can you dig it - fossils in fossil oregon
This weekend I took the kids on an impromptu road trip. I wanted to check out a community yard sale in Grass Valley, OR ((nicest folks ever by the way)) and I promised the kids a little ghost town adventure if they went with me. I had been informed that Fossil, OR was a ghost town some time back and I'd always wanted to drive through. I can't even explain my intense draw to abandoned houses and places! Unfortunately, I was misinformed. Fossil might sound like a town that ought to be abandoned, but it's not. That's ok though! We did find some cool abandoned places along the way and got to dig some fossils.
At one of the yard sales the kids mentioned we were headed to Fossil and the home owner brought out some cool fossils he'd recently found in the John Day fossil beds. The kids thought that was pretty cool and he informed us that there was a dig site set up in Fossil, OR behind the High School. He said it was cheap and they had all the tools available to use. We definitely had to do that! You'll pass through the fossil beds and trail sites on your way to the town of Fossil, so if you prepare ahead of time you should definitely stop! We just drove by since we were really looking for ghost towns and weren't prepared at all for hiking or digging.
Once we got to Fossil, we realized it was completely populated. Boo! So we made our way to the High School. We did get to see a cool "Batmobile" on the drive there. The kids were taking pictures with their disposable cameras! Tourists! Ha! Hopefully we get some good shots when the film comes back.
There wasn't anyone in the booth at the dig site so we used the self-pay option. Make sure you take the correct change or you'll end up over paying like I did.
Also, good to bring:
shoes that strap on. The hill is slippery with loose stone and dirt.
sunscreen.
water!! there is a drink vending machine but it only partially worked.
food. Seriously. Pack food.
An umbrella for shade and a blanket for breaks and a picnic would be great.
a bucket, bag, or basket. Something to tote your finds away in.
We didn't stay long but the kids all found two leaf fossils to bring home. Don't feel like you have to actually dig them from the hill. If you have young children or are physically unable to climb or dig you can just pick up and turn over loose pieces and find fossils! We found 8 fossils within 25 minutes or so! There is a little brochure you can grab at the tool booth out front that shows you the different types of leafs you will likely find. If you're lucky you may find an insect or lizard fossil!
On the way home we saw this awesome old barn that we had to turn around and get a picture of!
Thank you, Condon, OR for just happening to be on our route home. It's a cute little town with amazing abandoned buildings on the outskirt!
If you know of some awesome ghost towns that actually are ghost towns please drop a comment! I'd love to go!
