The Ice Age at Saltville

An hour and a half north of Gray, in the Saltville Valley of Virginia, our paleontologists spend a few weeks each summer excavating Ice Age fossils. These remains are only 10,000-40,000 years old, from a time period with a cooler climate than today. Being able to study both Saltville and the Gray Fossil Site allows our scientists to explore how the Appalachian region has changed over time.

In this exhibit, visitors can get a glimpse at the ecosystem our paleontologists uncover in Saltville. The fossils in these display cases come from mammoths, mastodons, dire wolves, ground sloths, giant short-faced bears, and more. Some of these animals are the much younger cousins of species from the Gray Fossil Site.