A girl wearing a green shirt with a white daisy in her hair looks at a fossilized footprint on the ground.

Where can I see fossils?

Museums, visitor centers, and signed hiking trails showcase the rich fossil heritage of BLM-managed public lands. Below is a list of places to visit. Plan ahead and prepare, as some facilities may have seasonal hours, and some trailheads and outdoor fossil sites may be challenging to access.

Places to Visit

Alaska

University of Alaska Museum of the North - Fairbanks, Alaska (Indoor exhibit)

Arizona

Museum of Nature and Science – Las Cruces, Arizona (Indoor exhibit) 

Arizona Museum of Natural History – Mesa, Arizona (Indoor exhibit) 

Murray Springs Clovis Site - Sierra Vista, Arizona (Outdoor)

California

University of California Museum of Paleontology - Berkeley, California (Indoor exhibit)

Raymond Alf Museum of Paleontology - Claremont, California (Indoor exhibit)

Western Science Center - Hemet, California (Indoor exhibit) 

Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County - Los Angeles, California (Indoor exhibit) 

San Diego Natural History Museum - San Diego, California (Indoor exhibit) 

Colorado

University of Colorado Museum of Natural History - Boulder, Colorado (Indoor exhibit)

Cleveland Quarry Rec Site - Cañon City, Colorado (Outdoor)

Garden Park Fossil Area - Cañon City, Colorado (Outdoor)

Denver Museum of Nature & Science - Denver, Colorado (Indoor exhibit)

Dinosaur Hill Trailhead - Fruita, Colorado (Outdoor)

Dinosaur Journey Museum of Western Colorado - Fruita, Colorado (Indoor exhibit)

Fruita Paleo Area - Fruita, Colorado (Outdoor)

Rabbit Valley Trail Through Time - Mack, Colorado (Outdoor)

Idaho

Idaho State University Museum of Natural History - Pocatello, Idaho (Indoor exhibit)

Maryland

Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area - Nanjemoy, Maryland (Outdoor)

Minnesota

Science Museum of Minnesota - Saint Paul, Minnesota (Indoor exhibit)

Montana

Montana State University Museum of the Rockies - Bozeman, Montana (Indoor exhibit)

Carter County Museum - Ekalaka, Montana (Indoor exhibit)

Nevada

Oak Springs Trilobite Site - Caliente, Nevada (Outdoor)

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area - Mountain Springs, Nevada (Indoor exhibit / Outdoor)

New Mexico

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science - Albuquerque, New Mexico (Indoor exhibit)

Prehistoric Trackways National Monument - Las Cruces, New Mexico (Outdoor)

White Ridge Bike Trails - San Ysidro, New Mexico (Outdoor)

North Dakota

Pioneer Trails Regional Museum - Bowman, North Dakota (Indoor exhibit)

Oregon

University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History - Eugene, Oregon (Indoor exhibit)

Thomas Condon Visitor Center, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument - John Day, Oregon (Indoor exhibit / Outdoor)

Utah

Kanab

Moab Price Saint George Salt Lake City Fossil Mountain - Fillmore, Utah (Outdoor)

Fossil Point Trailhead - Green River, Utah (Outdoor)

Dinosaur Trackway Trailhead - Vernal, Utah (Outdoor)

Washington D.C.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History - Washington, D.C. (Indoor exhibit)

Wyoming

Dry Creek Petrified Tree Environmental Education Area - Buffalo, Wyoming (Outdoor)

Big Cedar Ridge - Worland, Wyoming (Outdoor)

Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite - Worland, Wyoming (Outdoor)

The Power of Partnerships

Museums and universities collaborate with BLM for fossil excavation and research. Their permitted work on BLM-managed public lands results in valuable insights into prehistoric life and environments.

Museums and universities also play the invaluable role of partnering with BLM to manage fossils found on BLM-managed public lands for perpetuity. Fossils from BLM-managed public lands are housed in over 80 museum collections nationwide. This dispersed, partnership-dependent curation model ensures community investment in our nation’s shared heritage.