Fossil Hunting Eastern Wyoming

[chg057]

Hi Everyone,

 

I suddenly have a work trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota coming up next week and I'd like to get out and collect some fossils along the way. I'm driving from Denver to Lead, SD and will be driving north on HW 85 and 18 through Newcastle. 

 

I'd be really happy to get a few stops in along the way and any potential information would really be great. Unfortunately, I won't have a ton of time to be able to stop and really dig, so some road cuts or target formations would be super helpful for surface collecting. I'm open to every type of fossil.

 

I know there's a lot of fossils in that section of the state so I'm looking forward to hopefully finding some decent stuff!

 

Thanks!

Caleb

[Raggedy Man]

I can't help you sorry, but next time im in Denver we should get together and do some hunting. Im always up for meeting fellow forum members.

 

The information here is old and im sure many of the sites are either unavailable or possibly still open for collecting. I hope this helps.

 

http://donaldkenney.x10.mx/STATES/WY.HTM

[chg057]

30 minutes ago, Raggedy Man said:

I can't help you sorry, but next time im in Denver we should get together and do some hunting. Im always up for meeting fellow forum members.

 

The information here is old and im sure many of the sites are either unavailable or possibly still open for collecting. I hope this helps.

 

http://donaldkenney.x10.mx/STATES/WY.HTM

 

Wow! What a site! Thank you!

 

Yeah definitely let me know when you're in town!

[Castle Rock]

I am somewhat envious of your trip!  Many years ago, I was in the Black Hills area and I was driving south of Fairburn, SD (known for the agates found near there.  I never did find out where these agates could be found (this was LONG before there was any internet).  I also drove SOUTH from Fairburn on a dirt road to see if I might locate an outcrop of the Pierre shale.  Instead of finding the Pierre, I did find an outcrop of what I believe is the Bend shale (formerly Fort Bend) which is lower cretaceous (below the Niobrara).  The location is located off the east side of the road several miles south of Fairburn. It almost resembles a dry pond, as the shale is very fissile and the outcrop basically has no structural element.  I can not tell you who the landowner might be, or where he might be found.  BUT, walking across this featureless exposure, I came upon a pile of 26 vertebrae from a mosasaur (Liodon, I believe).  The bone is so heavily filled with gypsum, that only the larger bones (these vertebrae) were actually preserved. I also found a few examples of cone-in-cone structure and some nice selenite crystals!  I have not been back to this place since then.  YOU might get lucky there!  Please keep us informed of your travels AND your finds!   Dave 

[chg057]

4 hours ago, Castle Rock said:

I am somewhat envious of your trip!  Many years ago, I was in the Black Hills area and I was driving south of Fairburn, SD (known for the agates found near there.  I never did find out where these agates could be found (this was LONG before there was any internet).  I also drove SOUTH from Fairburn on a dirt road to see if I might locate an outcrop of the Pierre shale.  Instead of finding the Pierre, I did find an outcrop of what I believe is the Bend shale (formerly Fort Bend) which is lower cretaceous (below the Niobrara).  The location is located off the east side of the road several miles south of Fairburn. It almost resembles a dry pond, as the shale is very fissile and the outcrop basically has no structural element.  I can not tell you who the landowner might be, or where he might be found.  BUT, walking across this featureless exposure, I came upon a pile of 26 vertebrae from a mosasaur (Liodon, I believe).  The bone is so heavily filled with gypsum, that only the larger bones (these vertebrae) were actually preserved. I also found a few examples of cone-in-cone structure and some nice selenite crystals!  I have not been back to this place since then.  YOU might get lucky there!  Please keep us informed of your travels AND your finds!   Dave 

Wow. I would've dropped dead of a heart attack probably. What a discovery.