The Epic Park Near Buffalo Where You Can Take Home 412-Million-Year-Old Fossils
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Samantha Gill
Author
As the great Joe Dirt would say, “Life’s a garden. Dig it.” In this case… life’s a fossil park. Dig it! This epic spot is located just a quick drive from the City of Buffalo in the Southtowns. Penn Dixie was started in the 1990s, but their fossils date back over 400 million years! Read on to check out this amazing site and mark your calendars to visit as soon as they open for the season.
You'll find it at 4050 North St., Blasdell, NY 14219.
According to their website, Penn Dixie is ranked as the #1 fossil park in America. This place is truly a geological treasure – and it's right in our own backyard.
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The fossil park is located on a former cement quarry. Penn Dixie welcomes visitors of all ages from all over Western New York (and beyond) to dig up the dirt and find fossils of their own.
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And the best news is, you get to keep whatever you find! Penn Dixie simply asks that you snap a photo of your fossil findings so they can add it to their website and share it on social media.
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First things first: a bucket or bag to keep your fossil findings safe. You don't necessarily need to bring tools, as surface collecting in the loose dirt can yield sweet specimens, but digging beneath the surface will allow you to uncover the oldest fossils on the site.
That means most of the fossils you will find are almost 400 million years old! To dig up the best of the best, bring a rock hammer, chisel, safety goggles, and a small sledge hammer.
Ticket price to dig and find fossils at Penn Dixie is just $9 for adults, $7 for children ages 3-12, and free for kids 2 and under. We highly recommend adding on the tool rental for your visit if you don't have digging tools of your own to bring! It helps to give the full experience of finding fossils to bring home.
There are 54 acres of fossil collecting, nature trails, and wetlands to explore at Penn Dixie. Since the site is so large, it rarely ever feels crowded, so you and your family or friends will have plenty of room to roam.
Do you dig it? If you’ve been to Penn Dixie and found amazing fossils, share your photos with us in the comments below or on Instagram (@onlyinbuffalo) using #onlyinbflo. We can’t wait to see your treasures!
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