Wyoming State Geological Survey

09/01/2026

Camels in Wyoming? Absolutely.

Long before camels became icons of deserts in Africa and Asia, their ancestors were roaming North America.

The camel family originated in North America roughly 44 million years ago, and camel relatives appear throughout Wyoming’s Cenozoic fossil record. Millions of years later, the large Ice Age camel Camelops still wandered the region alongside horses, mammoths and other Pleistocene mammals.

Fossils of Camelops hesternus have been documented at several locations across Wyoming, including near Laramie, Rawlins, Greybull and Rock Springs.

Eventually, some camel ancestors migrated from North America into Eurasia, where their descendants gave rise to the camels we know today. North America's native camels disappeared near the end of the Ice Age.

So yes: Wyoming really was camel country.

Learn more about Wyoming’s Cenozoic fossil record: https://main.wsgs.wyo.gov/geology-of-wyoming/paleontology/cenozoic

Images: National Park Service

08/28/2026

We’re hiring!

The Wyoming State Geological Survey is seeking a Natural Resources Program Principal to join our team in Laramie.

This position will work on 3D geologic mapping and modeling, subsurface data analysis, geologic resource assessment, project management, oil and natural gas forecasting, and related public outreach.

The position is permanent, full-time, and open until filled.

Learn more and apply:
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/wyoming/jobs/5463903-0/natural-resources-program-principal-2026-02122

08/27/2026

The Wyoming State Geological Survey is at the Rocky Mountain Mining Summit today in Rock Springs!

WSGS staff are joining mining professionals, geologists, researchers, regulators, industry representatives and others from across the region at the 2026 summit, which brings together people working across the mining and minerals sector.

If you’re attending, stop by the WSGS table to meet our staff, learn more about our work, and explore the geologic maps, data, publications and mineral-resource information available from the Survey.

The Rocky Mountain Mining Summit continues through Friday at the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs.

Learn more about the summit: https://rockymountainminingsummit.com/

08/19/2026

Last week the WSGS installed two Raspberry Shake seismographs in Ten Sleep and Thermopolis to improve earthquake monitoring in the southern Bighorn Basin. These seismographs, called Raspberry Shakes, contain a small onboard computer that sends live data to the web, and they have already recorded several regional earthquakes!

Visit the links below to see the ground motion data in real time.

Ten Sleep: https://dataview.raspberryshake.org/ #/AM/RFE97/00/EHZ

Thermopolis: https://dataview.raspberryshake.org/ #/AM/R0D8C/00/EHZ

Deep dive into RS data from your browser, visualize seismograms and spectrograms for all channels/ time; includes filtering and frequency domain analysis.

08/17/2026

The Wyoming State Geological Survey has published a new study of the Tensleep aquifer and equivalent rock units across Wyoming.

*Hydrogeologic Parameters for the Tensleep Aquifer in Wyoming*, by WSGS hydrogeologists Kurt Hinaman and James Stafford, compiles information on porosity, permeability, groundwater recharge, water quality, temperature and other characteristics of the aquifer system.

The report provides a broad look at how hydrogeologic conditions vary across Wyoming and brings together information that can support future research and understanding of this important groundwater resource.

Learn more and access the publication:
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WYSGS/bulletins/42559d1

08/17/2026

Rocks and minerals are the building blocks of Wyoming’s remarkable geology. At the WSGS, studying and mapping them helps us better understand the state’s geologic history, natural resources, and the processes that continue to shape Wyoming today.

08/13/2026

Some of Wyoming’s most remarkable rocks preserve a record of life nearly 2 billion years old.

In a new editorial in Elements, University of Wyoming geologist Carol Frost explores the stromatolites of the Nash Fork Formation in southeastern Wyoming’s Medicine Bow Mountains, and what these ancient structures can tell us about the long relationship between life, geology, and Earth’s changing atmosphere and oceans.

Built through the activity of microbial communities, stromatolites are among the most visible records of early life on Earth. The Nash Fork stromatolites formed along the margin of the ancient Wyoming province during the Paleoproterozoic, when stromatolites were widespread in shallow seas around the world.

These distinctive rocks have also been part of Wyoming geology education for generations. Students visiting the University of Wyoming geology field station have long studied the Nash Fork outcrops, including enormous stromatolite structures with nicknames such as “Big Daddy.”

Frost’s editorial introduces a special issue of Elements examining how stromatolites record the interaction of biological, chemical, and geological processes, and even what they might teach us about recognizing signs of microbial life on other planets.

Read the editorial here:
https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/msa/elements/article/22/4/223/734475/Stromatolites-Captivating-Records-of-Earth-s

08/04/2026

The Wyoming State Geological Survey is seeking applicants for a temporary, part-time geologic data technician position in Laramie. Please share this opportunity with students, recent graduates and others who may be interested.

The selected candidate will work with the WSGS GIS coordinator and staff geologists to digitize legacy geologic maps of the South Pass granite-greenstone belt and convert them into modern GIS databases. Duties will include georeferencing map plates, digitizing geologic features in ArcGIS Pro, entering map information into database tables, and assisting with metadata and Geologic Map Schema compliance.

The position pays $24 per hour and is limited to 500 total hours over a period of up to 12 months. Work hours may be flexible to accommodate a student schedule. Preference will be given to upper-level undergraduate students, graduate students and recent graduates in geology, Earth science, GIS, geography or a closely related field.

The position will remain open until filled. Applications received before Aug. 5, 2026, will receive full consideration.

Full position details and application instructions are available at:

https://main.wsgs.wyo.gov/about/employment/geologic-data-technician-2026-07-16

Thank you for helping us share this opportunity with potential applicants.

PDF - WSGS Geologic Data Technician - 2026-07-16

07/23/2026

The USGS and WSGS are kicking off a collaborative project to produce a bedrock geologic map of the Medicine Bow 30' x 60' quadrangle. Led by the USGS, this project brings together geoscientists with broad and varied expertise to produce the best possible geologic map for the state. Last week, the two groups held a joint field trip that began with a discussion of Wyoming's Cretaceous geology at the Fort Steele rest stop on Interstate 80. The stratigraphy at this location can be viewed on the Fort Steele 7.5' quadrangle here: https://www.wsgs.wyo.gov/pubs-maps/publication-search.aspx?PubID=OFR-2017-5

07/15/2026

Today we remember Sir Sam Neill, who passed away this week at the age of 78. Best known to many as Dr. Alan Grant in *Jurassic Park*, Neill inspired generations to look at dinosaurs not as movie monsters, but as remarkable animals that once ruled our planet.

While he wasn't a paleontologist himself, his thoughtful portrayal of Grant helped spark a lifelong interest in fossils, prehistoric life, and Earth science for countless children and adults alike. For many future geologists and paleontologists, that first spark began with a trip to Jurassic Park.

Thank you, Sir Sam, for reminding us that the greatest adventures often begin with curiosity. Rest in peace.