Utah Fossil Hunt

[Tony G.]

When fossil hunting near Moab, UT this weekend.  There was quite a bit of snow in the Moab area this weekend, so I was not expecting to find anything.  Luckily, this area was in the Sun and all the the snow was melted off.  Found many Brachiopods, crinoid stems, and a small partial trilobite.  (I have not been able to take a good photograph of the Trilobite because it is so small, abt 3/8")  Attached are photos of the best Brachiopod.  It is approx 2" across.  I found a slightly large one, but it is still covered in a lot of matrix and needs to be prepped.  Fossils are from the Permian Rico Formation about 17 miles down the Potash Road (Hwy 279) South of Moab, UT.  Does anyone know of a good reference for fossils in this formation.

[Peat Burns]

That's a beaut, and Permian no less.  Thanks for posting 

[Ludwigia]

Sorry I can't help you with references, but I just wanted to say that that is a very nice brachiopod.

[Nimravis]

Nice find and I did not know that there were fossils on Potash Road. I know that there are  Dino tracks and pictographs on Potash- will have to check next time I am in Moab.

[piranha]

1 hour ago, Tony G. said:

Fossils are from the Permian Rico Formation about 17 miles down the Potash Road (Hwy 279) South of Moab, UT.

Does anyone know of a good reference for fossils in this formation.

 

 

Here is a good paper on the fossils near Moab:

 

Melton, R.A. (1972)

Paleoecology and paleoenvironments of the upper Honaker Trail Formation near Moab, Utah.

Brigham Young University Geology Studies 19(2):45-88.pdf

 

Quote:

 

"Formation names which have been applied to the studied area include "Cutler", "Rico", and "Hermosa".  Baars (1962) believes the Rico Formation of the studied area should be included in the Honaker Trail Formation because the Rico facies is a localized phenomenon."

[Monica]

That is definitely one nice (and pretty big at 2 inches!!!) brachiopod - I'm also 

[ober]

Tony, I’ve been down the Potash Road and found a site with largely bryozoan and crinoid bits. Nothing as nice as your find. Do you have a GPS location for this location? If not, some direction? After the potash plant the road becomes graded, not paved. You ascend a hill with the embankment on the right side and a nice view of the river on the left. In about a mile (memory value) the is a small switchback rise, first right then left, which takes you to a higher plateau. The road continues generally south from here. If this strikes a cord, how far along would you suggest looking for marine inverts? Thanks.Tom

[Tony G.]

On 12/27/2018 at 6:44 PM, ober said:

Tony, I’ve been down the Potash Road and found a site with largely bryozoan and crinoid bits. Nothing as nice as your find. Do you have a GPS location for this location? If not, some direction? After the potash plant the road becomes graded, not paved. You ascend a hill with the embankment on the right side and a nice view of the river on the left. In about a mile (memory value) the is a small switchback rise, first right then left, which takes you to a higher plateau. The road continues generally south from here. If this strikes a cord, how far along would you suggest looking for marine inverts? Thanks.Tom

Area circled in Red is where i have found many brachiopods, bryozoans, crinoids, and a couple of Trilobite fragments.  I had purchased a poster from the Moab Rock Shop about 25 years ago.  It had many fossil collecting locations on it.  The area that I circled in red was listed as the Rico Formation.  From Hwy 191 near Moab, it is approx 17 miles down Potash Rd to this site. 

[Tony G.]

This site has large boulders across the entrance now to block vehicles from driving in.