Hidden gems in the Texas hill country

[Jared C]

Last Sunday was a day for the books.

I had been thinking about nothing but calculus for days, and it was time for a change of pace. After briefly scouting a potential area with google maps, I set off on the 20 minute drive with no expectations. I was happy to just explore, as I knew finding shark teeth (my usual goal) in Austin is rarely an easy task.

 

As I "arrived", I struggled to find parking, so I pulled into an empty business lot nearby to try and figure it out. I couldn't so I thought maybe google reviews could help.... and it turns out that not only is there no parking, but practically no trails of any sort to mention either. Rather, the entire park/preserve (whichever one it is) is just acres of lush, green tall trees next to a creek. So, I left my car in the empty business lot, crossing my fingers it wouldn't get towed, and made my way down to the most reasonable access point I could think of, by a bridge.

 

After a bit of bushwhacking, I made it down to the creek and began walking upstream. What hit me first was how quiet it was, once I rounded the corner away from the bridge. Even though it's situated near an urban setting, once inside, I felt completely isolated and alone.

 

My first find made me jump - it was a large, brown vertebra sticking out of the gravel, and at first glance it looked fossilized. Sadly, it wasn't (perhaps its at least preserved though, but I don't know how to tell) but it's still interesting. My thoughts are that it must be bovid - probably cow, to be honest, but I have found bison teeth in the general area before, so... maybe bison! That would be more interesting, as they've been locally extinct for over a century.

 

Shortly after, while poking around in the first decent sized gravel bed, I unintentionally found an artifact... which is a first for me. Blind eyes that are thinking about sharks instead mean I probably miss quite a few, but this one didn't pass me! 

 

The particular gravel bed kept me busy for a while, with no further results. Upstream about 100 feet, with some thigh deep water seperating me, was a much smaller gravel bed. I almost decided to pass it because of the inconvenience and its small size, but I'm glad I didn't. Within a minute, I saw some deep shiny black, peeping out between the gravel. It was too good to be true.... a mosasaur tooth, and my first one, in an area I wouldn't expect, at a spot I discovered myself, surrounded by big trees a quiet water. This was as good as it gets.

 

 

One thing I find particularly exciting is that some folks on fossil ID suggested that this tooth exhibits many of the characteristics of a Tylosaur tooth, with Tylosaurus proriger being the only reasonable bet for a Tylosaur this far south. That would mean this tooth is from a different species than the Mosasaur Austin is known for, the "Onion creek mosasaur", which I believe is a Mosasaurus maximus.

 

Further down, I found a small piece of fossilized bone, possibly rib. After such a hot streak, it naturally had to start raining. I decided, after peaking around a new corner at a stunningly beautiful scene, that there was much more to be explored here... but the rain was my cue to begin meandering back.

 

Today I'll return, but this time I'll also be herping, keeping a lookout for some of the modern squamates that share lineages with the ancient ones preserved in the river bed. Imagine the sight - Alligator Lizards and Texas Coral snakes, slithering over the remains of their 75 myo ancestors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Jared C
Some bug put a few photos of ammonites into the original post, photos which weren't mine. Sorry, for any confusion, I removed them, and they probably came from someone showing pictures of finds in a comment

[JamieLynn]

oooohhhh CONGRATS!!  I am officially jealous of you right now. Been trying to find a Mosi tooth forever! Lucky you! Research and perserverance pays off! 

[Jared C]

5 hours ago, JamieLynn said:

I am officially jealous of you right now. Been trying to find a Mosi tooth forever!

Hint: This was on the Ozan formation of austin. As far as I can tell, the entire creek isn't really known for charismatic fossils. I know the feeling though - some local on reddit keeps finding loads of shark teeth at the same creek, oddly enough, and they even posted a piece of mosasaur jawbone in reddit's fossil ID section.... oh, and a nearly perfect mosy tooth as well. It makes me feel like I'm getting trolled 

[JamieLynn]

Well, I have definitely been on that particular creek a few times, so lucky you! That's awesome!

[fossilcrazee]

Mosasaur!  beauty and yes, also jealous