Fossil Basin is a 52-million-year-old limestone graveyard that preserves an entire paleoecosystem, including fish, turtles, crocodiles, insects, mammals, birds, and over 200 plant species.
Where to Go Fossil Hunting & Digging
Plan your fossil hunting trip to Fossil Basin where you can unearth your very own fossil fish! To learn more about the history of ancient Fossil Lake, stop by Fossil Butte National Monument. During the summer, the national monument has a Fossil Quarry Program where visitors can help with the fossil hunting, but you cannot keep any fossils found at the site.
However, the area has multiple private dig-your-own fossil quarries located in the hills surrounding ancient Fossil Lake, where you can hunt and dig for fossils, and often even take fossils home with you. Find more information on these private fossil quarries below.
Please remember to take care and travel responsibly when you visit.
American Fossil
American Fossil is an affiliate of Fossil Shack, Paleoland Holdings, and Lakefossils.com. For several decades, they have been operating as fossil preparators and fossil retailers. Their quarry near Kemmerer, South Dempsey Quarry, is a world-famous quarry, and is one of only two locations in the world where a complete 3-toed horse has been found. Commonly found are Diplomystus and Knightia fish. You may also find stingrays, shrimp, and maybe even turtles, crocodiles, or birds and mammals.
For detailed directions and a map, click here. It is recommended to use the directions on their website and NOT Google Maps.
Farm Field Road
Kemmerer, WY 83101
(801) 836-7269
- Open daily 8:00am – 5:00pm
- Walk-ins accepted
- Visitors get to keep every fossil that’s valued at $100,000 or less
RATES
- 2 hours: $59
- 4 hours: $89
- 8 hours: $129
- Children under age 6 are free with a paying adult
- 10% discount for groups with 5+ paying adults
Blue Moon Quarry
Blue Moon Quarry, operated by Promise Land Fossils, is at 7,100 ft. with spectacular views overlooking parts of Fossil Butte National Monument 4 miles to the west. Also located on the property is an ancient Indian campsite where an amazing variety of artifacts have been found.
The quarry is located 6 miles west of Kemmerer on U.S. Highway 30. For detailed directions and a satellite map, click here.
PO Box 152
Kemmerer, WY 83101
(307) 877-3641
- Open every day from May 1st to the first snow
- Reservations referred & drop-in’s accepted if guide available
- Visitors get to take everything they find, except rare items
- All necessary equipment provided
| Rates: | Adult | Child |
| 4 Hours | $55.00 | $35.00 |
| 8 Hours | $100.00 |
Fossil Safari
Warfield Fossils invites you to come on a Fossil Safari® where you can go fossil hunting and dig your own fossil fish in their private quarry. There are an abundance of fossil fish in the “Green River Formation.” Most people find enough fish to satisfy their appetite in the first two hours.
All of the fossils are Eocene age (40-60 million years old). The layers contain numerous fish and plant life. Other rare fossils frequently found are: reptiles, mammals and a few amphibians.
Quarry location
(307) 883-2445
- Open every day from Memorial Day through September from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Gallery and gift shop at quarry site
- Drop-ins accepted
- Visitors get to take everything they find of the six common species: Mioplosis, Phareodus, Priscacara, Knightia, Diplomystus, and Notogoneus
- All necessary equipment provided
- Ask about the 18-inch layer dig
| Rates: | Adult | Child | Groups 11+ |
| 1 Hour | $30.00 | $15.00 | |
| 2 Hours | |||
| 4 Hours | $75.00 | $37.50 | $70.00/person |
| 8 Hours | $100.00 | $50.00 | $90.00/person |
In Stone Fossils
In Stone Fossils is a fossil gallery and retail store offering a variety of Green River Formation fossils. In addition, they also offer private fossil hunting and digging excursions with several amenities. The In Stone Fossils’ Quarry 18-inch Layer has revealed some of the most paramount of fossils, including a complete 13 foot crocodile. Also exclusive to their quarry is some of the most beautiful mineral replacement coloring, which causes the fossil fish to have deep earthy red tones in gorgeous detail.
- Excursions bookable any dates between May 1st and September 5th
- Reservations required
- Excursions start at $750 per person with a minimum of 2 people
- Can keep all the mini fish fossils found during the excursion
- Can keep up to $1000 (retail price) worth of fossils found from the premier 18-inch layer – excludes ‘rare’ species fossils
- Gallery and retail store open 9:00am – 6:00pm daily
Natures Treasures - Fossil Fish Adventures
Fossil Fish Adventures provides the opportunity for you to dig fossils with the expert guidance of a professional paleontologist in the best quality layers in the Green River Valley.
Fossil Fish Adventures has a private ranch just outside Kemmerer where groups and individuals can experience the thrill of discovering treasures millions of years in the making!
(563) 419-1697
- Offering full (8-hour) and half (4-hour) day tours every week during the dig season (June through September)
- All packages include safety meeting, supervised dig instruction, demonstration and practice revealing fossils, and transportation to and from the ranch
- Rates dependent on group size, layers dug, and tour length
Tynsky’s Fossil Fish
Tynsky’s Fossils has four generations of family fossil hunting history, beginning in the 1960s. They offer digs in their private quarry and also have a fossil gallery.
716 JC Penney Drive
Kemmerer, WY 83101
(307) 413-0820
- $150/person for a two-hour dig
- Children under age 4 dig FREE
- Open weekdays from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Upper Split Fish
- Visitors get to take up to 10 fossil fish (excludes rare species)
- All necessary equipment provided
Ulrich’s Fossil Gallery
Ulrich’s Fossil Gallery is one of the first and largest purveyors of professionally prepared Eocene fossil fish from the Green River Formation (Syncline Lake). Their vast selection of fine fossil art is hand-prepared by an expert staff and excavated from their own fossil quarry. In addition to prepared fossils, Ulrich’s also offers fossil preparation kits and a variety of geological gifts and souvenirs.
- Season begins mid-May and runs through the end of September
- Digs start at 9:00 AM and typically last as long as needed until you’ve “caught your limit”
- Pricing: $125 per adult
- Gallery at site & open year-round
- Reservations are required for weekend tours and recommended for weekday tours
- All necessary equipment provided
| Rates: | Individual |
| 3-5 Hours | $85.00 |
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