Dig For A Day
Join the Wyoming Dinosaur Center for a full day of dinosaur discovery! Dig for bones in one of our active dinosaur dig sites, search an ancient sea for marine fossils, and enjoy a full guided tour of the museum!
Wyoming Dinosaur Center staff and visitors have removed more than 14,000 bones from the excavation sites – all within a 10-minute drive of the Museum. Most fossils are from long-necked sauropods (Camarasaurus, Diplodocus, Apatosaurus), but we have also found an abundance of Allosaurus teeth at all of our active quarries.
If you find new bone, it will remain at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center as they are your contribution to science. Your name, the bone and location will be recorded in our bone registry for all to see! The information and bones you gather will be used to help our scientific studies. Of course, we cannot guarantee you will find a bone, but even if you do not, you have helped scientists learn more about the site itself.
The Dig for a Day Program allows ages 3 and up to participate , regardless of experience; however, a parent or legal guardian must accompany anyone under age 18. The program is limited to first come-first serve,
with a maximum of 10 people per day. Advance registration is required. You should be in good physical health as the hill can be strenuous. Our climate is dry; the dig sites are about 4,500 feet above sea level, and it is easy to feel the effects of the sun at that altitude. Not to worry though – you are not alone. Our staff will be on hand to answer questions and to help at all times. Water and tools are provided, and everyone is encouraged to dress for the weather (e.g., sunscreen, sun hats, refillable water bottles, etc.) Closed-toe shoes (tennis shoes or hiking boots) are mandatory.
You may dig with us 7 days a week from June 3, through September 13 (weather permitting). Our climate averages about 321 clear days a year. When we do not feel conditions on the hill are safe, we will cancel the dig. Your registration fees will be refunded in full, or we will work with you to reschedule your dig if possible.
What to Expect
- A safety talk and brief introduction begins at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center at 8 am on the day of the dig. You will meet your guide(s), who will make sure you have everything you need before leaving the museum. IF you do not have proper footwear (tennis shoes or hiking boots) you will not be allowed to participate. We will introduce you to local geology and paleontology as well as digging techniques and data collection procedures.
- Transportation to the site leaves about 8:15 AM. No personal vehicles are allowed.
- A sack lunch, consisting of a deli sandwich, chips, fruit, and water is provided at the dig site. Please contact us if you have any dietary restrictions. You are welcome to pack additional food and drinks.
- If you find a dinosaur fossil, you will learn techniques to preserve it and documentation will follow. Your name, fossil number, date and time will be written on a collection form then added to the site log. This information will remain with our collection forever.
- Excavation ends at 3:00, when we travel back to the museum for a tour.
- If you arrive the evening before your dig, stop by the museum. We’ll be glad to visit with you about the dig, and you can tour the museum and see technicians at work on bones in the preparation lab.