Mining Sluice & Fossil Find

The mining sluice at the Ark Encounter provides fun for all ages and is located by the Children’s Zoo. Purchase your bag of dirt (see prices below) and head over to the panning sluice to see if your bag contains amber, horn coral, petrified wood, or shark tooth fossils.

Sluice

Biblical Perspective

The history in God’s Word provides a framework for understanding fossils. Not only will your family enjoy revealing and identifying the fossils from your bag of dirt, but you will also learn about the science of paleontology from a biblical perspective.

Interactive Learning

This interactive activity will help teach your children how to think biblically about fossils, and they will learn that science confirms God’s Word from the very beginning. Each child takes home a card that gives a biblical explanation for fossils.

Sluice

Sluice Hours

The sluice’s operation is weather permitting.

Prices

  • Small Gem Bag: $10
  • Small Fossil Bag: $10
  • Large Fossil Bag: $15
  • Motherlode Bag: $30
  • MegaStrike Bag: $55

* All prices include 6% KY sales tax.

Dates and Times

May 29, 2025

11:00a.m.

May 30, 2025

11:00a.m.

May 31, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 1, 2025

01:00p.m.

June 2, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 3, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 4, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 5, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 6, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 7, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 8, 2025

01:00p.m.

June 9, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 10, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 11, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 12, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 13, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 14, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 15, 2025

01:00p.m.

June 16, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 17, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 18, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 19, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 20, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 21, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 22, 2025

01:00p.m.

June 23, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 24, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 25, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 26, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 27, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 28, 2025

11:00a.m.

June 29, 2025

01:00p.m.

June 30, 2025

11:00a.m.