School & Group Programs
On-site Outdoor Education Programs
Program Calendar
For on-site guided programs described below, check our Availability Calendar then complete an On-site Program Request Form at least 2 weeks in advance. Programs book months in advance, so make your reservation today!
Self-guided Group Tours
For self-guided visits with 15+ participants, please complete our Self-Guided Tour Request Form at least 2 weeks in advance.
Virtual Learning
For virtual offerings, see our Virtual Programs & Resources
On-site Programs all begin at the Main Visitor Center located at: 16831 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, CO
Backyard Bones: Dinosaur Dig Program
Grade Levels: PreK- 2
Dinosaurs, Fossils & Miners, Oh My!
Grade Levels: PreK-2
Unavailable November-March
Junior Paleontologist Program
Grade Levels: K-3
Bus Tour: Dinosaur Freeways / Cretaceous Seaways
Grade Levels: 3-12
Adult Programs Available
Walking/Hiking Tour: Fossil Traces in Swampy Places
Grade Levels: 3-12
Adult Programs Available
Walking Tour: Dinosaur Freeways/ Cretaceous Seaways
Grade Levels: 5-12
Adult Programs Available
Add-on Activities
Register for any of these add-on student activities to compliment your scheduled program. Your group is sure to enjoy discovering minerals while Sluice Mining, reinforce their learning with our Jr. Paleontologist Workbooks, or continue the fun back home or in the classroom with our Fossil Dig Blocks. (These activities can be selected when registering for any program above)
Jr. Paleontologist Workbooks
Grades 2-4
$3 per student
This booklet is geared towards grades 2-4, but can be adapted for younger or older students. The workbook encourages individual learning and review through activities such as a scavenger hunt for the fossils visited on the tour (in-person or virtual), matching pictures to words, word searches etc, and provides sections to write and draw what students see during the program. There are also post activities that can be completed in the classroom or on the bus ride back from the field trip. See sample pages here.
Sluice Mining
Pre-K to Grade 5
$2 per student
Sluice mining is a great hands-on activity that can be done before or after the tour, depending on the start time. Sluice mining has been a staple of river mining in Colorado since the Gold Rush in the 1860’s. With a recreated sluice system, students can get a small bag of rough (sand) to clean, discovering a few mineral pieces to take home. Sluice mining is the shortest of the add-on activities, and is on on-site but is weather-dependent. It will take around 30-45 minutes to sluice with 100 students.
Fossil Dig Blocks
K to Grade 5
$36 per dozen
A fossil dig block is a palm-sized piece of dried, plaster-like clay with one small real marine fossil inside. The kit comes with 12 fossil blocks, fossil fact cards and brush/chisel tools for each student to excavate their fossils. This is a 30-60 min activity to take home or back to the classroom.
360° Virtual Tour
Grade 6-12
$10 per classroom*
This 360° Virtual Tour allows self-directed students to explore Dinosaur Ridge from their own computer or tablet: explore and zoom in on specific sites, rocks, fossils, and learn through video and audio clips, maps etc. This is an in-depth resource for older students to use as a pre or post-visit activity. For more directed learning, teachers can create an assignment with specific questions or a scavenger hunt related to their learning unit to guide their virtual exploration. For a preview of this virtual experience, click HERE.
*No charge for schools with 50% FRL
Self-Guided Groups
Groups of 15 or more individuals (including adults and children) on a self-guided of Dinosaur Ridge must complete our Self-Guided Tour Request Form at least two weeks in advance of your preferred arrival date in order to firm up the logistics of your trip.
Depending on the size of your group, other aspects of your plans, and other groups that are already scheduled on your preferred date, larger groups groups of 60 or more may either require a permit from Jefferson County, or we may ask you to split up your group or come at a different time.
Thank you for your cooperation. Our Scheduler can be reached at tours@dinoridge.org