Dig for Fossils in Utah: Collect 500-Million-Year-Old Trilobites

Unearth your own trilobites from one of Earth's richest fossil beds

Dig for fossils at a working quarry an hour west of Delta, Utah, where you'll sift through 500-million-year-old shale and collect your own museum-quality trilobite specimens from a Cambrian formation. The half-day session includes entrance, tools, and instruction on how and where to extract fossils. Service animals are welcome, and the work suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Fossil hunting at the quarry

• Drive to the quarry
• Meet the operator
• Receive instructions and tools
• Collect museum-quality fossils

The experience

You drive to the quarry and meet your guide, who hands you the tools and walks you through the technique, where to look in the shale, how to work without damaging what you find, what a collectible specimen looks like. Then you're in the rock itself, sifting and chipping, turning over pieces that have sat untouched for half a billion years. The quarry is one of the most productive Cambrian fossil sites on Earth, which is why the trilobites you pull out are museum quality, not fragments.

The half-day format means you spend roughly four hours at the site: enough time to find multiple pieces and understand how they fit into the ancient seafloor that once covered this part of Utah. Your guide stays with you, answering questions about what you're holding and why these creatures matter to the story of life on Earth. You leave with the fossils you've collected, a tangible record of the work you did.

What’s included

• Entrance fee to the quarry.
• digging tools.
• instruction from your guide on extraction technique and fossil identification.

Options for this experience

2 options

Quarry access for a half dayNo fixed time

Military/Utah Res/Senior Disc.No fixed timeMilitary personnel, Utah residents, and seniors must show valid identification on the day of travel to receive the discount.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesSaturdayLast departure this season: 14 Nov

AgesAdult (17 to 69 years) · Senior (70 and older) · Youth (7 to 16 years) · Child (under 7): free

GroupUp to 200

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by U-Dig Fossils

Is this one for you?Book this if you have a half-day free and want to do something with your hands, not watch a display, but actually find and keep what you uncover. The quarry's productivity means you'll walk away with real specimens, not empty-handed.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 16 years); Child (under 7): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How far is the quarry from Delta, Utah?

The quarry is located about an hour west of Delta, so you'll have a short drive from town before you start digging.

What kind of fossils will I find at the quarry?

You'll be collecting trilobites from a Cambrian formation roughly 500 million years old: one of the richest deposits of these specimens on Earth, which is why the pieces you find are museum quality.

Do I need any experience to dig for fossils?

No experience is necessary. Your guide will instruct you on technique, hand you the tools, and show you exactly how and where to extract fossils from the shale.

How long does the half-day session last?

The half-day experience runs about four hours, giving you enough time to find multiple specimens and get a real sense of the work involved in fossil collection.

What should I bring or wear to the quarry?

Wear clothes and shoes suitable for outdoor work in a quarry setting. The entrance fee and tools are included, so you just need to show up ready to dig.