2026 Field TripsAMMP offers optional activities before and after the main sessions of the Annual Meeting. These activities are designed for attendees who wish to make the most of their time at the event, providing opportunities to enrich both their educational and recreational experiences. Whether you have extra time in your schedule or simply want to explore more, these pre- and post-meeting activities offer a chance to engage in deeper learning, network with peers, and enjoy local attractions or experiences. These optional events are a perfect complement to the meeting itself, allowing participants to tailor their experience to their personal interests and goals.
| 2026 Host Committee Clint Boyd, Chair North Dakota Geological Survey
Mindy Householder Alex Gardner Cathy Lash Jeff Person |
Tuesday, April 14
White River Group Prospecting Hike
A day trip to prospect outcrops of the Oligocene Brule Formation. Visiting this site will require about 2-3 miles of hiking (round trip) from the parking area. We will revisit several fossil sites and prospect for recently exposed fossils. All tools and supplies will be provided. All fossils would be accessioned into the North Dakota State Fossil Collection. The site is a two-hour drive from Bismarck. Passenger vans will transport participants from Bismarck to the site, or participants could meet the group in Dickinson at a specified location that morning. One of our staff would pick up boxed lunches in Dickinson, ND and bring them to the site at lunchtime (menus will be provided to participants ahead of time to make selections). We would pick up attendees from the host hotel at 8:00 am and aim to return to Bismarck by 5:00 pm, allowing 4-5 hours of work at the site.
Cost: TBD
Minimum Participants: 7
Maximum Participants: 25
Saturday, April 18
Paleocene Quarry Visit
A day trip to our long running quarry in the Paleocene Sentinel Butte Formation near the town of Medora in western North Dakota. The site is an extensive pond deposit rich in crocodile, champsosaur, turtle, and fish fossils, along with abundant microvertebrate fossils. There is very little overburden and a high density of fossils, which should make for a good day of collecting fossils. All tools and supplies will be provided. All fossils would be accessioned into the North Dakota State Fossil Collection. The site is a two-hour drive from Bismarck. Passenger vans will transport participants from Bismarck to the site, or participants could meet the group in Medora at a specified location that morning if not staying in Bismarck that evening. One of our staff would pick up boxed lunches in Dickinson, ND and bring them to the site at lunchtime (menus will be provided to participants ahead of time to make selections). We would pick up attendees from the host hotel at 8:00 am and aim to return to Bismarck by 5:00 pm, allowing 4-5 hours of work at the site.
Cost: TBD
Minimum: 7 participants
Maximum: 35 participants
