A ranger sits with two visitors on a hillside. The visitors are practicing Leave No Trace principles by using binoculars to look for wildlife from a safe distance.
NPS photo/Staff
"I think I found a fossil or artifact... what do I do?"
Leave the find.
Observe, but do not move, touch, or take it! Our scientists are in charge of preserving and extracting it correctly, if needed.
Note the location.
You can take the GPS corrdinates and/or note nearby geographic reference points.
Take photos.
If you have phone or camera, take photos of the object and the surrounding area.
Tell our Rangers.
Bring the location information and photos to the Visitor Center front desk and describe your observations.
Leave No Trace and help us preserve our geoheritage.
Leave No Trace is a national program which promotes the protection of our nation's wildlands through education, research, and partnerships. Leave No Trace teaches minimum impact hiking and camping skills.
The following seven principles can be applied to any natural setting to minimize human impacts on the environment.
