Red Rock Canyon Field Trip | Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

Red Rock Canyon Field Trip

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 Have you ever wondered...

• What did Southern California look like 12 million years ago?
• What animals lived in the area and why did some of them become extinct?  

Paleontologists at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, along with help from the public, are piecing together this puzzle by studying the rich vertebrate fossils and unique geology of the Western Mojave Desert.

For over 12 years, the Museum has sponsored family-oriented paleontology trips to Red Rock Canyon State Park, two hours north of Los Angeles. Led by Museum scientists and educators, these trips offer hands-on experience searching for, collecting, and studying fossils in the field.

Trip participants in the past have made invaluable contributions to the science of paleontology, including rare specimens never recorded before. You don’t have to be a trained paleontologist to be able to contribute. With a bit of persistence and a dash of luck, anyone can make the next big discovery. It’s a matter of being at the right place at the right time. You learn the entire process of searching for fossils, plaster jacketing, and field recording. The educational programs for children include fossil casting, field identification, and nature hikes.