Terlingua, Big Bend and Marathon Texas Trip

[JamieLynn]

Since 1979 I have been going out to Big Bend National Park (and surrounding areas) in the Spring (for Spring Break during school and then whenever I could manage to get away. didn't make it every year, but almost!) so when March rolls around I get itchy to get out there. It's been a few years since I have been able to go - life gets in the way! But this year it was my 50th birthday March 1st, so instead of the original trip to Disney World (thanks stupid Covid) I got to go spend a week in another of my most favorite places! Of course that meant I got to do a little fossil hunting too! 

 

I had never done much fossil hunting out in the Terlingua area so I contacted a friend who hooked me up with another friend who was going to take us to some fossil spots. Sadly, he ghosted me and I didn't end up having a guide. So I tried to find some likely spots (geo maps and such) but didn't really find much of anything except one lovely Ram's Horn oyster (Illymatogyra arietina) and a lot of Inoceramus clams.  I found the local Rock Shop (Many Rocks) and dropped some "hints' that I was looking for fossil spots, but no luck!  But he did sell me a lovely glom of broken ammonites with irridescent nacre (doesn't show up in the pic, sadly) for a whopping $5! I asked if they were found locally and he said yes, so I will believe him. hahaah! 

In the "Gift Shop" of the Easter Egg Valley where we stayed: 

 

My one "good find" in Terlingua: Illymatogyra arietina

 

A clump of irridescent ammonite chunks

 

 

Big Bend Park was amazing as always. It felt so good to be back out there. Being the first week of March, there were relatively few people which was great.  Of course we stopped by the new Dinosaur Exhibit and it is truly amazing. My father is a Geographer and developed a Nature and Heritage Tourism minor at Texas State University and is a consultant for local, national and international groups about interpretive geography and he said it was one of the best examples he's seen.  I hadn't stopped by the dino exhibit since the late 80s - when it was practically a shed with a glass case of fossils - to see this amazing new structure with interactive exhibits and beautifully done (albeit replicas) displays of the creatures found out there was a surprise.

 

If you squint and use your imagination, you can see the T-Rex I found in Tuff Canyon.....

 

 

The New Dino Exhibit (opened a few years ago)

 

 

 

We stayed the last night in Marathon - a funky little town which has both changed a lot over the years (more tourism, bars etc) but also stayed the same...... funky desert town where anything goes.... But fortunately, I knew of a good fossil spot there so at least I got some REAL fossil hunting done! A little outcrop of Pennsylvanian Era yielded some good stuff! Two Corals that I have been hoping to find and a couple of other nice things.  

 

Not sure if this is a Gastropod or a Goniatite. 1 1/2 inch

My next favorite find - I think it is a clump of Zaphrentis coral   Size 1 1/2 inch

 

I've been looking for one of these at a variety of Pennsylvanian spots....my mom found it in Marathon! 

Palaeacis sp.  Size 1 1/4 inch

 

Another nice rugose coral Size 1 inch

a Stratiapora coral Size 2 inches

and finally, I'm not sure what this is....if anyone knows, I'd appreciate an ID! 

1 inch  top

bottom

 

Some Critters

Cottontails who live in Easter Egg Valley...appropriate.

A Raven 

 

A Coyote having lunch

 

A Roadrunner asking for some lunch

 

and some random shots

 

 

 

 

 

[IsaacTheFossilMan]

Looks like you had a great time, thanks for sharing! I enjoyed the read, and, awesome finds! Those colours on that gyra are really something else...

 

That coyote too, such a majestic beastie! Those canyons too, ugh, so beautiful! I'm jealous, to say the least...

[JohnJ]

I have always enjoyed my trips out there.  Great shot of the "Window" and the exit from Santa Elena Canyon.  

[grandpa]

Love those corals.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Nice trip, good photos and good finds. 

I think your mystery fossil is part of an internal mold of a productid brachiopod. 

[Troodon]

Thanks for the tour looks like a beautiful area.  

[JamieLynn]

1 hour ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Nice trip, good photos and good finds. 

I think your mystery fossil is part of an internal mold of a productid brachiopod. 

 

Thanks for the lead! I found this Ladogia meyendorfi from NY and will look further into it: 

[Harry Pristis]

I've been in the mountains of Europe, Africa and South America, but Big Bend is still my favorite place in the world.  It's not the easiest place to find fossils, though.

[JamieLynn]

@Tidgy's Dad - I found out that that brachiopod is! It's an Eridmatus texanus. Thanks for the tip! 

[minnbuckeye]

Very nice report and great finds!! Thanks for showing many of us a part of this country we likely will never get a chance to visit! 

 

Mike

[bthemoose]

West Texas is such a beautiful area. Thanks for the trip report!

[Ludwigia]

Beeyootifull scenery!! Love to get there someday. And some nice finds as well. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I believe that your first question mark is a gastropod.

[JamieLynn]

59 minutes ago, Ludwigia said:

Beeyootifull scenery!! Love to get there someday. And some nice finds as well. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I believe that your first question mark is a gastropod.

 

That's what I am leaning toward also but I can't find anything in the ID stuff I have that even remotely looks like it.

[Ludwigia]

1 hour ago, JamieLynn said:

 

That's what I am leaning toward also but I can't find anything in the ID stuff I have that even remotely looks like it.

You'd actually have to get it abraded in order to make out the structural details. I'm thinking that it may be a flattened Trepospira, but maybe @Uncle Siphuncle has some thoughts on it.

[erose]

Glad you found some fossils.  And you can't beat the scenery. 

[Clint08]

Looks like a great and worthwhile trip. Happy birthday as well!