Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park, State park with fossil remains in Nye County, United States.
Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park covers over 1,100 acres at 7,000 feet on the western slope of the Shoshone Mountains, 23 miles east of Gabbs. It holds the ghost town of Berlin, where 13 buildings remain, and a large barn sheltering ichthyosaur fossils left in place. The town and fossil site are about a 10-minute drive apart.
The mining town was established in 1896 when workers searched for gold in the surrounding mountains, but declining prices caused operations to stop in 1911. After mining ceased, the town was abandoned and its buildings remain as they were left behind.
Berlin's name comes from the nearby Berlin Canyon, and the camp was officially founded in 1897. The surviving blacksmith shop, stagecoach shop and stable, machine shop and assay office stand along the main street; some are open to enter, others show their contents through windows. Trail signs recount the history of Berlin and the Union mining camp.
The park is most accessible during warmer months when the roads and paths are dry and passable. A visit lets you explore both the town ruins and the fossil shelter, making a full day trip possible.
The park holds North America's most concentrated collection of ichthyosaur fossils, with remains of about 40 ancient marine reptiles. These creatures lived millions of years ago in an ancient sea that once covered this region.
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