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Fossil Camp!

Posted by on September 12, 2016
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Want to spend a day, a weekend, or a week immersed in fossil hunting the most fossiliferous county in Minnesota and enjoy the amenities that Bluff Country has to offer?

whispering-winds-black-eyed-susans

Half-Day Fossil Hunt – $40 per person

A morning or afternoon fossil hunt that starts with a tour of the fossil gardens at Whispering Winds to familiarize your eye with the fossils you will be hunting.

Trilobite ID display.

Trilobite ID display.

Minnesota Geodes

Minnesota Geodes

 

Gastropod walk and many more fossil gardens.

Gastropod walk and many more fossil gardens.

The fossil barn is the place to go to practice your prepping skills and see examples of how you can display your finds and ways to incorporate fossils into your crafts.

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fossil-barn-front-aquarium

Then off on a personalized hunt targeting the fossils you hope to collect.

A Full Day of Hunting and Prepping – $70 per person

Go on a coordinated hunt in the morning, break for lunch, then choose from one of two maps to go hunting on your own.

sloans book cover

After the hunt, come back to Whispering Winds and spend some time prepping your fossils in the fossil barn.

Fossil Prep Area

Fossil Prep Area

Weekend Hunt –

Create your own personalized fossil hunt!

Camping $25 per night per tent.

Camping $25 per night per tent.

Camp at Whispering Winds by the stocked trout steam (must have a Minnesota Fishing License with Trout Stamp to fish) and enjoy a campfire with wood provided. Forgot something?

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No worries, if I don’t have it on premises all of Spring Valley’s stores are within a mile’s drive. Only $25 a night per tent and with the private camping everything you bring is safe as you go out and enjoy Bluff Country!

Buy a fossil hunting map – $5 – and go out hunting on your own! A formal tour of the fossil gardens and fossil barn is $10 per person or just wander the grounds on your own.

Bring your fossils back and I will identify them for you. For $10 an hour per person you can use the fossil barn with the prep tools, yes I will teach you how to safely use them, and prep your own fossils. There are even tools and supplies (extra) to make your fossils into jewelry!

make your own jewelry

Other Amenities

Often families have fossil hunters and non-fossil hunters.  🙂  Whispering Winds is located next to the Spring Valley Park which has an 8 miles RT bike trail and playground. And of course there are hundreds of miles of bike trails in Bluff Country!

Spring Valley bike trail

Spring Valley bike trail

There is lots to do in Bluff Country besides fossil hunting, check out this post: http://www.bluffcountryfossils.net/blog/bluff-country-an-outdoor-paradise-lots-of-links/

Whispering Winds is a hobby farm, so there are flower and food gardens (I’m a Fillmore County Master Gardener with a passion for permaculture),

bev-in-garden

free range pet hens,

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white doves traversing blue skies and available for celebratory white dove releases, a horse, donkey and pony.

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Pony/donkey rides and “My Little Pony” decorating are options.

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There is a “playground tree” with swings and a tree fort,

playground-tree

tire swing,

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fishing,

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a swing by the creek,

swing-by-creek

a pergola by the koi ponds and grill area,

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and a hammock to relax in and just unwind.

hammock-by-creek

And of course there are parties optional.  🙂

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Don’t want to camp? I rent my upstairs out at $60 a night. The queen size memory foam bed is comfy and children can bunk in the front room with the TV. And you have cooking privileges in the kitchen, or at the grill, so you can bring your own food.

Contact Beverly at bcfossillady@gmail.com or call 507-922-0083 this is a landline to leave your message slowly and clearly and your number twice.

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