Minnesota Park Requires Fossil Hunt Liability Waiver

Partly for safety reasons, permits are required to hunt for fossils at a St. Paul, Minn., park where a rockslide killed a fourth-grader on a field trip, left one missing and injured two others.

St. Paul requires applicants to sign a waiver releasing the city from any liability for injuries or property damage occurring while fossil hunting at Lilydale Regional Park, a popular destination for school field trips.

The application form specifically states that some conditions and locations at the park are hazardous, and that park users must assume liability for any injuries or claims that might arise from its unsafe conditions.

The permit form says the person signing on behalf of a group certifies that they have made those conditions known to parents and guardians of children on such trips.