So since we’ve been stuck in the house for pretty much the last year, we’ve been looking at ideas for cool vacations. We are definitely hitting the beach sometime this summer for sun, sand, and shark’s teeth. We might go to Disney World for sun, sweets, and…well no shark’s teeth…
But then I found it…possibly the single greatest vacation adventure of all time! And all we have to do is drive to Wyoming! Score! OK so get this, if you go somewhere and find a fossil, most people will say, “Good for you.” if it’s something common like a trilobite or a piece of coprolite. Now if you go somewhere and find a T-Rex skull it’s a whole other kettle of turtles. If you find a rare fossil and try to take it home you’re probably going to prison (best case scenario). Because even if you get away with it, everyone that sees it will want to know where you got it. And if you say, “Oh I dug it up behind old Granny Weathers saw mill.” Old Granny Weathers is going to come after you. Because a T-Rex skull is big money. So anyway, any true fossil connoisseur is going to know what I’m talking about when they hear fossil and Wyoming in the same paragraph. That’s right, I found a privately owned fossil quarry in Wyoming that allows you to (deep breath) Keep ANY fossil you find in their quarry! You pull up to the gate and pay your admission (it’s like $130 per adult for the entire day 8am-4pm at the time of this blogging) then they hand you some digging tools for splitting the rock and a helpful quarry guide will give you tips and answer any questions. Then you can start splitting quarry stones in search of every kind of fossil!
Here’s the cool part…no matter what kind of fossil you find…no matter how many fossils you find…they are yours to keep and take home. If you find a fossil fish that sells for $30 on ebay, it’s yours to keep. If you find a fossil stingray that sells for $3000 on ebay (literally, go check) it’s yours to keep. If you find a coveted T-Rex skull that would net around a million bucks depending on who’s buying it’s yours to keep (although that one would be a little weird since the fossils you’re finding at this spot are from the bottom of a lake…) Now I can hear your questions now, “But Mr. Jack what are the chances of finding anything at all? Aren’t fossils super rare?” To which I respond, “Ah my young reader, this particular quarry is digging rock from a VERY fossil rich strata so you will DEFINITELY find something. You might only find fish fossils. But those are still super cool!” Their website says that most people leave with more fossils than they know what to do with. They are only open in the summer though so if you plan to go you should book accordingly. I would also like to say that every season they find lots of stingrays and they find lots of large fish fossils like gar as well! So it’s definitely worth the trip out there. Oh and yes, there are turtle fossils out there as well. Some of the rare ones are six feet. That would have been a turtle the size of me. I could have ridden it like a horse. Now that image is stuck in my head.
Anyway, now for the information you guys really want. Where is this magical and fabulous place filled with fossils that I can keep? Wait…if I tell everyone…they’ll all go there…hmm…then there might not be any turtle fossils left…when I go there…hmm….ah well, you guys are like family so here’s the spot!
Now you’ll have to stay at a nice hotel while you’re there so you can choose the ever-tempting Fossil Butte Motel Phone: (307) 877-3996 and since you have to eat sometime during your stay I saw the delightfully named Scroungy Moose Pizza Address: 179 WY-233, Kemmerer, WY. And there you have it. Just click the link and book your dream fossil finding vacation. Now, I’ve got to go off and draw lots of pictures of me riding giant turtles so you all go have a blessed day and remember if you lift something heavy use your knees and not your back!
