Looking for trilobites

[Eastonian]

Hi. I live in Michigan, and am considering driving 5 hours to Waynesville, Ohio and the Caesar Creek State Park, where I hear that people have found trilobite fossils. I've also heard that by this time of the year, the fields have been picked over pretty well, and to wait until the spring, when the freezing and thaw may unearth more specimens. Anyone have a thought on this? 

[FossilDAWG]

Depending on where you live in Michigan, I suspect it would be the same driving time to get to the roadcut on Hwy 1 just north of St Leon, Indiana.  There are several Ordovician formations exposed there, tons of fossils (both numbers and diversity), and the Liberty Formation there is a more consistent source of small (and a few larger) Flexicalymene trilobites, especially after a good rain.

 

I have heard the same as what you mentioned about Caeser Creek State Park.  I visited there only once.  However there is also a lot to find there, it could be worth having it on your itinerary if you have time to include both.  I did find two tiny Flexicalymene, a tiny enrolled Isotelus, and many brachiopods, snails, bryozoans, corals, and other bits there.  I have just found St Leon to be more productive.

 

Both sites are better if you have an idea of the best layers to hunt, and the method.  Basically, for the tiny trilobites you will be crawling on your hands and knees, do not expect to see anything from a standing position such as while walking.  Your nose has to be within a foot or so of the ground.  Do a search for both sites here in the Forum and you'll get lots of information.

 

Good luck!  Be sure to show us your finds.

 

Don

[Peat Burns]

Agree with fossildawg regarding the St. Leon site.  It takes a good eye to see the trilobites  (usually small and enrolled Flexicalymene retrorsa minuens) while lying on your belly on the upper terrace in the clay washouts.  A lot of people that go there don't know how and where to look for them, and those that do certainly haven't found all of them, even before the winter freeze / thaw, etc.  They're there to be found if you are patient and develop a good search image.  They seem especially abundant where there are lots of the tiny brachiopod Zygospira modesta

[Eastonian]

10 hours ago, Peat Burns said:

Agree with fossildawg regarding the St. Leon site.  It takes a good eye to see the trilobites  (usually small and enrolled Flexicalymene retrorsa minuens) while lying on your belly on the upper terrace in the clay washouts.  A lot of people that go there don't know how and where to look for them, and those that do certainly haven't found all of them, even before the winter freeze / thaw, etc.  They're there to be found if you are patient and develop a good search image.  They seem especially abundant where there are lots of the tiny brachiopod Zygospira modesta

Thanks for the advice. I just looked at the roadcut on Google. It looks fairly long. Any hint about where in the roadcut would be the best searching?

[dalmayshun]

Everywhere, both sides of the road...i stop every trip north to Grand Haven, MI from Ft Myers, Florida. A really fun place. 

[Peat Burns]

5 hours ago, Eastonian said:

Thanks for the advice. I just looked at the roadcut on Google. It looks fairly long. Any hint about where in the roadcut would be the best searching?

Go to the following link.  Towards the end of the thread, I posted a picture showing where to look  plus  some suggestions for finding them

 

 

[Herr Mario]

I used to go to Hueston Woods State Park and always found great Flexicalimini Meeke's besides tons of other type fossils down by the dam spillway either side...but a couple years ago the State re-did the spillway and my favorite area was inaccesable untill they got done...they did some major work and I fear they tore up the area I found most of mine-BUT the work they did seems to have stirred up fresh layers....havent been able to get back there yet this year but hope to this fall and look around ...

[FossilDAWG]

Sounds interesting!  If you get back there let us know how you did.  That's a nice Flexicalymene .

 

Don