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Eastern Finger Lake area fossil hunting during COVID-19?


esmiller

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Hi TFF Folks! 

Hope you’re all well and staying healthy! I began fossil hunting about 5 years ago (and am now past the ultra-newbie stage at this point). I’m the only real fossil hunting enthusiast in my family; I have been able to drag my husband and son with me at times, but my trips are sporadic (I live in southeastern Massachusetts - no local fossil sites around us, so not much opportunity for day trips, unfortunately).
 

Since starting this hobby, I’ve been fossil hunting in New York State (the fossil pit at Cargill Salt Mines, which I understand is sadly now closed, and a few trips to Penn-Dixie), New Jersey (Big Brook), Georgia (Conasauga River in Murray County), Tennessee (mountain passes outside of Knoxville), and Virginia (Westmoreland State Park); I typically work fossil hunting day trips into family vacations. Given the current pandemic, I’m trying to convince my family to spend a few days in the eastern Finger Lakes area of New York around Aug 17-21 (there are currently no travel restrictions or quarantine requirements for travel between MA and NY). I’d love to get suggestions for good trilobite hunting sites in that area (thinking Pompey-Tully, perhaps), but don’t know what’s open, legal, or property owners to contact. Any help/guidance would be appreciated!
 

Also, if anyone has a current email address/contact info for the NYPS, please let me know - I sent my membership application in earlier this year, but haven’t heard anything back. Thank you!

 

Betsy

 

 

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Hello Betsy, Welcome to the forum from  Syracuse N.Y. There are some good sites in Madison County which from your location are slightly closer then Pompey and Tully. There are also sites in those 2 locales though I am not as familiar with them.   Cole Hill Road and Deep Springs Road are 2 well- known sites in Madison county which should atleast produce partial Trilos. And occasionally with enough work put it you may find some whole ones. If interested  give me a PM and I can provide more details.

 

Dipleurawhisperer5.jpg

I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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Welcome to the forum, I don’t know any locations around there, but I’m curious, what do you find Conasauga river?

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2 hours ago, Familyroadtrip said:

Welcome to the forum, I don’t know any locations around there, but I’m curious, what do you find Conasauga river?

If I remember correctly there is a well-known site for trilobites there.

Dipleurawhisperer5.jpg

I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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Unfortunately the Conesauga River site in Murray County is now posted, there is a vigilant and confrontational neighbor, and the police will respond.  The fate of too many popular sites I'm afraid.

 

Don

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Hi Familyroadtrip - 

The Conasauga River site in Georgia yielded Cambrian trilo impressions - it’s a well known site, just under the Tibbs Bridge in Chatsworth, GA. There’s a small dirt path that leads directly under the bridge. We found many impressions of Aphelaspis brachyphasis trilobites in a very short time. 

Betsy

Edited by esmiller
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Hi FossilDawg - 

There’s a great post on this site here: 

I was there in 2017 - haven’t been there since, sorry to hear that it’s less accessible. I didn’t encounter any angry neighbors while there.
Betsy

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Hi,

I agree with Dave (Darktooth) that Deep Springs Road and Cole Hill are both excellent sites. Pompey Center on Route 20 is also excellent. On the way there you may want to check out Leesville, just west of Sharon Springs, also on Route 20. I've been to all of those sites except for Pompey Center, already this year. Just got back from Deep Springs Road today. Good luck.

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30 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said:

Unfortunately the Conesauga River site in Murray County is now posted, there is a vigilant and confrontational neighbor, and the police will respond.  The fate of too many popular sites I'm afraid.

 

Don

 

As Don mentioned, this site is posted.  Members should not visit this site without permission.  Additional info can be found here.

The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true.  -  JJ

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  • 2 weeks later...

Spent about four hours at Deep Springs Road today, *gleefully* breaking rocks in the hot sun! Best find of the day prize goes to my 14 year old, who uncovered this... 7B4F1DC8-0E02-42C5-9B92-BEEAA19217FE.thumb.jpeg.5262ce330c77e5d0b8ed7d26abf512ef.jpeg

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Here you can see the same piece at this site encountered by one of our members.

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...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

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3 hours ago, Darktooth said:

Wow! Great find, but where is the other half!?

Wish I knew! This was under loose shale that he uncovered!

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