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
March 14, 2026
Shark Tooth Hill (Caruso property)
March 14, 2026. THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL. (The limit has been reached).
Fossils commonly found here include shark teeth, whale or dolphin bones / vertebrae, etc. They have been identified as belonging to the Round Mountain Silt Formation, Miocene in age (15 - 16 million years old).
There is a fee to be paid to the property owner. The amount to be determined.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Misty Shaide and Steve Victor
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
April 9, 2026
Delta Utah
March 9 - 12, 2026. THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL. (The limit has been reached).
Steve Mulqueen, a Utah resident and geologist, will lead our group for the 7th time to Utah sites, including U-Dig Quarry for trilobites, Confusion range for ammonites and a petrified wood site near St. George. There is a $100 fee at the U-Dig quarry.
Only those with current SCPS memberships during April 9 to 12, 2026, can participate in this trip.March
Trip Leader:
Steve Mulqueen and Dennis Rainey
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
April 25, 2026
Sharktooth Hill (Caruso property) - This trip is now full. The limit has been reached.
April 25, 2026. THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL. (The limit has been reached).
Fossils commonly found here include shark teeth, whale or dolphin bones / vertebrae, etc. They have been identified as belonging to the Round Mountain Silt Formation, Miocene in age (15 - 16 million years old).
There is a $65. fee to be paid to the property owner.
EVERY PARTICIPANT MUST HAVE A CURRENT SCPS MEMBERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP.
Trip Leader:
Misty Shaide and Steve Victor
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
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:
June 20, 2026
Isla Vista (On the beach in Goleta, CA - near Santa Barbara)
June 20, 2026
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
Wyoming (2 sites) and maybe Utah or Idaho
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: 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.Sept
Trip Leader:
Zach Mekelburg
Active Members, RSVP to Attend:
October 8, 2026
Hazen, Nevada quarry and 2 or 3 other Nevada sites
Oct. 8 - 11, 2026
Thursday, Oct. 8: Drive to Fallon, Nevada (near Reno). Check into hotel. Group dinner in Fallon restaurant.
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