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Intro to Waco Mammoth with Toddlers
Hi everyone. It’s Tyler here from TheTravelingToddler.com. I’m writing today about one of the coolest things that I’ve just seen. Bones from a mammoth at Waco Mammoth National Monument (https://www.nps.gov/waco/index.htm). So now you might be wondering about Waco Mammoth with Toddlers. So read on to find out!
Waco Mammoth is one of the newest national monuments. It’s the only nursery herd of mammoths ever discovered in North America, which means that a large group of mammoths died and were preserved at a single location. To date, they’ve located over a dozen mammoths.
Location
Located in Waco Texas, a few hours from the major cities of Dallas and Austin
Hours
The park is open from 9am to 5pm almost every day of the year.
Cost
Visiting the gift shop is free. However, if you want to truly learn about the mammoths, you’ll want to take the guided tour of the facilities which costs $6 per adults, but free for toddlers.
National Park Passport Stamps
Waco Mammoth has one National Park Passport Stamp and it is available at the gift shop.
Attractions
The main attraction is the 45 minute guided tour. They offer it every half hour. You’ll learn about the mammoth discovery, some historical information about mammoths, and get to tour the main exhibit center.
The main exhibit center is the highlight of the visit to Waco Mammoth. Basically a huge climate controlled facility was built right on top of the remaining mammoth bones.
They are preserved in-situ (which means in the ground) which allows for continued study by researchers.
Toddler Tips
Part of the tour is outside, so plan appropriately for inclement weather. Strollers are allowed on the tour, and all paths are paved. The total distance walked is about half a mile, with very few inclines.
In the main exhibit center, you’ll actually be on a walkway above the mammoth bones, which allows young ones to get a great view looking down.
Toddlers will probably not get a whole lot from the guided presentation, and there are only a few hands on exhibits for the little ones to try, but I was still excited to see the mammoth bones and pointing to different things all over.
Summary
You’ll probably spend about 1-2 hours here. It’s definitely worth a trip if you’re ever in the Waco area, especially if your child is into dinosaurs or fossils.
Related Content
I’ve got posts about other national parks, including Congaree National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you’re looking for information on other national parks, click here.
Thanks for reading.
Have you ever visited Waco Mammoth national momument? Do you have any tips about visiting with toddlers? Leave your comments below.
Wooly mammoths are cool ?
Actually I don’t think they were wooly mammoths. Forgot exactly what kind though
Looks fun and educational
Very. Thanks for the comment
Looks very educational!