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

Dates and Times

April 1, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 2, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 3, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 4, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 6, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 7, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 8, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 9, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 10, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 11, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 13, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 14, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 15, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 16, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 17, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 18, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 20, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 21, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 22, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 23, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 24, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 25, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 27, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 28, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 29, 2026

11:00a.m.

April 30, 2026

11:00a.m.