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Fossil Hunting With The Rangers At Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park in South Dakota is a treasure trove of fossils. Walk in any direction and you may find a fossil bone shard or tooth or seed or even a dung beetle ball (yes, seriously). If you are really lucky, you might even discover a fossil skull.

 

The view along the Window Trail, Badlands National Park / Rebecca Latson

Formations like those seen along the Window Trail may contain a seed fossil, fossil dung beetle ball, or even a fossil skull, Badlands National Park / Rebecca Latson

Traveler contributing photographer Rebecca Latson was invited to join Badlands rangers Education Specialist Edward Welsh and Interpretive Ranger and Geoscientist Mattison Shreero, on what it is like to look for fossils in this national park and what you should do if you find a fossil (hint: don’t take it with you).

You can read about Rebecca’s morning with the rangers and learn about a newly-named deer fossil found at Badlands, and why this is an important find by heading to this page.

Badlands National Park

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