News Release

Construction of Utilities and Roadway Crossings for a Planned Community Surrounding Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

Date: September 11, 2023

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Home builder, D.R. Horton, has commenced constructing utilities and roadway crossings for a planned community surrounding Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument (TUSK). The construction will begin in August 2023 from the intersection of North Aliante Parkway and Grand Teton Drive, extending east along Grand Teton Drive. Additional construction for City of North Las Vegas easements will occur in the southern portion of the Eglington Preserve within the Monument. Construction activities in this area will continue through 2024.

In 2018, the National Park Service (NPS) entered into a land exchange agreement with the City of North Las Vegas to prevent the development of a multi-lane roadway that would have bisected the Monument. In exchange, the City will obtain 5.63 acres of easements to provide access and utilities for a planned community surrounding NPS-managed land. The exchange also includes the construction of a future trail (the Tufa Trail) that will provide visitors access to the Monument in a manner that protects park resources.  The park received public comments and an environmental assessment to develop a decision-making framework analyzing all reasonable alternatives to meet the project’s objectives. Furthermore, park staff evaluated potential issues and impacts on resources and identified measures to lessen the degree of the effects. Interested parties can obtain a copy of the documents at the NPS Park Planning page.

The NPS reminds visitors to exercise caution when recreating in the area, and you can find alerts and updates at NPS.gov/TUSK.

-NPS-