A premium fossil discovery experience in Bakersfield.

• Wear clothing that can get wet and dirty. Our state of the art fossil discovery system uses water as the main ingredient

• Bring a change of clothing and towels for the trip home

• Plenty of food and water

• Proper clothing to protect you from the elements (hats, sun shirts, etc)

• Sunscreen is highly recommended

• Sturdy shoes (NO open toe shoes or sandals)

• Work or gardening gloves

• Storage containers or empty boxes for your fossils

The fossils at the Okihi Fossil Field Station come from the Round Mountain Silt, a marine deposit formed when this area was covered by the ancient Temblor Sea approximately 15–16 million years ago. Most finds are marine fossils, with shark teeth being the most common, along with ray dental plates, fish vertebrae, and small bone fragments. Guests may also discover shell material from clams and other marine invertebrates, as well as occasional pieces of whale, dolphin, or other marine mammal bone. While larger or rare fossils are possible, most discoveries are smaller specimens that require careful observation and a bit of patience—making each find a meaningful part of the story of California’s ancient ocean.

The Okihi Fossil Field Station is designed as a small-group, guided experience rather than a large, self-serve dig site. Each visit is intentionally limited in size to create a calm, uncrowded environment where guests can fully engage in the discovery process. Your experience includes access to curated fossil-bearing material, a structured washing and screening process, and hands-on guidance to help you identify what you find. In addition, every visit directly supports Okihi’s mission of river restoration and outdoor education, helping create meaningful experiences for local youth. The result is a more personal, educational, and impactful experience than a typical fossil dig.

Kids under 6 are considered non-participants and are not charged. They are welcome as long as you provide proper supervision.

Children 6-12 will have limited ability to utilize the provided equipment and are charged a reduced fee. These are our junior paleontologists and they will need help from the adults in the group to maximize their experience.

If you are 13 or older, you will be well equipped for success and you will find a lot of fossils if you utilize our proven system. You will be charged at the adult rate even though your not quite ready to vote.

Bookings can be moved to another day at no charge or canceled up to 48 hours of the date at no charge. Canceling within 48 hours of your booked date will incur a 25% fee and no shows will not receive a refund. If the cancelation is for reasons outside of the customers control such as the weather a full refund will be provided.

Yes, you get to keep all of the fossils that you find including teeth from sharks, stingray, sea lion, dolphin, and whale, etc.

Occasionally scientifically valuable specimens are found. We reserve the right to withhold these finds for donation to institutions that can do the proper research.

Our system for fossil discovery is very advanced. It involves water hydraulics and several layers of screens to sort your material. This will allow you to find many fossils of varying size in a short amount of time.

Many guests go home with 50+ fossils.

Bring a safe container for transportation home.

Yes—reservations are required. Each fossil station is limited to a small number of guests, and many sessions book out in advance. We do not offer walk-in availability, so we strongly recommend reserving your spot ahead of time to ensure your preferred date and experience.

• Material loaded with fossils

• Shovels and tools to help transport the material

• Custom designed multi level screen system for each station

• One water hose system for each station for washing the fossil bearing material

• Instructions on how to find the fossils

• Assistance in finding and identifying fossils

• Clean toilet facilities

• Shade & Sitting Area

• You will have good cell service on the property

• We provide containers to help you keep your finds sorted and safe while on site. You will need to transfer your finds to your personal containers before you leave

Yes! We do offer RV’s, a Glamping experience, and regular tent camping on site. You will need to reserve a space before you arrive as space is limited. Clink the link to learn more and make a reservation. We do not currently offer hook ups but we do have space for you to park an RV.

https://whitewolfwellness.org/reserve