2024 NDGS Paleontology Public Fossil Digs
Come find fossils with us and help us preserve North Dakota's prehistoric past!
Location
Refund Policy
About this event
- 69 days 10 hours
The 2024 Public Fossil Digs are now full.
Thanks to everyone that signed up to join us this summer on our 25th Anniversary of the Public Fossil Digs.
Didn't get the dates you want?
Join the waitlist! http://tinyurl.com/2024NDGSwaitlist
Please note: Tickets are non-transferrable without prior approval from the event organizers. We need to verify that participants meets the minimum age and digger requirements before transferring tickets. You can request a refund here in Eventbrite for tickets purchased through May 10th, 2024.
Frequently asked questions
Each of our digs has a minimum age of 15 years for a Full Day or Adult Half Day, or 10 years for a Family Half Day. This is done for the safety of our participants, as well as the fossils. All minors (17 years and under) must be accompanied by a paying adult. There is no maximum age.
A Full Day (ages 15+) starts in the morning ~7:45am, and ends between 4-5pm. A Half Day is broken into a morning and afternoon shift. Morning shift starts at 7:45am, and runs to ~11:30am. Afternoon shift starts at 12:45pm, and runs to ~4:30pm. You may only sign up for ONE session per day.
Every dig is set up so that participants may sign up for one or more days. It is not necessary to sign up for the whole dig week. Not every dig includes weekend days. **If you are a first-time digger, you will be limited to two days per dig.
No! Here in North Dakota we have many types of fossils – not just dinosaurs. Please see the FAQs below to see what you may find on each of our digs. The short versions is: Bismarck = dinosaur age, Pembina Gorge = sea monsters, Medora = swamp critters, Dickinson = early mammals.
We removed the “beginner / advanced” titles on the digs, as over time they have evolved to include more amenities, allowing more people to attend any dig site successfully. However, if you have never dug before, we strongly suggest registering for the Medora dig.
Yes! Educating our diggers on proper technique is a big part of what we do. Paleontology is not a fast science – it is a careful one. Our staff spends most of the day working with our diggers, to ensure safe, proper removal of fossils.
North Dakota has cold winters, but the summers can be very warm. June - expect weather in the mid 80s to low 90s. July - expect weather in the high 80s to high 90s, sometimes up to the low 100s. August is more toasty, with low 90s to low 100s.