Best place to dig fossils (Winter edition)

February 5, 2020 3:41 PM

Looking for a good place to take the family to dig for fossils President’s Day weekend. Are any good fossil quarries open?

Given its winter and most of the fossil quarries in Wyoming and Utah are closed / covered in snow, where would a good place to go (with children) if we wanted to dig for fossils President's Day weekend. Not just see fossils but actually find and keep some / crack some shale. Needs to be somewhere good for beginners. New Mexico / Texas maybe? If not fossils then gemstones / minerals would be a close second. We are in Salt Lake but flying is totally doable. The local Utah quarries are all closed best I can tell.

posted by inflatablekiwi to Travel & Transportation around United States (3 answers total)

Best answer: I think Texas would be a good bet. There are a few sites in the vicinity of Dallas/Ft. Worth that I know of (but haven't been to):
Mineral Wells Fossil Park
Ladonia Fossil Park
Benbrook Lake
Post Oak Creek near the town of Sherman

To my knowledge, many of the top fossil sites in Arizona are on protected land. Paleo Site near Payson is supposed to be good, but I think the elevation there might mean it could be snow-covered. I think many of the best places in New Mexico are also likely to be snowy, as they're in mountainous areas.

There's a website called the Fossil Forum that has a lot of good info about places to hunt.
posted by theory at 4:27 PM on February 5, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: If you’d like to come out to California Shark Tooth Hill has spots open on 2/15. I’ve never dug there but I’ve had amazing luck finding shark and dolphin teeth in less official areas nearby.

http://sharktoothhillproperty.com/
posted by lepus at 5:19 PM on February 5, 2020 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks both - will take a look and see what works
posted by inflatablekiwi at 1:33 PM on February 7, 2020