Advertisement
Published: April 6th 2011
Edit Blog Post
[youtube=-PrjUZ_K1uc]
U-Dig Sign
The U-Dig Trilobite Quarry sign along Highway 257. Trilobite Fossil Dig
Near Delta, Utah
It is often difficult to come up with fun, interesting learning experiences close to home that would be considered a full day trip or perhaps an overnight adventure. The U-Dig Fossil Quarry in Delta provided just such an opportunity. We were going to hunt down Trilobites, not to be confused with the pesky little furry creatures on Star Trek, Tribbles. Our little creatures lived at the bottom of an ancient sea bed some 500 million years ago, an invertebrate marine life which is now extinct. As the seas dried up the trilobites were encased in the limestone shale.
The quarry is privately owned and is one of the world’s richest trilobite deposits, no reservations are required and prices are based on time allotments. 2 hrs. ½ day and 1full day with prices ranging from $16.00 to $70.00. They will supply the bucket and hammer. You must bring your own gloves and protective clothing because the rocks can be sharp. It is in the desert, it is hot and you have to bring your own water. There are no services for customers.
My brother and I set off from Pocatello,
A mountain of shale
Patience and persistance are needed to sift through the mountain of shale to find your trilobites. Idaho about 4AM to get a jump on Utah traffic. We had a brief stop for a quick breakfast in Tremonton, Utah a few miles across the border. It is the home of the Malt-O-Meal® plant. After a hardy breakfast of Egg McMuffins and hash browns we were off with our coffee in hand. Our trip took us through several Utah towns, Brigham City, Ogden, Salt Lake City, Provo and Nephi while traveling along Interstate 15. Several miles before the town of Fillmore we exited to our right at a quaint little town called Holden. We were now on State Road 50 and needed to travel about 100 miles to reach the town of Delta.
We are on a two lane road that took us through small one- horse towns, some which have all but been abandoned. We passed over small mountain ranges and saw evidence of mining still in operation. The road went up and over ridges and down into small valleys. Suddenly, we found ourselves in the desert. We were in the middle of nowhere and wondered just what these little communities do to support themselves. Finally a marker proclaimed Delta ahead and what a strange
A bucket and a Rock Hammer
Besides the rock hammer, you need some gloves for the sharp rocks, as well as sturdy pants and shoes. A hat and water are musts too. sight it was. Up until now we have only seen remnants of towns which when fully populated might have had 100 residents. But Delta was a thriving modern town with all the conveniences of home. Super markets, stores, building and garden centers, motels and souvenir shops lined the street.
Our destination was down Highway 257, about 50 miles further on. It is straight and arid, it’s all desert as far as the eye can see. Watching our GPS we saw that we were getting close to the turn off and kept an eye peeled for any signs of the quarry. We didn’t need to fret since the sign was large and visible from a long way off. Up until now my brother had been driving the Jeep and I was riding shotgun. Never one to let a good learning experience go by, he suggested that I drive. The road is dirt with some gravel, some straights, some curves, lots of dips and everything else including deer with a death wish. Now I must remember when my brother gets that gleam in his eye it means something is up. I was ordered to stop, and he got out and
Patience Rewarded
Patience, and perhaps a bit of luck, and you have a trilobite fossil. then pointed toward the sage brush filled landscape and said drive.
This was my first adventure with a 4-wheel vehicle and it was fun until we reached the quarry. You can park at top and walk down and then up or you can drive around for several miles to the other side or you can drive down the road into the gully and then back up to the quarry. As I sat perched at the top of the downhill side of this road I imagined explaining to my sister in law just how I managed to roll her Jeep. After a little persuasion from my brother I started the descent and took a breath once we reached the bottom, only to focus at the top of the road yet to be driven. Ok, I made it and parked the vehicle and we exited the car and walked towards the quarry shack.
We paid for a 2 hour dig and got our shovels and pails and walked out to the lime stone dig site. It was clearly marked off so you could pick a place and dig to your hearts delight. They remove the overburden with a
Typical Trilobites
A chart of the typiccal trilobites found at the U-Dig Quarry. This chart is from the U-Dig website,
http://www.u-digfossils.com/ backhoe and move the rock down from the top of the hills so that it’s easier for you to maneuver through the piles of rocks. In no time flat we started finding our Trilobites encased in the stone, some were chipped, some broken but others intact. You pick them up, look at them, toss them aside and some you place carefully in your bucket, careful not to break your new found treasure. It takes patience and persistence but it is well worth the effort. Two hours went fast and we walked away with about a half a bucket full of fossils, which was well worth the drive.
With our treasures safely loaded into the Jeep it was time to drive back to Pocatello, but first I had to drive back down the hill and then up again. My brother wanted video and patiently took the footage as I perfected my new skill set, 4-wheeling. Since I was now an old hand at this we decided to stop along the road back and take some additional video footage of some of the dips in the road. I must say I became quite adept at driving the jeep through the
Bee Hive Charcoal Kilns
Pioneer-era charcoal Kilns along side Highway 257. brush and dips. Video and pictures taken we head back towards the highway bidding adieu to the quarry and Death Canyon beyond. We stopped in Delta at yet another McDonalds for a quick dinner of hamburgers, fries and drinks.
On the way to Delta we had spotted some brick, dome shaped ruins and decide to stop and see what they are. The beehive-shaped domes were charcoal kilns. The pioneers needed charcoal to stoke their blacksmith furnaces. Located near stands of timber, the kilns were filled with wood, ignited and then the kilns sealed to limit oxygen. The slow heat drove off the water and volatile substances leaving in the end a nearly pure carbon fuel, charcoal. After walking around and taking our pictures we again loaded up and headed for home. It’s was about rush hour when we merged onto Interstate 15 but did manage to make good time. We arrived back in Pocatello around 9:30PM, saddle sore, dusty but loaded with a bucket of treasures and many memories to share.
The quarries operate seasonally. Be sure to check with them before venturing out into the desert. For more information about U-Dig Trilobite Quarry, visit http://www.u-digfossils.com/
Trilobite 1
One of our discoveries.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.081s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 12; qc: 50; dbt: 0.044s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb