Maryland Triassic Trace Fossils

[Fossil_Adult]

Yesterday I set out to a site that exposed the Gettysburg formation up in Maryland in hopes of finding some Triassic footprints. What I came back with was mostly some trace fossils and burrows, but some of these looked suspiciously like tracks, so I wanted to post them on ID and see if someone with a little more experience could help me out. I’ll also probably send some emails out in hopes of getting someone who’s more experienced with the Triassic formations around PA and Maryland. Anyways here are the potential trackways I really hope to get some light shed on these and learn more about this era around Maryland because I’ve been doing a lot of research on these.

 

Some really cool burrows:

 

 

I collected the Triassic burrows in case my potential footprints turned out to be duds so that I wouldn’t come back completely empty handed.

 

These are really cool I’ve come to believe that the small holes are where bugs or Beatles must have lived inside them. Someone with a little more expertise could chime in though.

 

Now here’s the potential trackways. As always, these are some of my favorite fossils to collect so I REALLY want them to be trackways. But if they turn out not to be, then I will keep searching. I’ve got more leads further away in Pennsylvania but it’d just be nice to find them in Maryland where they’re so few and far between to find up there. These look fairly suspicious so I’ll see what y’all think of these.

 

This one looks like a small theropod print, the way the traces are done.

 

potential trackway circled.

 

This one is also suspicious. There’s no discernible trackway to spot here, as this could just be geologic and be an inclusion in the rock, however, it could very well also be a trackway. Whether these are dinosaur trackways, or just fossil blobs that are getting me excited, I can’t help but be in awe at this site. Anytime I go to any potential trackway site, I just imagine all the small dinosaurs, early mammals, and large amphibians dominating this once river plain, leaving behind their footprints in the mud to be found. Were they running towards some unsuspecting prey item? Were they running away from something? Or just having a leisurely stroll during this time period? I don’t know what fascinates me so much about trackways but I always feel they have a story to tell about them. 

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by Fossil_Adult

[Fossildude19]

Photos are too small to be able to say much about them.

I don't think they are theropod prints, but better pictures may show something more obvious.

The "small holes" look more like differential weathering to me.

 

 

[Fossil_Adult]

Here’s are some close up photos of the suspicious fossils. Regardless of if these are fossils or not, I know I’m super close to finding trackways around that area. I just have to do more searching at more exposures!

Edited November 20, 2022 by Fossil_Adult

[ClearLake]

1 hour ago, Fossil_Adult said:

Here’s are some close up photos of the suspicious fossils.

In the first one, I see maybe three small areas that have inclusions in the rock.  The inclusions could be fossil fragments, could be mineral, could be lithic fragments, I can't know which based on the picture.  But it does not look like a footprint to me, of a therapod or any other sort.  And if I understand the term correctly, a trackway would be a series of footprints (or maybe also other dragging parts) and I certainly do not see that.  The second picture looks like a blurry undulation in the rock, I'm not seeing any sort of recognizable print.  I'm not a track expert, but I have seen some and these do not fit my mental image of a footprint or trackway.

Edited November 20, 2022 by ClearLake
Spelling

[Fossil_Adult]

19 minutes ago, ClearLake said:

In the first one, I see maybe three small areas that have inclusions in the rock.  The inclusions could be fossil fragments, could be mineral, could be lithic fragments, I can't know which based on the picture.  But it does not look like a footprint to me, of a therapod or any other sort.  And if I understand the term correctly, a trackway would be a series of footprints (or maybe also other dragging parts) and I certainly do not see that.  The second picture looks like a blurry undulation in the rock, I'm not seeing any sort of recognizable print.  I'm not a track expert, but I have seen some and these do not fit my mental image of a footprint or trackway.

I just sent these to some dinosaur people to see what they think but I think y'all are right. I'm looking at more exposures around Frederick County I'm confident that they'll turn up at some point, it just takes patience and dedication. 

[ClearLake]

On 11/20/2022 at 10:33 AM, Fossil_Adult said:

it just takes patience and dedication

That it does!  Especially when looking specifically for something as rare as what you are hunting.  Keep at it and hopefully you will find a good one.  Good luck!

[EMP]

On 11/20/2022 at 7:48 AM, Fossil_Adult said:

Yesterday I set out to a site that exposed the Gettysburg formation up in Maryland in hopes of finding some Triassic footprints. What I came back with was mostly some trace fossils and burrows, but some of these looked suspiciously like tracks, so I wanted to post them on ID and see if someone with a little more experience could help me out. I’ll also probably send some emails out in hopes of getting someone who’s more experienced with the Triassic formations around PA and Maryland. Anyways here are the potential trackways I really hope to get some light shed on these and learn more about this era around Maryland because I’ve been doing a lot of research on these.

