Answers to Common Questions

FAQs

Can anyone join your dinosaur digs?

Yes, but... you should be in good physical condition and able to hike in steep and unstable terrain. Digging for dinosaurs is a lot of hard work. You must be patient and careful. Digging conditions are rugged. Weather conditions can be extreme and often involve high winds and high temperatures. Prepare for a real adventure in a remote, but beautiful part of our country!

Do you have any age restrictions?

Yes. We do require that all participants be at least 12 years old or older by the time of their trip to attend our regular trips. Digging for dinosaurs involves a high degree of patience and care in very rugged conditions. We've found through lots of trial and error that most younglings under 12 are not quite ready for this extreme adventure.

Is this a real dinosaur dig?

You bet! We take you to secret locations on private ranches where we expect you to find fossils. Our trips are the real deal with all the positive and negative aspects of a real paleontological expedition. This is not brushing sand off of plastic or planted bones. This means that you have the chance to find some really cool fossils, but it also means there are no guarantees. You will need to dig AND more importantly, you will need to exercise patience and care because dinosaur bones are often very fragile and may be scientifically significant.

Are we really going to find dinosaur bones?

Absolutely. Digging bones however is much like fishing. Some days you go out and don't catch much at all. Other days you catch a whale! It all depends on how much effort you put into it, your determination, and a little luck. Most novice guests, however, bring home a nice collection of common fossils and tend to find a few commercial or scientific pieces each day. Our guides try to make sure everyone brings home something nice.

How long are the trips?

These are all day trips starting at 8:00 AM from our dinosaur field station in Belle Fourche, SD. We return to the field station around 7:30 -8:00 PM.

How many days do you recommend?

This depends on your families level of interest. I generally recommend that most rookies only do a 1 or 2 day trip, just to see if its something they like. Days are long, and it is hard work. For most families 1-2 days is plenty of time to get a feel for the real paleontology experience and bring home some nice common fossils. Veteran diggers, guests with more experience or young paleontologists with a serious interest, might want to extend their trip to that 2-4 day range.

Can we keep the fossils that we find? If so, what fossils can we keep?

We split our fossils into three broad categories: Common Fossils, Commercial Grade Fossils, and Scientific Grade Fossils.

Common fossils you can keep. These include: Edmontosaurus and Triceratops teeth, unidentifable dinosaur bone fragments or chunks of common dinosaur bone, crocodile teeth and scutes, isolated turtle shell pieces, some plant fossils, rock and mineral samples. etc. Basically, if its not unusual, rare, scientifically important, or commercially sought after you may keep it. Your guide will determine what can be kept and what needs to be retained by us. 

Commercial Grade Fossils: These you can purchase for an additional fee if you like. Its entirely optional. These include more complete, but isolated bones of Edmontosaurus and Triceratops as well as Tyrannosaur teeth. As a general rule, Edmontosaurus bones sell between $50-$100/inch prepared and Triceratops bones sell between $75-$200/inch depending on type of bone, condition and quality. Tyrannosaur teeth are highly sought after by collectors and tend to go between $75-$150/inch for Nanotyrannus and $250-$2,000/inch for T. rex. If you find something of commercial grade that you would like to take home, you can inform your guide and we will appraise it for you. We can even prepare, restore, pack and ship it home when it is ready.

Scientific Grade Fossils: These are reserved for museums and universities only. If you find one of these rare and cool pieces your name goes into our log book as the discoverer, but you can't keep them.  These include EVERYTHING ELSE. There are approximately 20 different dinosaur genera ( Pachycephalosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Struthiomimus, Anzu, Dakotaraptor, Thescelosaurus, etc. etc. ) known from the Hell Creek Formation as well as all kinds of fish, turtles, crocodilians, pterosaurs  birds, and mammals. Most, however, are only known from fragmentary bits and pieces. For us... science is our main priority. 

Do we need any special equipment?

No. All tools, glues, preservatives, collecting supplies and gear are provided for you by your guide. Guests should pack as if they are doing a day hike or day at the beach. Hat, sunscreen, water bottles, small cooler, back pack, personal toiletries, camera, notebook, hiking boots, knee pads, and seat cushions are recommended. Prepare for a day outdoors in the badlands.

