It seems every few months there is someone who finds a rare fossil and it makes headlines. I have found a few fossils myself along with geodes and other interesting geological finds. I haven't found any dinosaurs though, and nothing larger than a Cambrian or Ordovician trilobite, but it was still exciting to find them.
I remember going on a hiking trip with a university class where we went out to the site of an event that occurred in the Western Interior Seaway which existed approximately from the early Cretaceous period around 110 million years ago and persisted until the late Cretaceous, about 66 million years ago. At that time much of Alberta was either submerged or part of a coastal plain for this vast body of water that split the continent of North America into two landmasses, Laramidia to the west and Appalachia to the east.
Now of course the area is high plains just east of the Rocky Mountains so it was interesting to find a linear deposit of mussels and other bivalves forming along an eroding cliff face. The most common theory was that a seismic event caused a tsunami and pushed a deposit of these up a hillside near the sea where they were slowly buried and later exposed by erosion so that they were once again visible. Supporting evidence was a lack of any other marine fossils beneath or above the deposit so they were not part of the coastline and had been transported a fair distance upwards.
Of course as a kid I'd always dreamed about finding a dinosaur bone, and I know I'd probably still be excited to do so as would my daughter. With this in mind I wanted to look up places famous for their fossil deposits and create a list for this post for any of those who are like minded in fossil hunting dreams. Bear in mind to follow any regulations for what to do with what you may find. Many of these sites are in national parks or preserved areas so you won't likely get to keep anything you find. Can't hurt to ask though!
Time Period: Jurassic (201.3 to 145 million years ago)
Fossils Found: The Jurassic Coast is famous for its wealth of marine fossils including ammonites, belemnites, and the fossils of marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. The coast offers accessible cliffs and beaches where fossils can still be found today, making it a popular destination for both amateur and professional paleontologists.
Accessibility: The area is open to the public with numerous guided fossil walks and educational programs available. It is not an acceptable practice to dig into the cliff areas as it might not be particularly stable. Stick to the beaches and look for recent rockfalls that may have carried fossils down to the beach. You can keep what you find for the most part.
Interesting Notes: This coastline stretches over 95 miles and was England’s first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its layers of sedimentary rock tell millions of years of Earth's history. IT has been in the news of late due to two striking finds of a massive (up to 82 feet) ichthyosaur in 2020 and most recently a nearly complete pliosaur in December 2023.
Places to Visit While There: Charmouth Beach, Lyme Regis, Chapman's Pool, Lulworth Cove.
There are also dozens of places to shop for fossils and get tips for where to find them along the coastline.
Time Period: Late Jurassic (156.3 to 145 million years ago)
Fossils Found: This region is a prolific source of dinosaur fossils, including those of Allosaurus and Stegosaurus. Plant fossils and dinosaur tracks are also commonly found, providing insights into the ecology of the Late Jurassic period.
Accessibility: Access is generally open, with public digs and museum-sponsored excavations available for enthusiasts of all ages.
Interesting Notes: The Morrison Formation is one of the most fertile sources of dinosaur fossils in North America. It covers a huge area across several states, not just Wyoming, but also Colorado and Utah.
Places to Visit While There: Dinosaur National Monument (Colorado and Utah), Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Idaho and Montana), Hell Creek Formation (Montana, The Dakotas and Wyoming)
Time Period: Permian (298.9 to 251.9 million years ago)
Fossils Found: Known for its diverse fossilized organisms, including trilobites, shellfish, and ancient corals, the Valley of Fire provides a snapshot of marine life before the mass extinction at the end of the Permian period. As this is a state park you may not disturb or take any fossils you find.
Accessibility: The park offers trails and guided tours that make these fossil sites accessible to visitors. There is an entrance fee to access the park : $10 for Nevada residents, $15 for out of state.
Interesting Notes: Apart from its fossils, the Valley of Fire is noted for its stunning landscapes of bright red Aztec sandstone outcrops nestled in gray and tan limestone mountains. Hiking in high heat is dangerous even on shorter trails. Staying hydrated and replacing electrolytes is extremely important. Some trails are closed during the months of May - September due to the high occurrences of rescues and in some cases fatalities.
Places to Visit While There: Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, Ice Age Fossils State Park, Cathedral Gorge State Park.
