Visit a Paleontological Site in Wyoming near Yellowstone

Wyoming’s southwestern region is known as fossil country.

Fossil Butte National Monument, 15 miles west of Kemmerer, Wyoming, is another must-see in southwestern Wyoming. This monument showcases insects, birds, reptiles and plants. More than 100 fossils on exhibit include a 13-foot crocodile, the oldest known bat and a mass mortality of 356 fish.

Warfield Fossils, Tynsky’s Fossil Fish and Ulrich’s Fossil Gallery teach visitors digging techniques, and provide them with the proper tools while they dig for 50-million-year-old fossil fish each summer. Diggers can keep any finds that aren’t considered rare.

Huge dinosaurs can be found at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs. Tyrannosaurus Rex appears ready to pounce on unsuspecting students in the food court, while Camptosaurus looks for a meal near the bookstore. Several other dinosaurs and fossils native to the area are also on display.

In Thermopolis, head to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. Visitors can take a tour of the museum and dig sites at Warm Springs Ranch through the “Dig for a Day” program. There are 55 dig sites on the ranch, filled with bones from dinosaur giants like Camarasauraus and Apatasauarus.

Check out the University of Wyoming Geological Museum in Laramie, or the Tate Mineralogical Museum in Casper. Also in central Wyoming is Glenrock, home to some major dinosaur finds in recent years.

Finally, in the Greybull, Wyoming, area, visit the Red Gulch Dinosaur Track Site (pictured below) It’s one of the largest dinosaur track sites in North America.