Here at Montana Dinosaur Center, we offer a variety of Montana Dinosaur Dig fossil expeditions for all ages! (Are you interested in a group Dig Expedition for a school or other group? We’ve got you covered!) All our expeditions build off of one another, so the longer you stay, the more you will learn!
The Montana Dinosaur Center is primarily a research facility, so if you come out for a day or longer you will be helping us conduct real research out in the field!
Have more questions? Check out our Expedition FAQs!
Timing
From May to mid-June is spent exploring badlands and hillsides to see what new fossils the winter weather exposed for us. If you like to hike, consider coming out earlier in the year and help us find our next big discovery. We open up our dig sites mid-June and consistently work on them through Labor Day in September. July and August are ideal for digging, but fill up fast. During most of September, we are working on preparing the sites for the winter, so we tend to do less “digging” and more stabilization and extraction. If you like getting messy, consider joining us in September. Try to register at least a month in advance to ensure availability.
Weather
Our rainy season goes from May to mid-June, so we do not open our dig sites before then (the soft, porous bones are extremely susceptible to moisture). From mid-June to mid-September the weather is favorable, if not a little on the hot side, but we do get occasional thunderstorms to move through the area. If at any point during the summer your expedition gets canceled due to inclement weather you can decide to have your expedition refunded or rescheduled. We typically close down our sites before the first snowfall, which means either the last week of September or early October.
Age Minimum
With the exception of our long expeditions, we do not have a minimum age for our expedition, but please read through the descriptions of our expeditions and determine which one will be the right fit for your child. All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Groups and Discounts
We offer a 10% discount for groups of 8 or more, a 35% discount for educational non-profit groups (i.e. Scouts BSA troops, Girl Scouts, Rock & Mineral Societies, etc.), and a 50% discount for state-recognized schools. We also offer special expeditions for homeschool students. Lunches are not provided for those that qualify for group discounts, but we do have plenty of coolers for you to use!
Fossils
All fossils collected by the The Montana Dinosaur Center and our crew (that includes you!) are collected with the intent of scientific research and go straight into our Collections room. This means that we do not allow anyone to take fossils home from our dig sites, even if you are the one that found it.