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

May 6, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 7, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 8, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 9, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 11, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 12, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 13, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 14, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 15, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 16, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 18, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 19, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 20, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 21, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 22, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 23, 2026

11:00a.m.

May 24, 2026

03:00p.m.

May 25, 2026

10:00a.m.

May 26, 2026

10:00a.m.

May 27, 2026

10:00a.m.

May 28, 2026

10:00a.m.

May 29, 2026

10:00a.m.

May 30, 2026

10:00a.m.

May 31, 2026

03:00p.m.