Jump to content

Mazon Creek 3/4 – Somewhat Disappointing


connorp

Recommended Posts

I'm back in IL for spring break this week, and thought it was about time I went down to Mazon Creek. I've never been there before, but have read quite a lot of trip reports others have posted and felt prepared. I parked right off of 5000N at Monster Lake to start. I walked around the lake for about an hour, but found nothing resembling a concretion. There were an insane number of rocks eroding from the slopes, but I saw nothing of interest. I then headed about a third of the way down the gravel road and decided to check out the area near a "Fossil Hunting Area" sign.

 

p2.thumb.png.88ae0fab8ef561ffb431dfb12ed3a9b9.png

 

I walked near there for about half and hour, but the grass was too dense to see the ground at all. I then headed right across to the other side of the road and up a large hill. Here's my car from the top.

 

p1.thumb.png.266b323d36f857b80c267038ebd23bd5.png

 

I spent an hour or so combing the ridge, but still found no nodules. I thought about venturing down into the valley, but it was quite steep and didn't feel comfortable doing so alone. Finally, I drove another third or so down the road until I spotted exposed clay. I wandered around this area for an hour and a half. I was getting somewhat frustrated at this point, so I got on my hands and knees and crawled through the brush, hoping that being closer to the ground would give me better luck.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I covered quite some distance and felt that I had searched quite thoroughly, but only managed to find three nodules in total. They were all split open already, and this one below is the only one that had anything inside it. Not really sure what it is, maybe some kind of worm?

 

p3.thumb.jpg.bf650ab9887fae861e99f06f3319debe.jpg

 

I'm thinking of trying again Friday. This was a pretty disappointing first hunt there, but I suppose that it as expected. I'll just have to head in deeper until I can find some more exposed clay next time.

  • I found this Informative 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found not a single nodule the first two times I went to Mazon Creek--definitely a slow learner. The area near the "Fossil Hunting Area" sign doesn't get turned over often enough to merit spending any time near there. I initially looked off the sides of the trails I was walking expecting nodules to simply jump out into my pockets--I was still at the base of the learning curve. One time I left the trails and went off through the underbrush. I spent more time looking on steep surfaces where the rains and runoff created some erosion. It wasn't till I found some bare soil devoid of the underbrush before I started spotting nodules. Ignore most of the flat or gently sloping areas and try around the lakes and in other spots where the land drops off steeply. Be prepared to get scratched up trudging though the underbrush and likely end up with at least a tick or two. I haven't been back in a couple years and don't really have any special spots I'd be able to direct you to but search areas with erosion and you'll likely do better than this attempt.

 

Let us know how you do next time.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

  • I found this Informative 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the report and photos.

Better luck next time. :)

  • I found this Informative 1

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for sharing, @connorp. Similar to you and @digit, I only found about 3 concretions on my first trip in 2015, and none had any fossils inside. Since then I have found a few locations where I can consistently find some concretions on each trip. Based on your descriptions, it sounds like you were looking in spots where I have never found anything either. I would be happy to PM you some general directions for a few more productive areas for your next trip, though! It's never fun to get skunked. 

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for sharing! Mazon creek is a place I’d love to go someday....seems I’ll need to make sure I have a few days to make it worth it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am no where near an expert on Mazon creek. But the one time I went there I remember looking on steep hillsides, and thick brush.  I also went to a campground and had great luck finding ferns fronds in nodules.   I think I had to pay $5 to hunt there, but it was way easier than anywhere else I hunted for them.  Not sure it's still around, but you could check around. 

For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun.
-Aldo Leopold
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope. Sadly, the Fossil Rock Campground was sold to new owners and there is no indication that it will re-open to fossil hunters. :(

 

It was a great deal while it lasted.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/5/2019 at 8:58 PM, digit said:

Nope. Sadly, the Fossil Rock Campground was sold to new owners and there is no indication that it will re-open to fossil hunters. :(

 

It was a great deal while it lasted.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

Ken,

 

I’ve been trying to find who bought and what it is being used for now. Was it bought by one of those clubs nearby? I’m not close enough to just venture by and see what it is being used as, and neither are you most of the time except maybe when visiting I’m sure. I’ve spent hours in the past trying to search business maps, etc trying to figure out what the land is being used as these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

https://www.myfossilrock.com/

 

It's "under new management" according to their website which states that it is (was) due to open in the spring of 2018. From the locals in the area I believe this campground has still been found to be closed so possibly they have run into delays. If we are to believe their website, they intend to open it back up as a campground where "you can now engage your whole family in activities" which would (hopefully) include access to a great place to dig for Mazon Creek nodules. We are at the mercy of the new owners and so far I've not heard any motion toward this site being opened at all--much less for fossil hunting.

 

Fingers crossed that someday this spot may allow fossil hunting again (but I wouldn't hold my breath).

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was able to go back out there today for a few hours, and thanks to @deutscheben I had success!  I found a bunch of already split nodules, nothing very identifiable in them but I collected quite a few initially out of excitement. I eventually came across an area that  had dozens of unsplit nodules, although most were quite small (around an inch for the longest dimension). I know that the smaller ones usually don't have anything identifiable in them, but you never know. I managed to find a dozen or so unsplit ones that were a bit larger at a few inches wide, so fingers crossed. I'll post pictures of everything once I can clean everything up.

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's great to hear, I'm glad you could find some more! I look forward to seeing your pictures. 

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nodules are outside to freeze for the night. Here are a few preopened nodules I collected. The only recognizable one is a Pecopteris that needs a bit of cleaning.

 

IMG_5381.thumb.jpg.ae96a67d319072fc5f04d18a6882194a.jpg

 

All the other opened nodules that had anything inside had these near perfect circular and ovicular calcite stains. Are these fossils or simply just mineral stains?

 

IMG_5382.thumb.jpg.1b99466d021c7bd3542e528cc8326e24.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first Essexella that split out. Pretty nice I think.

 

IMG_5413.thumb.jpg.e3659fb3048703cfc8a2b248ea37a526.jpg

 

And I found this thing in a nodule fragment I picked up. I have no what it is, but it caught my eye since it's quite 3D.

 

IMG_5414.thumb.jpg.2bff5f336679d142da4c02c5106514a6.jpg

 

Any thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mazon Creek nodules can be quite difficult to decipher unless you've had a lot of experience with them. I'm still at the subjective stage where they mostly look like Rorschach ink blots to me. We have a few folks who've seen thousands of nodules and are better at some of the less obvious identifications. To me, the first nodule above does not seem to be showing an Essexella ashera jelly but just different colored layers within the nodule. I've seen plenty of nodules where there is a more solid center to the concretion as in the lower image and I don't believe that is any identifiable fossil.

 

I don't think you've hit on either of these nodules but they tend to be like scratch-off lottery tickets--not many are winners but they get your heard racing when you get a good one.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was just there today. I'll post some pictures soon.  Check out this website http://americanfossilhunt.com/.  In his book, Andrew details some locations to visit.  It's a useful resource for beginners.  It's hard work slogging through the overgrown plants and steep hills, but concretions are still out there to be found.

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of the concretions I've been freeze-thawing have ended up practically disintegrating once cracks start to appear. Is this normal? Fortunately none so far have appeared to contain anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, connorp said:

A lot of the concretions I've been freeze-thawing have ended up practically disintegrating once cracks start to appear. Is this normal? Fortunately none so far have appeared to contain anything.

That does happen and welcome to the joy of Mazon Creek Collecting. Keep at it and you will find fossils.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...