In a previous blog I profiled one of the country’s most popular places to dig for dinosaur bones—real dinosaur bones. (Yes, my young daughter was catching on to the fact that the “bones” she dug for in the sand box at our local children’s museum were not the real deal so I started to explore travel options to allow her to experience life as a real paleontologist.)
If you have a budding paleontologist in your home who is looking to get his or her pick dirty digging into the past you may consider visiting the Museum of Western Colorado in Grand Junction. The museum offers a variety of dig options, including one-day dinosaur digs (for the younger set) and weeklong expeditions focusing on the paleontology and geology of the area (for more advanced diggers). One note: the museum’s brochure states that all of its programs (including the week-long expedition) are open to children five years and older.
The one-day dig is based from the museum and takes place at the Mygatt-Moore Quarry near the Colorado-Utah border. If you are concerned that your child’s adventure will be for naught if she or he doesn’t uncover a bone, consider this: According to the museum, in the past 20 years more than 3,000 bones have been collected from the location, including those of the giant plant-eating Apatosaurus and the recently discovered armored dinosaur, Mymoorapelta. Translation: it’s a good bet that your little one will uncover at least one item of significance while he or she is at the museum.
As for the 5-day expedition, that adventure includes a tour of geology at the Colorado National Monument, a trip to the Cactus Park Early Jurassic Track site, and a raft ride down the Colorado River. (The raft ride takes you to additional geological study sites.) You will also get the opportunity to make casts of dinosaur bones and learn how to use a variety of tools used in professional paleontology labs.