Field Trips
Collect, Tour, and Explore!
Field trips are fun experiences for all ages! For safety and insurance purposes, an active Membership is required to attend field trips, and a guardian must be present along with anyone that is younger than 18 years old. RSVPs are handled on a first-come first-served basis. Some trips have a high attendance limit, but many have a low limit, so it enhances everyone's experience if you RSVP/cancel promptly.
Fossil Collecting
Trips to collect usually take place in the Southern California area, but trips periodically travel much further! Members have had the opportunity to collect specimens such as trilobites from the Lower Cambrian, shark teeth and mammal bones from the Miocene, and sand dollars from the Pliocene. (Don't know your Eras from your Epoch's? Download our free "Ages of the Earth" poster PDF here!)
Museum and Locality Tours
Touring trips give SoCalPaleo Members access to view important paleontological sites across the American West, or they give Members access to behind-the-scenes tours at notable museums!
Calendar
May 16, 2026
Pine Mountain (Near Ojai, CA)
May 16, 2026 THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL. (The limit has been reached).
The hills are part of the Upper Santa Margarita Formation. The fossils found are from organisms living during the late Miocene to early Pliocene (about 12 to 5 million years ago).
SCPS members have visited this site several times in the past. A few different marine fossils have been found at the site, but fossilized sand dollars are most prevalent. Digging tools were not needed. Most fossils were found on the surface. Not suitable for young members, as the trip requires a hike through considerable tall brush.
Only those with current SCPS memberships during the trip date{s} can participate in this trip.
Trip Leader:
Patrick Hsieh
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
May 23, 2026
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum - 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
TRIP IS FULL. LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED.
Members will experience a Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.
The museum is providing free admission for twelve members, and free parking for the first eight members who arrive.
At 1 pm, members will meet our tour guide to begin a tour of the excavations and then the museum.
This is a small, limited group - the limit being set by the museum.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Dennis Rainey
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
June 20, 2026
Isla Vista (On the beach in Goleta, CA - near Santa Barbara)
June 20, 2026
TRIP IS FULL. LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED.
Members will find various marine fossils, including clams, oysters, mussels and some gastropods from the late Pleistocene epoch.
Nice beach location! Great for young fossil collectors. No limit.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Tanielle Redman
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
August 15, 2026
4 Wyoming fossil sites
TRIP IS FULL. LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED.
August 12 - 15, 2026
Wyoming dinosaur, ammonite and fish fossils. This is a multi-day trip.
Aug 11 - Arrive in Lusk, WY.
Aug 12 - White River Formation - Oredont skulls (Not everyone will find one, but likely a few members will)
Turtles are common… especially blown up turtles, mammal jaws, and other possible finds.
Aug 13 - Lance Formation (Late Cretaceous) - Triceratops teeth are the most common dinosaur fossils.
Other dinosaur and associated fossils may be found:
Aug 14 - First, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Tate Geological Museum. After the tour, collect ammonites.
Aug 15 - Collect fish fossils at American Fossil Quarry, Kemmerer, WY.
Costs: White River: $225 - Lance: $500 - Tate Museum and Ammonites $30.
To reduce driving, a couple of members have said they plan to fly to Denver or Salt Lake City and rent a car, while others will drive from southern California.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP DURING THE DAYS OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Steve Victor and Dennis Rainey
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
September 26, 2026
Chivo Canyon (near Simi Valley)
Sept 26, 2026: THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL. (The limit has been reached).
Members will do an easy walk for about a mile collecting marine fossils, mainly gastropod mollusks, with Turritella (sea snails) being the most common genus found. The fossils are found in the Llajas geological formation of Chivo Canyon, and are from the early to middle Eocene (around 50 million years ago). Nice trip for younger members.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.Sept
Trip Leader:
Zach Mekelburg
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
October 9, 2026
Hazen, Nevada quarry and 2 or 3 other Nevada sites
Oct. 9 - 11, 2026
Thursday, Oct. 8: Travel day. Members will drive to Fallon, Nevada (near Reno). Check into hotel.
Friday, Oct. 9: Our adventure begins with collecting fish fossils at the Hazen quarry. We have been given permission to collect fossils at an inactive quarry owned by a large corporation. We had been there the past two years. Three-spine Stickleback fish and Nevada Killifish) from the Miocene epoch are plentiful.
Saturday, Oct. 10: We will visit one or two Nevada fossil sites (to be determined).
Sunday, Oct. 11: We will visit another Nevada fossil site (to be determined).
Sunday afternoon, the trip is over. Members can drive home, or visit Virginia City or Bodie Ghost Town etc.
No limit to participants.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Kim Slaughter and Dennis Rainey
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
November 14, 2026
White Whale Quarry at Sharktooth Hill (Sean and Lisa Tohill's property)
We will collect Miocene marine fossils at Lisa and Sean Tohill's White Whale Quarry on Shark Tooth Hill.
Limit = 40
Cost: $30. per person (Cash, paid to property owner)
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Mimi Anaya
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
December 6, 2026
Holiday Party - Sunday December 6 at the LANHM - No Field Trip
Trip Leader:
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
January 23, 2027
Newport Aquatic Center (Newport Back Bay)
Jan 23, 2027
Located behind the Newport Aquatic Center, our site is part of the Palos Verdes Sand formation. 100,000-year-old Pleistocene shells are abundant and easy to find. Easy walk. Mostly surface collecting. Little or no digging. Great for kids.
No Limit.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Bill Ungar and Joe Cocke
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
May 22, 2027
Isla Vista
May 22, 2027
Pleistocene marine fossils.
Limit = 40
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Tanielle Redman
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
September 18, 2027
Chivo Canyon
Sept 18, 2027: Members will do an easy walk for about a mile collecting marine fossils, mainly gastropod mollusks, with Turritella (sea snails) being the most common genus found. The fossils are found in the Llajas geological formation of Chivo Canyon, and are from the early to middle Eocene (around 50 million years ago). Nice trip for younger members. No Limit.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Zach Mekelburg
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
October 8, 2027
Hazen Quarry and other Nevada sites
Oct. 8 - 10, 2027
Thursday, Oct. 8: Travel day. Members will drive to Fallon, Nevada (near Reno). Check into hotel.
Friday, Oct. 9: Our adventure begins with collecting fish fossils at the Hazen quarry. We have been given permission to collect fossils at an inactive quarry owned by a large corporation. We have visited this site in the recent past. Three-spine Stickleback fish and Nevada Killifish) from the Miocene epoch are plentiful.
Saturday, Oct. 10: We will visit one or two Nevada fossil sites (to be determined).
Sunday, Oct. 11: We will visit another Nevada fossil site (to be determined).
Sunday afternoon, the trip is over. Members can drive home, or visit Virginia City or Bodie Ghost Town etc.
No limit to participants.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Dennis Rainey and Kim Slaughter