Fossil Collecting Recommendations For Oceanside Ca

[Scott S.]

Hi everyone,

I'm heading out to the San Diego area and I'd really like to find one small Eocene site near Oceanside CA. I believe there should be outcrops all over the place but I am having problems locating any decent sites. I'm only looking for something small to see some of the diversity preserved out there. Looking for some shark teeth, gastros bivalves or echinoids if possible.

I know many people are understandibly hesitant about giving out favorite collecting localities. I have no intention to sell the fossils, and will only be there for one afternoon. Only looking for a few nicely preserved specimens for myself and our teaching collection, not to gut the place. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, and my appologies in advance if asking is taken by any as a faux pas. A PM is fine.

[siteseer]

I scouted the Oceanside area about ten years ago looking for exposures of the San Mateo Formation which is Early Pliocene. I don't know of an Eocene site around there. What formation are you looking for?

Hi everyone,

I'm heading out to the San Diego area and I'd really like to find one small Eocene site near Oceanside CA. I believe there should be outcrops all over the place but I am having problems locating any decent sites. I'm only looking for something small to see some of the diversity preserved out there. Looking for some shark teeth, gastros bivalves or echinoids if possible.

I know many people are understandibly hesitant about giving out favorite collecting localities. I have no intention to sell the fossils, and will only be there for one afternoon. Only looking for a few nicely preserved specimens for myself and our teaching collection, not to gut the place. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, and my appologies in advance if asking is taken by any as a faux pas. A PM is fine.

[Scott S.]

I scouted the Oceanside area about ten years ago looking for exposures of the San Mateo Formation which is Early Pliocene. I don't know of an Eocene site around there. What formation are you looking for?

Oh, I was aware it was the San Mateo but was unaware that it was Pliocene and not Eocene. Being unfamiliar with the area and originally not anticipating being in Cali anytime in the near future I will admit to a fair amount of ignorance on the exposures there. I stand corrected. So, recommendations on where the San Mateo is accessible and productive. I had heard about localities around the Oceanside Business park but much of the outcropping areas look fenced off or not readily accessible. any tips?

[siteseer]

Yes, I ran into fenced-off and posted ("No Trespassing") areas back then as well near a church. As I recall, I went off into an overgrown area and found only a partial tooth after a few hours - only went that one day. That area was very productive in the 70's and 80's for both paleontologists and collectors but was later scheduled for development and that's when the signs went up. Collectors stopped going there and the place got overgrown. You'd really have to ascertain where you can do some scouting on foot without getting in trouble. I would take a friend or two with you.

I vaguely recall noticing more of the San Mateo was exposed on the Marine base when I checked a map of the area, but of course, that's off limits too.

In the 90's I saw an old private collection that had a whole beer flat full of fossil shark teeth and another with fossil seal remains (teeth and few toe bones), dophin periotics, some bird bones (foot bones of Mancalla), and bony fish vertebrae. I sorted the shark teeth. Most of them were great whites including transitionals. There were far fewer Carcharhinus (C. obscurus mostly), some Isurus oxyrinchus, only a few Hexanchus, Squatina, and even Prionace (the blue shark). I have a Pristiophorus rostral spine from there. The teeth can be gray to shades of blue (sort of a gunmetal blue) or sometimes brown. Teeth at the surface can be a washed-out-looking off-white color.

Some homeless people used to live around there. They even collected fossils to sell in town. I heard of a few collectors buying some specimens but I don't know if anyone is out there any longer.

I think someone here on the forum mentioned finding a couple of teeth closer to the freeway (try "Oceanside" in the search window).

Oh, I was aware it was the San Mateo but was unaware that it was Pliocene and not Eocene. Being unfamiliar with the area and originally not anticipating being in Cali anytime in the near future I will admit to a fair amount of ignorance on the exposures there. I stand corrected. So, recommendations on where the San Mateo is accessible and productive. I had heard about localities around the Oceanside Business park but much of the outcropping areas look fenced off or not readily accessible. any tips?

[Scott S.]

Yes, I ran into fenced-off and posted ("No Trespassing") areas back then as well near a church. As I recall, I went off into an overgrown area and found only a partial tooth after a few hours - only went that one day. That area was very productive in the 70's and 80's for both paleontologists and collectors but was later scheduled for development and that's when the signs went up. Collectors stopped going there and the place got overgrown. You'd really have to ascertain where you can do some scouting on foot without getting in trouble. I would take a friend or two with you.

I vaguely recall noticing more of the San Mateo was exposed on the Marine base when I checked a map of the area, but of course, that's off limits too.

In the 90's I saw an old private collection that had a whole beer flat full of fossil shark teeth and another with fossil seal remains (teeth and few toe bones), dophin periotics, some bird bones (foot bones of Mancalla), and bony fish vertebrae. I sorted the shark teeth. Most of them were great whites including transitionals. There were far fewer Carcharhinus (C. obscurus mostly), some Isurus oxyrinchus, only a few Hexanchus, Squatina, and even Prionace (the blue shark). I have a Pristiophorus rostral spine from there. The teeth can be gray to shades of blue (sort of a gunmetal blue) or sometimes brown. Teeth at the surface can be a washed-out-looking off-white color.

Some homeless people used to live around there. They even collected fossils to sell in town. I heard of a few collectors buying some specimens but I don't know if anyone is out there any longer.

I think someone here on the forum mentioned finding a couple of teeth closer to the freeway (try "Oceanside" in the search window).

Thank you for all the info siteseer. Sounds like the locations would require more time and risk than my schedule or personal safety would permit. at this point in time. That's the way things are sometimes. It seems like for every time a site falls out of reach another site serendipitously pops up somewhere else along another journey. That's what's so beautiful about this hobby.

Cheers

[El Jeffe]

A little late but It's still a productive site for now. There are outcroppings all over Oceanside. If you end up back in the area PM me for some details. 

[Desertson]

In really late, I only know of the spot the "homeless" use to try to exploit SW of Mission