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Fossil Collecting & Artifact Hunting in Alaska
Ivory birds game pieces excavated from Castle Hill Extinct clams from Fossil Point in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Fossilized fern from Denali National Park contrasted with a living fern image fossils from the Conodont and Radiolarian Data from the De Long Mountains Quadrangle and Adjacent Areas, Northern Alaska Japanese coins from the Edo period excavated by Castle Hill Archaeology Project


What are fossils?

Fossils are any life forms or indications of life naturally preserved from previous geological ages. They may include plant or animal fossils. Animal fossils may be either invertebrate or vertebrate. Invertebrate are animals without skeletal structures, such as insects, crabs, clams, and snails. Vertebrates have a skeletal structure like dinosaurs, mammals, sharks, or fish. Collecting burrows, bones, teeth, tusks, footprints, and other traces of activity from vertebrates is illegal.

What are artifacts?

Artifacts are items left from human civilizations of the past. They include arrowheads, pottery, pot shards, old bottles, pieces of equipment, and buildings. These items are part of our national heritage and researchers are still learning much from them.

Six inch wide, three-toed dinosaur track fossilized in mud.
Three-toed dinosaur track found in Denali in 2005


Where can I collect fossils or artifacts in Alaska?

Bureau of Land Management lands - contact the site management for what is permitted

National Parks - it is illegal to collect artifacts or fossils without a permit

National Wildlife Refuges - it is illegal to collect artifacts or fossils without a permit

Private Property - if the property owner gives permission

State Parks - it is illegal to collect artifacts or fossils without a permit


How do I get a permit?


For BLM or state lands, contact the site management for specific requirements.

What can I do to help?

Always leave vertebrate fossils and artifacts in place. If possible, get photographs and approximate GPS coordinates of the location. Then report your discoveries to the rangers or the federal or state agency that manages the area where you made your find.


When hiking, stay on trails. Fossils are fragile and can break if stepped on. If you see someone removing artifacts, or know of removed artifacts or vertebrate fossils, tell the rangers or the Alaska State Troopers. You may also contact the following offices:

State of Alaska Office of History & Archaeology
3601 C St., Suite 1278
Anchorage, AK 99503-5921 (907) 269-8721

Bureau of Land Management Alaska State Office
222 West 7th Ave., #13
Anchorage, AK 99513-7599
(907) 271-5960


Celebrate National Fossil Day with the Alaska Public Lands Information Center

Uncovering History: Archeology Field School in Talkeetna, Alaska

