Search the Community

Pennsylvania really has quite a lot to offer, at least from the Paleozoic. Two hours from Berks County puts you in range of a lot of different sites, ranging from the Cambrian to the Pennsylvanian. I haven't been up that way in a while, but going into the Anthracite Region around Mt. Carmel northeastish to Scranton has a lot of fern sites. Considering it's all pretty much sedimentary rock around there any outcrop you come across could have fossils, just make sure to concentrate in the shales as those tend to have the best specimens. PA-54 has some cuts north of Ashland that are probably worth looking into. Trilobite sites are a little harder to pin down as at most sites they're more of an accessory and not the focus as it were. Years and years ago there was Swatara Gap, but that site has been closed for several years because collectors began to undermine the bridge it was next to. The current Swatara site is dumped material from the Mahantango Formation I believe, and does have some Devonian trilobites, but not nearly as common as the previous Ordovician locality. I think there's also a Beltzmill or Beltzville, and Montour as others have suggested. I've never been but it sounds like you'll probably come away with brachiopods/bryozoans from them at least. Locust Lane is the usual Kinzers Formation site people bring up. I've actually been to Locust Lane and didn't find much of anything. I've seen photos of trilobites people claim are from there, but honestly I am left to doubt how true some of that is. The Kinzers is very hit and miss as most of the famous fossils are extremely localized lagerstatten. There's another site nearby Locust Lane called North George Street I believe, but it's along a very busy road and I'm not quite sure how anyone collected there in the first place (I guess parked somewhere else and walked up to it? There's no shoulder and the shale outcrop butts up right against the road, so I wouldn't recommend it). Sorry I can't help much with specific sites. The only other one I've been to was on private land, but it didn't have much anyways.

A large portion of fossil collecting is research. You should really look into the legality of collecting in parks and at roadcuts. Some parks allow and even encourage it. (Beltzville State Park, Montour Preserve Fossil Pit, Swatara Gap State Park) Other places may not. It is incumbent on you to research whether collecting somewhere is legal or not. Other places, like private property, usually require permission. This means researching who owns the land, and writing, emailing, or approaching the owner for permission to collect on their property. Fossil hunting has been rising in popularity, especially during the past year. People are looking for things to do out and away from everyone. The best approach is to research what places have fossils, who owns the land they are on, and then, ask for permission. Most State Parks do not allow collecting, but some do. It can be confusing, so when in doubt, ask. This is where joining a club ( I know you are averse to it at this time) can come in handy. Meeting more experienced locals who know the sites, the legality, and who can get access to sites not generally open to individuals (Quarries, and such) is worth the price of admission, usually. Talking to locals at the local coffee shop can be rewarding, and sometimes people will stop and ask what you are doing, and invite you to hunt on their property. I've personally found that a lot of people do not look down at the ground. So a highly trafficked area may not necessarily be low on finds. It really depends on what can be found there, and how many people are actually looking. Going to already known legal spots such as the ones mentioned above, can be a great way to get your feet wet, and learn what to look for. Many places are away from the crowds, but many are starting to become more populated as this hobby gains popularity. It is all a matter of you get out of it what you put into it. Or as Uncle Siphuncle is known for saying, "To the motivated go the spoils!"

The first item is an inch long. Beltzville is a Devonian spot, and Eldredgeops rana is probably the most common trilobite found there. I don't see this as a thorax, but if it were, it would have had to have been a pretty big trilobite. An Eldredgeops of that size would be pretty rare, I think. The only larger trilobites there would possibly be Dipleura dekayi, which does not resemble this item. This is why I went with cephalopod on this one.

I’m not familiar with glacial till and a quick google search defines it for me but I don’t understand it. The closest place that’s easily accessed without permissions from me is the Montour Preserve or Beltzville state park(both roughly an hour and a half) or Big Brook which is what I’m more interested in (2 hours). I’ve found a few trace fossils in Tunkhannock Pa where I’m from but they’re trace fossils and not easily found. I found them nearly 20 years ago when I was young and didn’t even know how finding fossils worked. I also really don’t understand geological maps so I can’t figure out where to go by looking at them. I’m really green still with everything.

