Dinosaur fossils in South Dakota
The Paleobiology Database records 167 non-avian dinosaur finds in South Dakota, from 36 genera. The oldest is Camptosaurus from the Kimmeridgian age, about 154.8 million years old. The youngest is Edmontosaurus annectens from the Late Maastrichtian age, as young as about 66 million years. Ages are the range the database gives for the rocks, so a find can be tens of millions of years across.
- 167finds
- 36genera
- 154.8oldest, million years ago
- 66youngest, million years ago
It ranks 9th of 36 US states on the map by number of finds, with 3% of the finds in the United States. The most recorded dinosaurs are Triceratops (20), Tyrannosaurus (11) and Edmontosaurus (8). The rock formation with the most finds is called Hell Creek, with 102.
Which dinosaurs were found in South Dakota?
The genera with the most finds here:
| Dinosaur | Finds |
|---|---|
| Triceratops | 20 |
| Tyrannosaurus | 11 |
| Edmontosaurus | 8 |
| Thescelosaurus | 7 |
| Pachycephalosaurus | 5 |
| Camarasaurus | 4 |
| Paronychodon | 4 |
| Allosaurus | 3 |
| Anzu | 3 |
| Ornithomimus | 3 |
Rock formations with dinosaur finds in South Dakota
| Formation | Finds |
|---|---|
| Hell Creek | 102 |
| Lance | 26 |
| Morrison | 19 |
| Lakota | 10 |
| Fox Hills | 7 |
| Judith River | 1 |
| Pierre Shale | 1 |
Other US states to explore
- Wyoming (1,040)
- Montana (985)
- New Mexico (832)
- Utah (602)
- Colorado (484)
- Texas (448)
- North Dakota (237)
- Arizona (167)
- New Jersey (70)
- Oklahoma (62)
See the sea floor where marine reptiles swam: oceanfloormap.com →
Before you go fossil hunting. A dot shows where a find was recorded, not where you may dig. Many fossil sites are on private or protected land and collecting rules differ by country. Check the rules before collecting and never dig on protected sites.