Part
01
of one
Part
01
Where are the best places for amateur paleontologists to dig for dinosaur bones in the United States?
Hello! Thank you for your question about the best dig sites for amateur paleontologists. In my research, I found that the best way to experience dinosaur bone hunting is through an organized tour, as individual collecting without a permit is illegal. Below, you'll find my recommendations for the best places to pursue amateur paleontology, which include with PaleoAdventures in South Dakota, at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center, at the Dinosaur Journey Museum in Colorado, and at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Montana. Please keep reading for more details about each of these locations, as well as two additional options for future consideration.
METHODOLOGY
Below are my recommendations of reputable sites, parks, and businesses that facilitate amateur paleontology. Per your request, I selected sites that were convenient to major airports with flights from San Francisco (via a smaller regional airport or a few hours or less by car). When available, I included information about the type of access and activities available to the public, any associated organizations or universities, and the type or time period of fossils expected there. Since you stated you were looking for dinosaur bones, I focused on sites that specifically produce dinosaur bones rather than invertebrate or plant fossils. Please note that, in most states, it is illegal to collect vertebrate animal fossils on public land without a permit. My research includes only the best locations that do not require you to apply for a permit.
RECOMMENDATIONS
-- PaleoAdventures, Badlands/Black Hills, South Dakota. PaleoAdventures organizes 1, 2, and 3+ day tours throughout the summer for anyone age 10 and up. The cost is $140-160 per day for an adult, though child and family rates are available. Digs are on private land, and fossils found include those from Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Edmontosaurus, Anklyosaurus, raptors, plants, and other reptiles. All equipment is provided. Participants can keep up to $50 worth of common fossil finds per day, while the more rare fossils will be available for sale or are reserved for museums. Travel-wise, tours leave out of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, which is 67 miles from the nearest major airport, Rapid City Regional Airport. More details and the current schedule are available on their website: http://www.paleoadventures.com/dinosaur-dig-site-tours.html
-- Wyoming Dinosaur Center, Thermopolis, Wyoming. This non-profit organization manages a large complex that houses multiple dig sites, a prep lab, and a museum and gift shop. They have a "Dig for a Day" program available every day throughout the summer, as well a children's program and an annual 5-day in-depth course. Specimens collected from their dig sites include those from Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, Stegosaurus, and Allosaurus, as well as other ancient marine life from the "Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods." The cost is $150 for adults, and $100 for children. Participants are not able to keep any fossils they find. If traveling from San Francisco, the nearest major airport is Jackson Hole Airport in Jackson, WY. From there, you can fly to one of a number of small regional airports, or drive 3.5 hours to Thermopolis. More information is available on their website: http://www.wyodino.org
-- Dinosaur Journey Museum, Fruita, Colorado. The museum hosts half day and full day digs at the Mygatt-Moore Quarry, as well as hands-on lab experiences. Events are limited to select days during the summer. Common finds include fossils from Apatosaurus and Allosaurus, and all finds stay with the museum. The cost is $140, with a discount for children under 12 with an adult. Travel is easy with this option -- it's a 20-minute drive from the nearest major airport, which is in Grand Junction, CO. You can see the currently scheduled digs on their website: https://museumofwesternco.com/things-to-do/category/dinosaur-journey-expeditions/
-- Great Plains Dinosaur Museum, Malta, Montana. The museum hosts three-week-long field programs where participants learn how to survey, excavate, transport, and record data about the fossils they find. This is a more scientific experience than the others, with field crews often acknowledged in the subsequent papers and reports. Costs are $200-230 per day. All fossil finds stay with the museum. The Edmontosaurus is their current focus, though the site and specimens may change from year to year. Travel is manageable, likely requiring multiple stops to first get to Billings, MT, before arriving in Glasgow, MT. From there, it's a one hour drive to Malta. You can read more about their program on their website: http://www.greatplainsdinosaurs.org/index.php/museum-programs/adult-field-experience
OTHER OPTIONS
While researching the best sites, I came across a few additional sites that were close to your requirements but didn't have availability according to the most recent information I could find. I'll list them below in case they are of interest for the future.
-- Judith River Dinosaur Institute, Billings, Montana. They offer three week-long field programs for small groups of serious amateurs. It was excluded from the "best of" list due to all 2017 and 2018 programs being sold out.
-- North Dakota Geological Survey. These public fossil digs are one-week long and held during the summer. Full days and half days are available for individuals and families, with costs varying depending on the site (there are four listed for 2017). It was excluded from the "best of" list due to the fact that the sites with remaining openings are mostly non-dinosaur digs.
CONCLUSION
Thank you again for choosing Wonder for your research needs. To sum up, there are quite a few sites where amateur paleontologists can participate in dinosaur digs. I recommend the following reputable options for your consideration: PaleoAdventures, Wyoming Dinosaur Center, Dinosaur Journey Museum and Great Plains Dinosaur Museum. I hope you're able to use this research to find a great dig experience. Best of luck, and please let us know how it goes!