FUELLED by FOSSILS
There is plenty for dinosaur enthusiasts to see and do at these Canadian sites and museums
On the surface, the River of Death near Wembley, Alta., doesn't look all that deadly. But millions of years ago it was a raging torrent that killed hundreds of dinosaurs. Also known as the Pipestone Creek Bonebed, it is one of the densest mass fossil sites in the world and the place where a new species of horned dinosaur was discovered — Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai. The species was named in honour of a local teacher, Al Lakusta, who discovered the bonebed in 1974. It's as big as a football field and deep below the surface are hundreds of dinosaur bones waiting to be excavated. Besides the new species, they have also found hadrosaurs, tyrannosaurs, plesiosaurs and pterosaurs nearby.
Canada is home to some of the best fossil sites on the planet. Dinosaur bones and fossils have been discovered right across the country and there are many remarkable museums, sites and experiences that are fascinating to explore. Following are some of the best places in Canada to step back in time and experience the age of dinosaurs and fossils.
BURGESS SHALE YOHO NATIONAL PARK, B.C.
Discovered in 1909, the Burgess Shale fossils in Yoho National Park are some of the oldest and most complex fossils in the world. They date to the Middle Cambrian period, about 508 million years ago and reveal a lot about early multicellular life on Earth. If you want to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you must book a guided hike to the Walcott Quarry or Mount Stephen Trilobite beds or visit the virtual museum.
PIPESTONE CREEK BONEBED/ PHILIP J. CURRIE DINOSAUR MUSEUM
WEMBLEY, ALTA.
The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur
Museum is 23 km east of Grande Prairie, and the Pipestone Creek Bonebed is another 16 km south of the museum. The museum contains displays about dinosaurs found in the area. Visitors can tour the bonebed and the fossil prep lab to watch researchers at work. On select Saturdays, the museum is holding Paleopalooza events with special activities, talks and demonstrations.
ROYAL TYRRELL MUSEUM
DRUMHELLER, ALTA.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum contains one of the world's largest displays of dinosaurs, along with extensive exhibits on many other prehistoric life forms. Give yourself at least two hours to explore the museum. A variety of programs including guided hikes, dinosaur day digs and fossil casting can be booked in advance, and there are videos and other resources if you want to virtually tour the museum. Nearby, you can walk the badlands interpretive trail, visit the hoodoos and see the world's largest dinosaur.
DINOSAUR PROVINCIAL PARK
BROOKS, ALTA.
More than 150 full dinosaur skeletons have been unearthed and more than 50 new species have been discovered in the badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park. This unique provincial park and UNESCO World Heritage Site contains the world's most complete record of the late Cretaceous period. Guided tours take you into the bonebeds where you can find dinosaur fossils that have not yet been excavated. There's a campground, trails and a visitor centre.
CANADIAN FOSSIL DISCOVERY CENTRE
MORDEN, MAN.
About 126 km southwest of Winnipeg, this museum is home to the largest collection of marine reptile fossils in Canada. Approximately 80 million years ago in the late Cretaceous period, Manitoba was covered by the Western Interior Seaway. The highlight of the museum is a 13-metre Tylosaurus pembinensis nicknamed Bruce. The specimen holds the Guinness World Record as the largest publicly displayed mosasaur.
PARC NATIONAL DE MIGUASHA
NOUVELLE, QUE.
On Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula, this small national park contains the world's most outstanding illustration of the Devonian period, or the “Age of Fishes.” The park's fossil-rich cliff is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains five of the six fish fossil groups from this period dating to 370 million years ago. You can take guided tours to the cliff and explore the fascinating on-site museum. The museum contains the only fully intact specimen of Elpistostege watsoni ever found in the world. It could be the closest relative to tetrapods, vertebrates with legs, and is a key piece of the evolutionary biology puzzle.
FUNDY GEOLOGICAL MUSEUM PARRSBORO, N.S.
The Parrsboro Shore is home to the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark, an aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark that spans 165 kilometres in the Bay of Fundy. The world's highest tides have unearthed internationally significant fossil finds, from Jurassic dinosaurs to ancient footprints. The
Fundy Geological Museum contains fossil displays and information about the Triassic and Jurassic fossils found here. You can watch researchers at work in the fossil lab or join an outdoor guided tour.
JOGGINS FOSSIL CLIFFS
JOGGINS, N.S.
This 15-kilometre section of coastline in Cumberland County was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for containing the world's most complete record of terrestrial life in the Pennsylvanian “Coal Age,” about 310 million years ago. You can take a guided hike along the cliffs or visit the Joggins Fossil Centre Museum. The most important discovery at this site was Hylonomus lyelli, the earliest known sauropsid (reptile) in the history of the Earth.
MISTAKEN POINT ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
AVALON PENINSULA, N.L.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site on the tip of the Avalon Peninsula is home to the oldest fossils of complex multicellular life found on Earth. The fossils here date back 565 million years. A guided hiking tour is the only way to see the fossils at Mistaken Point. You can learn more about the fossils and see displays at the Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre.
TIP FOR VISITING CANADA'S FOSSIL MUSEUMS AND SITES
Some sites require you to purchase entrance tickets in advance. If you want to participate in a guided tour, a day dig or another program, book well in advance.