About Us

We are a family ranching operation in beautiful, harsh, eastern Montana.  Our grandson, McKabe, is the sixth generation Phipps' in Garfield County. We raise hormone free cattle and sheep on our hard prairie grasses. We also raise, train and ride our own cow savvy, athletic and cow minded Quarter Horses.

Jason's brother, Clayton Phipps, got us started on our journey digging fossils from the Hell Creek Formation that travels through our ranch. Our rich channels have all of the dinosaur and mammal fossils known throughout the Hell Creek Formation. ​    

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We have a selection of fossils available for purchase at all times.

About The Digs

We offer both full-day, and half-day guided excursions. All Digs are by reservation only.
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Pricing for the Digs:
Full-Day Dig - $150 per person
Half-Day-Dig - $100 per person
Group rates are available.
​Children 10 and under are free with a paying adult. While young children are welcome, we ask that you check with us first if you plan to bring children under the age of six. Weather, harsh terrain and the nature of the dig can be difficult for younger children. The parent or guardian is solely responsible for their child/children at all times.

All participants are required to sign a waiver.
​​ Click here to download the waiver which you can fill out, and bring with you to your Dig.​

What to Expect

Digging for fossils is hard work, and while there are no guarantees, with patience, care, and a little luck, odds are good you will dig up something amazing! Some of what you find you can take home, but what you keep will be up to our sole discretion.

Our experienced guides will show you what to look for, and how to excavate any fossils you may find. We will supply all the tools needed for digging and collecting, and you should bring the following personal items:​

• ​Sturdy shoes, no sandals
• 1 gallon of water per person
• Bag lunch
• Hat and sunscreen
• Backpack, day-pack or bag
• Camera - recommended  
• Long pants - recommended
• Knee pads - recommended
• Container for fossils (we recommend a flat tackle box)

One of America's greatest fossil specimens ever unearthed, the Montana Dueling Dinosaurs, was discovered in 2006 by Clayton Phipps, also known as The Dinosaur Cowboy, right here in Garfield County.

Learn More

 

Book Your Dino Dig

To book a dig, or for more information, please fill out the contact form below, or call us at (406) 557-2363

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My husband and I took our special needs grandson and my 80+ year old mother to the Phipps’s to dig for dinosaur relics.  Everyone had a great experience from the digging and finding bones and teeth to seeing some really big bones already encased in plaster.  The Phipps’s were extremely accommodating and I would recommend this excursion for kids of all ages. —Mickey M., Lewistown, MT