Paleo Lab & Dino Dig (2-Day Adventure)

Cost: $245 per participant

Dates: June 17-18, 2027

Meet at: Dinosaur Journey Museum, Fruita at 8:00AM

Minimum Age: 10 (guests ages 16 or under must be accompanied by a paying adult)

Minimum Participants: 4

Maximum Participants: 10

Difficulty: Easy. No hiking, but participants should expect to spend the first day sitting still and performing small, repetitive tasks on delicate projects. 

Description: Get a double helping of paleontology by coupling a dig at Mygatt-Moore Quarry with working in the paleo lab, learning the careful skills used to prepare fossils. Participants will spend a full day in the Dinosaur Journey Fossil Preparation Lab doing the meticulous work of cleaning and restoring fossil bone before heading out to Mygatt-Moore Quarry to excavate dinosaurs. Our expert paleontologists will be there to guide you every step of the way. This is a perfect match for enthusiasts and future paleontologists alike.

Difficulty: Closed-toed shoes are required. No hiking is required on this expedition, but participants should expect to be sedentary on Day 1 and outside on Day 2 in the heat and bugs, working on open, rocky ground. We will provide shade tarps.

Daily Itinerary:

Day 1 Itinerary:

8:00 AM – Orientation at Dinosaur Journey in Fruita, CO & Lab Tour

8:45 AM – Divide into groups for rotation through stations

9:00AM – Stations: Molding & Casting / Mechanical Prep

11:30 – Lunch in the Museum Discovery Center

12:30 PM – Stations: Paint Castings / Mechanical Prep

3:00 PM – End of day  

Day 2 Itinerary:

8:00 AM – Orientation at Dinosaur Journey in Fruita, CO

8:30 AM – Depart Dinosaur Journey.

9:00 AM – Arrive at MMQ for excavations

Noon – Picnic lunch

1:00 PM – Excavations

2:30 PM – Return to Dinosaur Journey 

3:00-3:30 PM – End of day