Time Period: Late Cretaceous (79 to 73 million years ago)
Fossils Found: The park is one of the richest dinosaur fossil locales in the world, with well-preserved bones of Ceratopsians, Hadrosaurs, and other fauna like turtles and crocodilians.
Accessibility: The park provides guided tours, including some that allow you to participate in actual digs, making it a fantastic educational destination for families and researchers alike.
Interesting Notes: Beyond its dinosaur fossils, the park is noted for its striking badlands topography and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its rich deposits and spectacular landscapes. Due to this status you will not be permirtted to take anything home with you (unless purchased at the museum store).
Places to Visit While There: Apart from the badlands area and trail system there is The Royal Tyrell Museum which is a must visit for any dinosaur enthusiast. The nearest city center is Calgary which also puts the Burgess shale within range for a two for one trip centered in Calgary or Banff. For other places to visit in the Calgary area take a look at some of the family friendly ideas we covered in our related post.
Time Period: Late Jurassic (150.8 to 145 million years ago)
Fossils Found: This area is famous for the discovery of the Archaeopteryx, one of the earliest known birds. The site also contains well-preserved fossils of pterosaurs and various marine invertebrates in a fine-grained limestone that captures exquisite details of the organisms.
Accessibility: Fossil hunting in this area is regulated, but there are numerous museums and parks where the public can view fossils and learn about the local paleontology.
Interesting Notes: The fine-grained limestone from this region was historically used in lithographic printing during the 1800s. The area continues to be a significant source of lithographic limestone today.
Places to Visit While There: The Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum in Solnhofen, Bergér Museum and Quarry
Time Period: Oligocene to Miocene (33.9 to 5.3 million years ago)
Fossils Found: Riversleigh is renowned for its exceptionally preserved fossils of early mammals, reptiles, and birds that provide crucial insights into the evolution of Australia's unique modern fauna.
Accessibility: The site is part of a national park; it offers guided tours that are educational and suitable for all ages.
Interesting Notes: The Riversleigh area is part of the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Places to Visit While There: The Australian Museum in Sydney, Naracoorte Caves National Park
Time Period: Miocene (23 to 5.3 million years ago)
Fossils Found: This unique site is known for its fossils of rhinos, horses, dogs, deer, birds, and camels that died and were preserved in volcanic ash (think Pompeii). The site offers a rare look at the life and sudden death of these creatures.
Accessibility: The Ashfall Fossil Beds are a state historical park with an enclosed visitor center , a.k.a. the Rhino Barn, that allows one to view the ongoing excavations. Park fees for entry are required at $7 daily for residents of Nebraska and $14 daily for non-residents.
Interesting Notes: The site is very unusual because all of the animals found here died in a single catastrophic event, which preserved an entire ancient ecosystem’s snapshot in incredible detail. Originally determined to be a watering hole, it is thought to have been covered in ash by the volcanic eruptions associated with the Bruneau-Jarbidge volcanic center, located in what is now southwestern Idaho. The eruptions occurred around 12 million years ago.
Places to Visit While There: Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area, Rock Creek Station Historical Site
Time Period: Late Eocene to early Oligocene (37 to 28 million years ago)
Fossils Found: The Fayum Depression has yielded significant fossils of early whales, sea cows, and primates, providing insights into the transition of some mammals back to aquatic lifestyles.
Accessibility: The area is more remote and less tourist-oriented than other sites, but guided tours are available from academic institutions and tour companies specializing in paleontological and archaeological trips.
Interesting Notes: The Fayum Depression was once a lush, tropical area teeming with life, offering an unusual contrast to the more common desert landscape that characterizes much of modern Egypt. In the desert valley of Wadi al-Hitan, some 150 km southwest of Cairo, they unveiled a museum dedicated to fossils that showcases an early form of whales, now extinct and known as the “walking whale.”
Places to Visit While There: Karanis open air museum, Wadi aI-Hitan Fossil & Climate Change Museum
Time Period: Late Cretaceous to early Paleogene (100 to 55 million years ago)
Fossils Found: Famous for the discovery of massive Titanosaurids and other dinosaur species, as well as early mammals. The area sheds light on South America's ancient ecosystems.
Accessibility: Several museums and parks offer tours of the most significant sites, with opportunities for hands-on fossil discovery. That being said, Argentina has some very strict laws regarding fossil hunting and anything related to paleontological research. You are probably best to just stick to the museums or respectable guided tours.
