Finding Fossils - Quest 4

Which location felt unnatural, like a “zoo”?

Olander Fossil Park (OH)

Olander Fossil Park (OH) Parking and Vehicle Safety

massive lot, lots of people at this site (could increase risk)

Olander Fossil Park (OH) bathrooms

nice bathrooms w/ running water (might be potable water)

Olander Fossil Park (OH) rules

• no metal tools allowed

• must stay in fenced area

• you can keep fossils

• no pets allowed

Olander Fossil Park (OH) search strategies

visual search and rock smashing

Olander Fossil Park (OH) hazards

• poison ivy and stringing insects

• sharp objects

• eye hazard

• impact from rocks

• sun burn

Olander Fossil Park (OH) geology

middle Devonian, silica formation (silica shale)

Fossils at Olander Fossil Park (OH)

• brachiopods

• trilobites

• coral

• crinoids

Which site requires you to obtain a permit at visitor center?

Caesar Creek State Park (OH)

Caesar Creek State Park (OH) parking

pretty decent lot

Caesar Creek State Park (OH) bathroom

no facility on site, possibly at visitor center and other locations

Caesar Creek State Park (OH) rules

MUST get a permit from the visitor center

• Not for commercial use.

• No tools allowed.

• No hitting rocks against other rocks.

• Can only collect in spillway, & specimens/rocks not bigger than palm of hand.

• Park in lot at spillway.

• Stay in front of the no climbing signs. Do not climb walls or the debris below.

Caesar Creek State Park (OH) hours

M-F, 8am-4pm

weekend, 8:30am-5pm

Caesar Creek State Park (OH) search strategies

visual search ONLY

Caesar Creek State Park (OH) hazards

not many hazards

• stinging insects/poison ivy

• sunburn

Caesar Creek State Park (OH) geology

upper Ordovician

formations

• Waynesville

• liberty

• white water

Caesar Creek State Park (OH) fossils at site

• bivalves

• crinoids

• worm tunnels

• horn coral

• brachiopods

Trammel fossil park (OH) parking

nice lot, safety is probably fine

Trammel fossil park (OH) bathroom

porta potty and hand washing station

Trammel fossil park (OH) rules

• Should be open dawn - dusk, 7 days a week.

• Free

• Metal tools can be used.

• Hand tools only.

• Don’t dig into slope & make holes.

• You can keep fossils

Trammel fossil park (OH) search strategies

visual and rock smashing

Trammel fossil park (OH) hazards

• poison ivy/TICKS/insects

• sharp objects

• eye hazard

• impact from metal tools

• sun burn

• incline/loose grounds

Trammel fossil park (OH) geology

ordovician periods

oldest-youngest formations:

• fairview

• miamitown shale

• bellevue

• corryville

Trammel fossil park (OH) fossils

• bryozoans

• brachipods

• crinoids

• gastropods

• trilobites

For the Ohio sites, did all three sites have port a potties?

NO

Did any of the ohio sites have a fee?

NO

Falls of Ohio State Park (IN) parking

nice big paved lot w/ bit of shade

Falls of Ohio State Park (IN) bathrooms

should be bathrooms and water fountains inside main building

Falls of Ohio State Park (IN) rules

park itself:

• open all year

• 7 days a week

• 7am-11pm

Interpretive center:

• open 9am-5pm mon-sat

• 1-5pm on sun

fee:

• 12 and older = 9 dollars

• parking = 2 dollars

you can keep fossils and metal tools are allowed

Falls of Ohio State Park (IN) search strategies

visual, digging, and rock smashing

Falls of Ohio State Park (IN) hazards

• poison ivy/TICKS/insects

• sharp objects

• eye hazard

• impact from metal tools

• sun burn

• incline/loose grounds

Falls of Ohio State Park (IN) geology

Ordovician period

• Waldron shale formation

• can find pyrite and calcite (white crystals in fossils)

Mid-Devonian period

• Jeffersonville limestone

• has pile of red clay subsoil

• fossils are often replaced by quartz

Falls of Ohio State Park (IN) fossils

• SNAIL

• bivalves

• cephalopods

• brachiopods

• crinoids

• trilobites

• corals

• bryozoans

What was a hazard at all three OHIO sites other than flora/fauna?

sunburn

Which site were you allowed to use metal tools?

Trammel Fossil Park

Ladonia Fossil Park (TX) location

temporary location is closed for safety reasons, Upper Trinity is working to build a new park in a permanent location (downstream of the Leon Hurse Dam)

Ladonia Fossil Park (TX) parking

large gravel lot

Ladonia Fossil Park (TX) bathroom

no bathrooms or other facilities

Ladonia Fossil Park (TX) rules

• open year-round dawn to dusk

• no fee

• can keep fossils UNLESS interesting for research

• remove all trash

• can have dog but clean up after them

Ladonia Fossil Park (TX) search strategies

visual search and sifting

Ladonia Fossil Park (TX) hazards

• uneven and slippery ground

• poison ivy, snakes, ticks, insects

• sun burn

• turbulent water is an issue

Ladonia Fossil Park (TX) geology

upper cretaceous

• ozan formation

• Navarro formation and Taylor marl

• can also find Pleistocene fossils

Ladonia Fossil Park (TX) fossils

• mammal teeth (Pleistocene)

• shark teeth

• ammonites

• mosasaur bones

• baculites

Which site had a parking fee?