Went out behind the Beltzville Park dam a few weeks ago with the NJPS...we had to get a permit from the Army Corp of Engineering, but they were wonderful about it and very helpful. Came back with a trunk load of stuff, but just yesterday finally figured out how to use the macro setting on my camera!! So, here are a few pics - and for once, I know these are not just rocks!!! Picture 1 - I don't know the species yet but looks pretty Picture 2 - looks like an impression of a horn coral? Pic 3 - perhaps some kind of Stromatopora? Pic 4 - could this be an impression of a trilobite? Might be too hard to tell from this photo, I have to find a way to light it better.

About two weeks ago, we went to Beltzville State Park in Pennsylvania and found some great Devonian fossils, some of which have been identified with your help. On our way, though, we stopped at a Shell station for air in our tires. There was a small hill of dark grey colored rock (shale?) next to the air pump. My son and I had a quick look. We found what looks like a mussel (pictured here) and something else. I was wondering if it might be a trilobite. Any help is appreciated. I included the location and pic of the hill to help with identification. So, pictures appear like this: location, suspected mussel?, rock for example and then the fossil in question. The picture with the ruler shows the object (circled in succeeding photos). Sorry if this is confusing. Thanks. Lehighton, PA 18235

The Beltzville area is Devonian in age, and exposes the Mahantango Formation. First picture looks like the mold of a Pelecypod-bivalve.

Hello, I am in Maryland (near Annapolis) and hope to take my 9-year-old son fossil hunting. He really enjoyed our hunt in Pennsylvania (Beltzville) last week. I have heard of Calvert Cliffs (any advice?) but would also be interested in other sites. We could drive to sites in southern PA, northern VA or DC. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Thanks for the tip about Beltzville. It was rainy and windy but my son, nephew and I found some interesting fossils along the beach walking toward the dam. I need to get an identification reference book but I believe these are all crinoids?

Look into Beltzville State Park which is an hour or so SW of East Stroudsburg. It's a park that has a spillway that yields fossils from the Devonian period. One can find Trilobite bits and pieces along with fossil shells and the like. Free access from what I understand. I've never been but my local club goes there once a year. Sorry our winter weather is more like a southern Cali winter.

Any ideas about the type of Bryozoa in the left rock? I found several of these long string types this past weekend in the Devonian shale at Beltzville State Park in PA. Very different from the other bryozoa I have found there in the past. Thanks, Mike

@fifbrindacier PA is the abbreviation for the US state of Pennsylvania. Beltzville State Park is in the eastern part of the state, not too far from the New Jersey border.

I found this interesting fossil in the area of the Beltzville dam in Pennsylvania. Exposures in the area are generally Upper Devonian Mahantango Formation so I was surprised to see what looked to me like a lycopsid plant. The area where I spotted this find was mostly devoid of fossils but there were exposures with usual marine fauna within a few hundred yards. If anyone has any thoughts, I would appreciate it!

We made a couple trips to Beltzville State Park in PA this past week. We had heard about brachiopods on the lake's beach from Robert Beard's Rockhounding Pennsylvania and New Jersey guide. The park is the site of dam and an artificial lake build by the Army Corps of Engineers with a stony bottom. A small, sandy beach sits along part of the lake with rocks get scattered from water action. The rest of the lake shore is red, orange, brown and gray mississippian sedimentary rock. I wasn't expecting much as it is a well-known spot in a state park that permits collecting and even provides ID sheets. Figured it would be pretty well picked-over. But, we went to investigate. You never know until you look, right? The first time out was a short, spur-of-the-moment trip with my husband to poke around while we waited for something we were planning to do later in the day. We walked over to the beach and found our first crinoid in about 5 minutes. Another hour of poking around revealed crinoid stems, brachiopods, bryozoans, corals, and bits of trilobites scattered along the shore for easy pickings. The water was crystal clear as deep as I dared wade in the sundress I'd worn for the planned, cleaner agenda for the day. I picked up a couple lying at my feet in the warm, still water. I decided then and there that it would be great fun to go snorkeling for fossils here. A week later, over Labor Day weekend, we returned with the kids. We walked as far towards the dam as the beach would allow, and discovered the real spot for fossil finds. Probably one pebble in four had something in it. Not all of it was worth taking home, but there was plenty to examine. My first glance down at the pebbles at land's end, I spotted a beautiful brachiopod. I picked it up and tossed it carefully to my daughter, parked a couple feet away and already holding a fistful. She caught it, admired it and tossed it back. I fumbled it, dropped it on the beach and lost it forever. Doh! So, if you see a lovely, round brachiopod on Beltzville's shore, think of me! There was more where that came from though, and we looked for a couple hours. When my daughter had had enough, I donned my swim suit and snorkel mask and went exploring in the area less traveled: under water! I only swam at a depth of arm's length. The boats and jet skis in the center of the lake that day stirred the water so that any deeper it was impossible to see the bottom. At this depth I could see the texture of the muck-coated rocks. The undersides of the rocks were clean, so turning the stones over carefully made for even better viewing. I turned up a pair of trilobites in only a few minutes! Unfortunately, that was about the only thing I found that way worth taking home. But, the fish were fun to watch. I expect that on a quieter day, when when the water is clearer, I may have better luck. All told, we brought home some nice shell impressions, crinoids, colony and solitary corals, bryozoans, and a couple that I did not recognize and were not on the sheet. The adventure will have to continue on the the ID forum. For now, though, here are a few scenes from the week:

