and have since brought millions of bone pieces to light.

Visitors today see glass pavilions where researchers work daily on bones recovered from the black tar. Many school groups come here to understand how animals long ago became trapped in the sticky pits and could not escape.

The entire area is flat and easy to walk, with benches along the paths for short breaks. Mornings and late afternoons tend to be calmer, while midday often sees groups passing through.

One of the pools contains a replica mammoth half-sunk in the tar, trunk raised in the air. The image is not misleading: the real tar pits still bubble today and release methane gas that sends small bubbles to the surface in some spots.