How old do participants need to be?

Most one-day digs require participants to be at least 12 years old; children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Can we keep fossils we find?

Common fossils may be kept; commercial-grade finds can be purchased; scientifically significant specimens are retained for museums.

Yes—ALL tools, glues, preservatives, and collecting supplies are provided by the guides.

No—meals and lodging are not included. The group stops at a convenience store en route to the quarry and guests should bring a packed lunch.

What happens in bad weather?

Light rain usually won’t stop excavation, but severe weather can cancel or reschedule the trip and may result in refunds or store credit depending on timing.

Typical one-day trips run roughly 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM, with time for museum orientation, multiple digging sessions, and travel to and from the quarry.

Digging Hell Creek: One-Day Dinosaur Excavation in Belle Fourche | Museum | Guided Tour

Adventure Brief

Spend a full day excavating real dinosaur fossils in Hell Creek. From a museum orientation to hands-on quarry time at Tooth Draw and Tooth Draw West, this one-day dig packs authentic paleontology into a single, unforgettable field shift.

10–12 hours

challenging

From $251.33

On a bright summer morning in the northern Black Hills, the 1 Day Introductory Dinosaur Dig offers a door into the deep past just outside Belle Fourche, South Dakota. Meet at the Dinosaurs of the Hell Creek Museum, 11324 US Highway 212,Belle Fourche, SD for an eight-hour field shift that blends a museum primer with real quarry time in the Hell Creek badlands. This is not a staged activity; it’s a working excavation on private ranch quarries such as Tooth Draw and Tooth Draw West where guides teach field techniques and safety, then hand you a trowel and a brush. The landscape is spare—badlands sculpted from Late Cretaceous sediments of the Hell Creek Formation, layers of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone that preserve teeth, vertebrae and occasional bone plates. The program emphasizes practical field skills: how to recognize bone versus rock, how to jacket a fragile find, and how to record its context. Common fossils include Edmontosaurus and Triceratops fragments, crocodile teeth and turtle shell pieces; commercial-grade finds like Tyrannosaur teeth or more complete Triceratops bones are possible and can be purchased, while scientifically significant specimens are reserved for museums. Guides balance instruction with the unpredictable rhythms of fieldwork. Expect full days of excavation on rough terrain under an open sky, punctuated by a museum orientation, a drive to the quarry, and multiple digging sessions. The trip is designed for busy travelers or families who want the real paleontology experience without committing to multiple days—ideal for first-time explorers, aspiring amateur paleontologists, and teens (minimum age 12). Beyond the work, the outing places you on private ranchland where prairie birds wheel and badger trails crisscross the hills. Bring sturdy boots, a wide-brim hat, layers, and plenty of water; the nearest hospital is two hours away, so guides stress fitness and caution. The program’s limited one-day dates make it a standout for visitors to the Black Hills who want an active, educational alternative to the region’s monuments. Because the operation runs on private land and supports scientific curation, your finds contribute to ongoing research when necessary, while common specimens stay with participants. Whether you walk away with a pocket of teeth and scutes or simply a deeper sense of geological time, this one-day dig compresses a career’s worth of learning into a single, memorable field shift—fast, rigorous, and rooted in the bone-bearing cliffs of Hell Creek. Tours run on select summer dates; a $100 non-refundable deposit reserves your spot and cancellations require 30 days' notice for a refund minus the deposit. Meet at 8:00 AM sharp. Meals and lodging are not included; Belle Fourche has basic hotels and campgrounds if you need an overnight before or after the dig. Bring a camera.

About Paleo Adventures

Paleo Adventures is a field-based paleontology outfitter based in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. The organization offers hands-on fossil hunting trips on private ranches and in the Hell Creek Badlands. Programs include Kids Dig, two-day and four-day Explorers Tours, the 1st Annual Dino Kids Camp (June 20th - 22nd), and four-day Adventure Tours including Tooth Draw and Tooth Draw West. Experiences combine guided excavation, on-site instruction, and laboratory fossil preparation so participants learn collection and preparation techniques.

Guides include experienced fossil hunters and paleontologists who supervise excavations on remote ranch sites. Several tours are led by Walter W. Stein, a seasoned fossil hunter noted within trip descriptions and credited with decades of fieldwork and a dinosaur named in his honor. Private land access allows extended digs across multiple days, maximizing discovery potential while maintaining safety and respect for ranch properties.

Family-focused options provide age-appropriate instruction and museum tour opportunities for children. Kids Dig and the Dino Kids Camp emphasize hands-on discovery, in-field education, and supervised lab time where young participants prepare their finds for transport. The two-day and four-day Explorers Tours concentrate on targeted excavation at single sites to improve the likelihood of meaningful discoveries.

Paleo Adventures emphasizes responsible collecting practices, on-site safety, and educational outcomes. Operating from Belle Fourche, the company connects visitors to South Dakota’s rich paleontological landscape through immersive fieldwork, expert guidance, and practical fossil preparation. Bookings are organized by trip type and date, with clear pre-trip information and guidance provided to participants for travel, safety, and logistics.