Dinosaur Digs: Triceratops Gulch Project 

  1. 1 TGP AD 2026 General
  2. 2 TGP AD 2026 Teaching

About the Program

Learn to dig dinosaurs with us!

The Triceratops Gulch Project (TGP) is a unique fossil expedition, offering a hands-on opportunity to delve into the world of paleontology. A collaborative effort with the Morrison Natural History Museum and the Glenrock Paleontological Museum, TGP is committed to project-based learning, transforming participants from spectators into active contributors. You will receive practical knowledge and expert tutelage directly related to museum research projects and conservation efforts.

You will be immersed in the fundamentals of geology, enabling you to place your discoveries within Earth's vast timeline. We will teach you how to differentiate between fossilized bone and rock and how to effectively prospect for fossils. Your work will directly contribute to the documentation of sites and the collection of specimens that have been undisturbed for over 66 million years.

Photo of participants

We believe in involving you every step of the way, helping you cultivate a deep understanding of the science of paleontology. You'll work directly alongside museum professionals, excavating fossil-rich sites within Wyoming's Upper Cretaceous Lance Formation. The thrill of discovery is paramount as you help uncover fossils like dinosaur bones, teeth, and other remnants crucial to reconstructing a long-extinct ecosystem.

Join the Triceratops Gulch Project and put discovery in your hands! We handle all the logistics and necessities, including transport to the dig sites, excavation equipment, and providing both morning and afternoon meals, as well as refreshments. Our core commitment is to guide and educate you throughout the entire journey. Every find you make will be curated into the permanent collection of the Glenrock Museum, allowing you to contribute directly to the world of paleontology. The rest is up to you—come make your own discoveries!


TGP AD 2026

Advice from the Curator: Setting Expectations

If you are thinking about joining us, chances are you are already curious about fossils, deep time, or how paleontology actually works outside of movies and museum exhibits. That curiosity is exactly where this program begins.

The Triceratops Gulch Project is a hands-on field experience where participants work alongside museum staff in the Upper Cretaceous strata of Wyoming, conserving fossils as data, and contributing directly to real paleontological research. The fossils recovered here are not trophies or props. They become part of permanent museum collections and help us better understand life at the very end of the Age of Dinosaurs. Our goal is simple. We want to make paleontology accessible, honest, and meaningful by inviting people into the process itself

Before you arrive, it helps to reset expectations. Field paleontology is not fast or glamorous. Most days involve hiking, digging, documenting, and paying close attention to small details under challenging conditions. Progress can be slow, weather can be unpredictable. Cinematic discoveries are rare. That said, the work is real, the discoveries matter, and the experience tends to stick with people long after the dust has settled.

Please take a moment and review the 2026 Information Guide for details about the program. Included in the guide is straightforward advice (see Appendix IV), not meant to intimidate or discourage you. It is offered to prepare you. If you come ready to work, ready to learn, and open to adjusting how you think about discovery, you will leave with a deeper understanding of extinct life and a genuine connection to the science of paleontology behind it. 

Thank you for your interest in our Triceratops Gulch Project. I hope that you will join the crew and myself this summer.

-Matthew T. Mossbrucker, Director & Chief Curator, Morrison Natural History Museum

TGP Sunset

“Is this Program Right for Me?”

A potential participant with the Triceratops Gulch Project would be wise to ask themselves this question. 

Fieldwork is a rigorous endeavor that requires physical and mental stamina. It is a “different kind of tired” as physical limits are pushed and mental capacity is reached. Those considering enrolling in this program should be able to endure long days in challenging outdoor conditions. 

While leaders do their best to accommodate the nature of each group, they cannot logistically terraform the field area to make each dig site accessible. Participants are expected to be able to hike with a daypack from the staging areas to the quarries, shouldering personal and group gear.

Now that you have read the nature of fieldwork, both the literal struggle with the natural world and the behavioral expectations, do you think you would be a good fit?

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