Explore: Gray Fossil Site and Museum

Get transported back in time to the late Miocene period, millions of years before humans, at the Gray Fossil Site and Museum near Johnson City, Tenn. An ultramodern scientific center with life-sized skeletal re-creations sits next to a five-acre fossil deposit where paleontologists continue to excavate today. See the fossilized remains of saber-toothed cats, shovel-tusked elephants, short-faced bears and a host of other extinct species. Visitors are encouraged to roll up their sleeves and dig for fossils, examine ancient bones, explore historic forests and experience scientific discovery first-hand. Guided tours for large groups are offered every hour; group-tour admission includes the paleontology lab, collection space, overlook and dig-site activities. grayfossilmuseum.com