Hi, I'm new to fossil hunting and found some of these at Beltzville State Park on the lake bank in Pennsylvania. They are from the Devonian Period. I've looked on the state website but can't seem to find anything specific that resembles this one. I found one picture by chance online of someone that had something resembling it and they said it was a Rugose Coral Mold. Does anyone know that to be? Thanks in advance for any help!!

Does anyone know what this is? I found it in Beltzville State Park, Pa, Devonian period. I’ve been told it could be snake skin, a type of Bryozoan and a certain type of tree. It’s lightweight and the bumps are very pronounced. Thank you!

Hi! Does anyone have any idea what this is? It was found in Beltzville, Pa, Devonian period. Regards, Ce Ce

Hi! I’m new to this forum and also new to fossil hunting. I found these at Beltzville State Park in Pennsylvania and wanted to see if anyone could help me identify them. Thank you in advance, Ce Ce

Welcome to the forum. Your first one looks like a small rock, it could have some fossil fragments in it but I can’t really tell from that picture. The second one looks like a worn piece of coral. The third one looks like an interesting bryozoan and I believe the last one is not a fossil, but an interestingly shaped rock or mineral. Again, a little hard to tell from the picture supplied. Some sort of scale would be helpful as I am sort of guessing as to what size these are, and that can be very important in distinguishing corals and bryozoan. Also, do you have any idea of the age of these finds? I did not look up Beltzville SP and am unfamiliar with it. Thanks for posting.

I have this piece I found at Beltzville State Park pretty recently and really want to try to get it more exposed without destroying it. I have no experience at all with fossil prep, therefore I have no tools aside from basic chisels/hammers. I’m just wondering if there’s any suggestions as to what I could do to try to expose it, or anything I might acquire to do so.

Great finds! Do you have to have a permit to search all of Beltzville or only the dam area?

I am looking to trade some of the fossils I’ve collected at Beltzville State Park and Montour Preserve for fossil shark or crocodile teeth. I pictured the fossils I’m looking to trade. Bivalves, coral, and some rocks with multiple specimens. If someone is interested in anything and has something other than what I’m looking for don’t be shy throw an offer my way, I’m interested in just about everything and would love to help expand others collections. Thanks all If anybody needs any other pictures of anything let me know

And I wanted to add another piece in to see if it could be identified it’s another one from Beltzville State Park

I bet you could glue this piece back together and start prepping from above and (assuming it’s complete) it would turn out pretty nice. Would take some effort though. I agree with the E. rana ID btw. Your site is strikingly similar to the Mahantango exposed at Beltzville Park in PA in terms of animal life (other then the calyxes) and fossil density. I bet they were a similar environment, shallow and packed with life. Funny how it’s completely different in Maryland!

I Heard the swatara gap site had concrete poured over it, and thus is no long used to hunt fossils, but I have never personally been there. Just south of Scranton is the Carbondale site, it’s a bit umm, shifty if I may say but produces some nice Carboniferous fossils. Beltzville state park has some great devonian fossils if that’s on the way.