 

Some really cool burrows:

 

 

I collected the Triassic burrows in case my potential footprints turned out to be duds so that I wouldn’t come back completely empty handed.

 

These are really cool I’ve come to believe that the small holes are where bugs or Beatles must have lived inside them. Someone with a little more expertise could chime in though.

 

Now here’s the potential trackways. As always, these are some of my favorite fossils to collect so I REALLY want them to be trackways. But if they turn out not to be, then I will keep searching. I’ve got more leads further away in Pennsylvania but it’d just be nice to find them in Maryland where they’re so few and far between to find up there. These look fairly suspicious so I’ll see what y’all think of these.

 

This one looks like a small theropod print, the way the traces are done.

 

potential trackway circled.

 

This one is also suspicious. There’s no discernible trackway to spot here, as this could just be geologic and be an inclusion in the rock, however, it could very well also be a trackway. Whether these are dinosaur trackways, or just fossil blobs that are getting me excited, I can’t help but be in awe at this site. Anytime I go to any potential trackway site, I just imagine all the small dinosaurs, early mammals, and large amphibians dominating this once river plain, leaving behind their footprints in the mud to be found. Were they running towards some unsuspecting prey item? Were they running away from something? Or just having a leisurely stroll during this time period? I don’t know what fascinates me so much about trackways but I always feel they have a story to tell about them. 

 

 

 

 

I collected from the Gettysburg Shale a few times up in Maryland. Personally, I didn't have much luck finding dinosaur material, or anything beyond root silt for that matter. Some things I thought could be footprints are probably just sedimentary features. As for your specimens I'm not personally seeing anything that stands out as a "fossil" except in the first couple of pictures of burrows/root silt 

 

That being said, from my personal experience most of the Frederick County localities are either long gone or on private property. There are some Triassic rocks exposed around Poolesville in MoCo, but I never checked the area out so can't comment on if they have anything. Unfortunately, if you want Triassic-aged stuff Pennsylvania or Virginia are the best bets in the area. There are a few Pennsylvania sites around Gettysburg and heading over towards New Oxford. 

 

 

[Fossil_Adult]

13 hours ago, EMP said:

 

I collected from the Gettysburg Shale a few times up in Maryland. Personally, I didn't have much luck finding dinosaur material, or anything beyond root silt for that matter. Some things I thought could be footprints are probably just sedimentary features. As for your specimens I'm not personally seeing anything that stands out as a "fossil" except in the first couple of pictures of burrows/root silt 

 

That being said, from my personal experience most of the Frederick County localities are either long gone or on private property. There are some Triassic rocks exposed around Poolesville in MoCo, but I never checked the area out so can't comment on if they have anything. Unfortunately, if you want Triassic-aged stuff Pennsylvania or Virginia are the best bets in the area. There are a few Pennsylvania sites around Gettysburg and heading over towards New Oxford. 

 

 

I'm looking into Eastern Pennsylvania I already have a couple potential spots in Montgomery County PA that I think will have dinosaur tracks. I'm also looking into New Jersey as well so sometime this year I will probably do a large Triassic trip on the way to some new Permian trace fossil localities that I also found in Pennsylvania. I'm getting some leads into the Culpepper basin and have heard that the eastern portion might be some good potential. I would like to check out Montgomery County, MD as I'm fairly close to Poolesville and thought that it might not hurt to see what turns up. This has been something I've been trying to solve for quite a few years and I think that I am very close to finally finding some Triassic trackways in the MD/VA region. 

[EMP]

7 hours ago, Fossil_Adult said:

I'm looking into Eastern Pennsylvania I already have a couple potential spots in Montgomery County PA that I think will have dinosaur tracks. I'm also looking into New Jersey as well so sometime this year I will probably do a large Triassic trip on the way to some new Permian trace fossil localities that I also found in Pennsylvania. I'm getting some leads into the Culpepper basin and have heard that the eastern portion might be some good potential. I would like to check out Montgomery County, MD as I'm fairly close to Poolesville and thought that it might not hurt to see what turns up. This has been something I've been trying to solve for quite a few years and I think that I am very close to finally finding some Triassic trackways in the MD/VA region. 

 

Look forward to seeing what you find!