Travel Time To Regular Fossiling Location

[Senlathiel]

I'm curious. How far do you travel in order to do your regular fossil hunting. I'm not talking about a special vacation in which you go several states away, but the place you go to on a regular basis (weekend trips included), to get to a general area. I don't see a way to make it a poll, so I suppose a reply and explanation will suffice. After a few days I'll compile the responses and edit this post.

Personally, it takes me ~2.5 hours driving through the country, and may take another 30-min to 1-hr of hiking to get to a spot. I leave early in the morning.

[Guest bmorefossil]

it depends on where I go, I can go to one place and it only takes me 34min. to get there, the one I have been going to takes around an hour due to the lights along the way.

[MikeD]

C, for the closer spots with the time usually being between 1 and 2 hours. This is from southeast Texas, so I'm not tripping over fossils when I walk out my front door like some of my further north Texas neighbors.

[racevw112]

Option C for me.

[bone digger]

Most of the day trips are 2 hours each way

[Hawkeye]

It takes 4-5 hours for me, but I'm hoping to find something closer!

[obsessed1]

The spots I hunt here in Maryland average 1 hour 45 minutes one way. My 6 or 7 NC and SC hunts per year average 7 or 8 hours one way.

[makoken]

Most of the day trips are 2 hours each way

I'm in the 2 hour each way trip scenario also, being in the Austin area. Although I am finding out about some 45 min drive locallities. Even when I lived in Ca. STH was 1:30 min drive.

[PaleoPutz]

I dont have any good spots yet... or any bad spots for that matter. Im looking forward to it though.

[Guest N.AL.hunter]

Option D for good spots, A/B for same old sh--

[Guest solius symbiosus]

B for me. There are a few outcrops within a few blocks, but they're not very large. Though, one of those, is the same horizon as an outcrop(since destroyed), and about a mile away from said, that I used to find pieces of un-described trilobite. So, when it warms up a bit, I plan to hit it more often.

[barefootgirl]

It takes me 5min to get to my creek and about 15 min south to the Sulphur and 15 min North to the Lake. Yes, I know Im blessed.

[Sharktoothguy11222]

I live in the city, New York City to be exact. That, compounded with the fact that I am only 16 years old yet, and I can't drive yet.

I have traveled internationally with my dad, and did manage to fossil hunt for a while, but never at home in the states. The majority of my fossils are bought(99%).

Sooooo, if I were to go to the nearest fossil formation I know of(LEE CREEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), it would take me about a week or more walking, I suppose.

[Guest solius symbiosus]

I live in the city, New York City to be exact. That, compounded with the fact that I am only 16 years old yet, and I can't drive yet.

I have traveled internationally with my dad, and did manage to fossil hunt for a while, but never at home in the states. The majority of my fossils are bought(99%).

Sooooo, if I were to go to the nearest fossil formation I know of(LEE CREEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), it would take me about a week or more walking, I suppose.

There is some nice Paleozoic stuff in the Catskills, and the Finger Lakes region.

[Sharktoothguy11222]

There is some nice Paleozoic stuff in the Catskills, and the Finger Lakes region.

And where is that....

Dude, I can't even drive yet, read maps, or find my way around the mall!

However, I will be old enough to enter Lee Creek mine in 586 days! WOO-HOO!

[Guest solius symbiosus]

And where is that....

Dude, I can't even drive yet, read maps, or find my way around the mall!

The Catskills are about a 100 miles North of the city; Finger Lakes region about 200 miles NW.

[Sharktoothguy11222]

The Catskills are about a 100 miles North of the city; Finger Lakes region about 200 miles NW.

So, how long will it take for me to walk there......

[geodan03]

I live in St. Louis, Missouri. There several carboniferous aged sites i collect from in the 30 minute to 1 hour range west of me and 40 minutes or so south of me to a good ordovician aged roadcut i go to alot. I live maybe 3 hours or more from Mazon Creek area in Illinois and 40 minutes from a nice blastoid spot in Floraville, Il. Gotta love the roadcuts and streams all around me. I frequently get honked at by passerby's. I'm always finding new spots as i stop alot by roadcuts to check them out.

[Guest solius symbiosus]

... 40 minutes or so south of me to a good ordovician aged roadcut i go to alot.

How about some pics of the Ordovician stuff.

[Auspex]

Since I "hunt" mostly with the Silver Pick, I just mosey 5-45 feet over to the laptop...

Things will be different when I retire

[Senlathiel]

Thanks to the administrators for figuring out how to make it a poll! I was just getting out pen and paper to tally the results. Great responses. I'm glad I'm not the only one who travels alot for fossil hunting, but I wish I had included an option for people who wish to go, but can't. Mad props to Sharktoothguy.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

Texas is a big place and the best fossils seem to be somewhat scattered across the state, so I've blown countless thousands of dollars in the last 5 years on gas for dang sure. Maybe once or twice a year I fly or drive out of state to collect too, usually with buddies guiding me to their local haunts.

[jaxtoothhntr]

Living in Jacksonville, FL I can get from my house to the beach in about 15 minutes. However if I want to get to a good tooth producing beach it takes about 35 minutes. My radius, though is more in the hour and half range because that can get me to Gainesville or up into south Georgia.

[RJB]

I voted for one day, but with good fossils so far away from me, I plan on at least a week for a trip, plus im in love with camping so it works out wonderfly for me. I just got back from trip and now cant wait to go on another! YeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

RB

[MOROPUS]

For me, things change if I want to hunt old or veeery old stuff.

If I choose veeery old stuff, then a hour an a half car ride to the rich cretaceous fossiliferous beds of the edge of Spanish plateau.

In the other hand, if by any chance I choose "only" old stuff, then, I have to have a spare week! The very rich Pliocene strata is 1000 kmtrs. away!

Nevertheless, it was a great fortune, that my parents buy a house IN the spot, 31 years ago. So, the fossils appeared even in my holiday garden! (this last bit is true, but the very best places are 20-30 minutes by car!)

So, mostly, I could answer all!