Interesting Notes: Patagonia is not only significant for its paleontological sites but also for its pivotal role in the early days of paleontology. Notably, it was here that the famous paleontologist Florentino Ameghino made groundbreaking discoveries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Places to Visit While There: Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut
Time Period: Mid-Cambrian (approximately 508 million years ago)
Fossils Found: This site is famous for its exceptional preservation of soft-bodied marine animals. Some of the most iconic fossils include the predatory Anomalocaris, the five-eyed Opabinia, and the primitive arthropod Marrella. The Burgess Shale provides a rare and detailed glimpse into early marine ecosystems, showcasing a variety of organisms that highlight the Cambrian Explosion, a period of rapid evolutionary development.
Accessibility:
The Burgess Shale is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site and is is only accessible through guided hikes organized by the Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation, ensuring that visitors are educated on the scientific importance of the finds while promoting conservation of the delicate fossil sites.The site is so significant that public access is highly regulated to prevent damage.
Interesting Notes and Places to Visit While There: Hiking to the Burgess Shale fossil sites in British Columbia, Canada, can be quite challenging due to the steep and rugged terrain. There are two main sites where fossils can be accessed: the Walcott Quarry and the Mount Stephen Trilobite Beds. Here’s what to expect for each:
Walcott Quarry
Difficulty: This hike is considered strenuous. It involves a round-trip distance of about 22 kilometers (approximately 13.7 miles) with an elevation gain of 800 meters (about 2,625 feet). The trail starts at the Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park and typically takes between 10 to 12 hours to complete as a day hike. The path is well-marked but climbs steadily and can be quite brutal for those not used to hiking in mountainous terrain, especially given the altitude and possible unexpected weather changes.
Mount Stephen Trilobite Beds
Difficulty: This is a shorter but very steep hike. The round-trip distance is about 8 kilometers (approximately 5 miles) with an elevation gain of 800 meters (about 2,625 feet). The hike generally takes about 6 to 8 hours to complete. The trail is steep and involves a significant amount of scrambling over rocks, which can be challenging and daunting to those prone to vertigo.
This area has so much else to see as well with several National Parks all around you. Stay in Banff, or head up to Jasper and make a stop at the Columbia Ice fields on the way.
For those adventurous enough consider cycling the Golden Triangle.
Read all about this epic ride in our other post.
Summary
There are so many interesting places that you can see the timeline of the planet through fossil records. Just because you may not be abled to take them home doesn't make finding them, or even just viewing them, worth the journey.
Happy (Paleological) Travels!
Il Digestivo
Planning to venture out and see if you too can find a fossil? There are a few items you might want to make sure you bring along. First and foremost you might be doing a lot of walking during your hunt so you're going to need a good pair of shoes. Happy hunting!
Merrell Men's Moab 3 Hiking Shoe
One of the top rated hiking style shoe available, and if you are doing a lot of walking you do not want to skimp on quality, trust me. Pigskin leather and mesh upper 100% recycled laces and webbing Bellows tongue keeps out debris Protective toe cap 100% recycled mesh lining Kinetic Fit ADVANCED removable contoured insole with reinforced heel cushioning for medium support Molded nylon arch shank Merrell Air Cushion in the heel absorbs shock and adds stability Lightweight EVA foam midsole for stability and comfort Vibram TC5+ rubber sole. Available in over 10 colors, these shoes range in price from 45.00 to 125.00 depending on size and color selected.
Merrell Women's Moab 3 Hiking Shoe
The women's version of the above, these are available in 6 colors, these shoes range in price from 45.00 to 75.00, again depending on size and color selected.
10PCS Geology Rock Pick Hammer Kit
If you do happen to be going somewhere that allows you to dig for and keep your fossils then you're going to want a good kit to get them out intact and cleaned off. This kit has all you'll need. Also good for finding and cracking open geodes. Just make sure you are allowed to do any excavating first!
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Fossil Dig Kit - Excavate 15 Genuine Prehistoric Fossils
Ok, maybe you can't make the trip but want to let the kids have some fun finding their own fossils. This Mega Fossil Dig Kit includes everything you need to keep kids digging and learning for hours, including a dig brick packed with 15 ancient fossils, a chisel, a brush, and a magnifying glass to inspect these amazing specimens!
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Comments