Is lunch provided?

No, sorry. At this time we no longer provide lunches for our guests. Guests may bring a small cooler with lunch, snacks and extra drinks. We do stop at a convenience store on the way to the digs to make sure everyone has lunch.

Do we drive our own vehicles?

Yes and No. Guests meet at the Field Station and transfer their gear into our field trucks. We drive you to the sites under most conditions. Occasionally, if we have a lot of veteran diggers or are over booked and you have a 4x4 vehicle we will occasionally let guests drive their own vehicles. This is, however, worked out in advance when you book the trip, so there are no surprises. Due to the Covid-19 crisis in 2020, and in the name of social distancing, we did ask guests to drive themselves to the ranch if they could. The last two miles, however is off road and rugged, so, if you do request to drive your own vehicle, be ready for a bumpy ride.

Where should we stay?

We base out of the town of Belle Fourche, South Dakota. Most of our guests stay here at either the Americinn or the Econolodge the night before and the night of the trip. If you would like to camp out, please check out the nearby Rocky Point State Recreation Area or Wyatts Hideaway Campground.

If you want a serious South Dakota ranch experience and don’t feel like driving back to town on multi-day trips, you can even rent the ranch house, berm home, for a night or two on select evenings. This whole house rental runs about $500/night and is perfect for folks who are veteran diggers who want to spend a night on the prairie.

AmericInn- 605-892-0900 (Tell them we sent you and you might get a price break).

​Econolodge- 605-892-6663

What else is there to do in the area?

If you have never been to the Black Hills, there is a lot to see and do. Most people are surprised by how much... especially for the outdoor enthusiast. If you have one week for your vacation I generally recommend splitting your trip into thirds: Spend 2-3 days in the northern hills, 2-3 days in the central hills and 1-2 days in southern hills or badlands areas. In the north, where the digs base from, you should base in Belle Fourche, Spearfish, Sturgis or Deadwood. Activities I can recommend include: Devils Tower, Spearfish Canyon, Spearfish Park, Center of the Nation Monument, Tri-State Museum, Historic Deadwood, Lead Open Pit Gold Mine, Belle Fourche Reservoir, and the town of Sturgis (for motorcycle enthusiasts).

We can also recommend: Badlands National Park, The Mammoth Site, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, The Black Hills Institute, Town of Hill City, Needles Parkway (not for the faint of heart- LOL), Reptile Gardens, South Dakota School of Mines Geology Museum, and the Journey Museum.

How far are you from Mount Rushmore?

About 1.0- 1.5 hours from the monument on a non-traffic day.

Do you run trips for larger groups?

Yes, we do! We've run custom trips for groups as large as 30 people, including clubs, school groups, birthday parties, etc. These trips often involve a little more logistics beforehand, but no worries. We can even help arrange for lodging, transportation, food and other local activities to make your group trip a truly amazing experience!

Can I bring our pets with us?

Very sorry, but pets are not allowed on our dig sites. It is a working cattle ranch and the ranchers do not want any other dogs on the property. Sorry.

So how do I reserve a spot?

Just call 605-210-1275 and we can get you on the schedule! We are usually available Monday - Saturday from 9 AM-6 PM EST. You will need a major credit card or debit card ready to reserve the spot.

What is your deposit policy?

We do require a non-refundable deposit, via credit or debit card, at the time the reservation is made. This deposit is $50/group/day reserved. The balance of the trip may be paid with cash or credit on the day of the trip. If we can't get you out due to inclement weather or other issues, your complete deposit will be returned.

What is your cancellation policy?

Guests may cancel without penalty (minus the nonrefundable deposit) with at least 30 days notice. After this a minimum of 25% of the total trip charge will be run on the card used during the reservation. If guests cancel with less than 14 days notice, or if guests do not cancel, or fail to show up at all, a total of 100% of the total trip charge will be charged to their card.

How soon should I make a reservation?

Unfortunately, we have limited space on our trips. Most of our prime spots are full by the end of May. After that we often only have spotty availability, if someone cancels. If you only have a narrow window to book your trip, its best to reserve by December, January or February.