Rockhounding in the USA: Trilobites: YOU Dig at U-Dig

It is difficult to describe.
But it is very real.
And it is hard to ignore.

Of course, I am not speaking of love, or of hunger, or even of fame...

I am speaking about the uncontrollable urge to find Trilobites.

I would say that these curious sea critters occupy an easy position in my top three favorite fossil types (perhaps second only to petrified wood). And if Trilobites are your itch, then U-Dig Fossil Quarry in Utah is your new scratch.

Located miles and miles off the paved path, U-Dig is the Mecca for US-based Trilobite enthusiasts. Piles and piles of bluish-gray slate await, like millions of rocky pages in Earth's history book.

For a little more than a crisp $20 bill, grab a bucket, safety goggles, and a rock hammer/chisel and make your way into the quarry.

Nearly every rock will yield some trace of ancient aquatic life, and many slabs will exhibit two, three, or even four different species of Trilobites.

I ventured there in July of 2009 with Chase, my trusty rockhound son-and-sidekick, and we filled out buckets with treasure.

Trilobite treasure.