Falls of ohio state park (IN)

What were the two time periods the respective piles at falls of Ohio state park were associated with?

Ordovician and Devonian

There was a particular fossils that Shaak emphasized from the Waldron shale at Falls of Ohio state park…what was it?

snails

W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park (MS) parking

looks like a dirt/gravel loop

W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park (MS) bathroom

no bathroom of other facilities ; there are picnic tables

W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park (MS) rules

no clear rules

• no specific hours

• seems open to public w/ no fee

• sifters and shovels seem fine

• can keep fossils

• dogs are allowed

W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park (MS) search strategies

visual search and sifting

W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park (MS) hazards

• uneven and slippery ground (roots, loose rock, wet mud and stones)

• poison ivy, snakes, ticks, insects

• sunburn

• faster flowing/deeper water

W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park (MS) geology

cretaceous period

• Demopolis formation just above coffee sand formation

  • you will find rounded masses called concretions from the coffee sand formation in the creek

W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park (MS) fossils

• shark teeth

• sponge

• bivalves

• polychaetae

• mosasaurs

Where does MS state have trips?

W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park (MS)

Clarkia Fossil Bowl (ID) parking

not clear where parking is, possible spots but not confirmed

Clarkia Fossil Bowl (ID) bathrooms

sounds like there are bathrooms there for the racetrack that can be used

Which fossil site also has a race track?

Clarkia Fossil Bowl (ID)

Clarkia Fossil Bowl (ID) rules

• there do not seem to be many rules

  • COSTS 10 DOLLARS PER DAY

• seems open all year, 24-7

  • saw 7am-8pm somewhere else so use caution

• seems like you can keep fossils

• did not see tool restrictions

• might be able to camp

Clarkia Fossil Bowl (ID) search strategies

visual search and rock smashing

Clarkia Fossil Bowl (ID) hazards

• poison ivy, snakes, ticks, stinging insects

• sharp objects

• eye hazard

• impact from metal tools

• loose rock falling from above

• sunburn

• incline and loose ground

Clarkia Fossil Bowl (ID) geology

Miocene epoch

• Latah formation

Clarkia Fossil Bowl (ID) fossils

• leaves/flora

• fish

• mammals

Is Ladonia fossil park currently open?

NO

Is there a fee associated with Ladonia fossil park?

NO

Would the same basic strategies you would use at big brook work well at ladonia fossil park?

YES

What are the main time periods you can find fossils from at Ladonia?

Cretaceous and Pleistocene

Stone rose interpretive center and Eocene fossil site (WA) parking

not sure about parking, seems limited ; grocery store nearby (could park there)

What is a nickname for Stone rose interpretive center and Eocene fossil site (WA)

“boot hill”

Stone rose interpretive center and Eocene fossil site (WA) bathrooms

porta potty and might be bathroom w/ running water at center

Stone rose interpretive center and Eocene fossil site (WA) rules

• MUST purchase a “site admissions ticket” at the interpretive center

  • adults: 18

  • college students: 12

• 5/1 - 9/1 (?) open daily 8am-4pm

• will receive info about how and where to find fossils by staff

• must present fossils to staff for identification

  • allowed to keep THREE

• do not go in prohibited areas

• dogs allowed on <6’ leash

Stone rose interpretive center and Eocene fossil site (WA) search strategies

visual search and rock smashing

Stone rose interpretive center and Eocene fossil site (WA) hazards

• poison ivy, snakes, ticks, insects

• sharp objects

• eye hazard

• impact from metal tools

• sun burn

• incline and loose ground

Stone rose interpretive center and Eocene fossil site (WA) geology

Eocene epoch

• klondike Mt. formation

  • lower part of tom thumb tuff member

  • lacustrine sediments are source of fossil beds

Stone rose interpretive center and Eocene fossil site (WA) fossils

• ROSES

• flora

• insects

• leaves

Bad Lands of Wyoming - When a large fossil is exposed, what procedures are taken?

Cyanoacrylate (super glue/acrylic) and plaster are added to the fossil. Once more of it is exposed tunnels are dug underneath along with support beams to ensure safe departure.

National Geographic - What dinosaur was found at the patagonia site?

majority of a titanosaur skeleton (more specifically a dreadnaughtus)

National Geographic - What dinosaur was found at the alberta site?

nodosaur, armoured/tank like dino

National Geographic - What color did they think the nodosaur was?

red/brown

National Geographic - What kind of dinosaur did they find at the Utah site?

tyrannosaurus, at least 50 bones

National Geographic - What did the scientists say about the tyrannosaur?

they think the bones were diverse enough to have 5 tyranasaurs; a baby, teens, and an adult