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
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University of Alaska Museum of the North - Fairbanks, Alaska (Indoor exhibit)
- Arizona
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Murray Springs Clovis Site - Sierra Vista, Arizona (Outdoor)
- California
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Raymond Alf Museum of Paleontology - Claremont, California (Indoor exhibit)
University of California Museum of Paleontology - Berkeley, California (Indoor exhibit)
- Colorado
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University of Colorado Museum of Natural History - Boulder, Colorado (Indoor exhibit)
Denver Museum of Nature & Science - Denver, Colorado (Indoor exhibit)
Dinosaur Journey Museum of Western Colorado - Fruita, Colorado (Indoor exhibit)
Garden Park Fossil Area - Cañon City, Colorado (Outdoor)
Cleveland Quarry Rec Site - Cañon City, Colorado (Outdoor)
Dinosaur Hill Trailhead - Fruita, Colorado (Outdoor)
Fruita Paleo Area - Fruita, Colorado (Outdoor)
Rabbit Valley Trail Through Time - Mack, Colorado (Outdoor)
- Idaho
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Idaho State University Museum of Natural History - Pocatello, Idaho (Indoor exhibit)
- Maryland
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Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area - Nanjemoy, Maryland (Outdoor)
- Minnesota
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Science Museum of Minnesota - Saint Paul, Minnesota (Indoor exhibit)
- Montana
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Montana State University Museum of the Rockies - Bozeman, Montana (Indoor exhibit)
- Nevada
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Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area - Mountain Springs, Nevada (Indoor exhibit / Outdoor)
Oak Springs Trilobite Site - Caliente, Nevada (Outdoor)
- New Mexico
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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
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Pioneer Trails Regional Museum - Bowman, North Dakota (Indoor exhibit)
- Oregon
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Thomas Condon Visitor Center, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument - John Day, Oregon (Indoor exhibit / Outdoor)
University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History - Eugene, Oregon (Indoor exhibit)
- Utah
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Kanab
- Big Water Visitor Center, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument - Kanab, Utah (Indoor exhibit)
- Bunting Trail - Kanab, Utah (Outdoor)
- Moccasin Mountain Dinosaur Tracksite - Kanab, Utah (Outdoor)
- Copper Ridge Dinosaur Tracks Interpretive Site - Moab, Utah (Outdoor)
- Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trailhead Interpretive Site - Moab, Utah (Outdoor)
- Dinosaur Stomping Grounds Trailhead - Moab, Utah (Outdoor)
- Poison Spider Mesa Trailhead - Moab, Utah (Outdoor)
- Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, Jurassic National Monument - Price, Utah (Indoor exhibit / Outdoor)
- Utah State University Prehistoric Museum - Price, Utah (Indoor exhibit)
- Fossil Point Trailhead - Price, Utah (Outdoor)
- Buckhorn Dino Track - Price, Utah (Outdoor)
- Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site - Saint George, Utah (Outdoor)
- Warner Valley Dinosaur Track Site - Saint George, Utah (Outdoor)
- Silver Reef Trail - Saint George, Utah (Outdoor)
- Natural History Museum of Utah - Salt Lake City, Utah (Indoor exhibit)
- Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum - Salt Lake City, Utah (Indoor exhibit)
Fossil Point Trailhead - Green River, Utah (Outdoor)
Dinosaur Trackway Trailhead - Vernal, Utah (Outdoor)
- Washington D.C.
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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History - Washington, D.C. (Indoor exhibit)
- Wyoming
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Dry Creek Petrified Tree Environmental Education Area - Buffalo, Wyoming (Outdoor)
Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite - Worland, Wyoming (Outdoor)
Big Cedar Ridge - 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.