Maysville KT - Fossil Hunting

Our second trip of the year was to Maysville Kentucky and we had a great time. We went with a Fossil Tour Group called Mid-Atlantic Fossil Trips. Cathy Young is the Owner of this Group and she brings in experts to lead the activities. This trip was led by Dr. Lauck Ward who is the Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Virginia Museum of Natural History.

Over the past year we have joined Cathy's trips and had plenty of fun (and education). In 2007 we went to Big Brook NJ, Calvert MD, Madison NY, and Beltzville PA. This year I joined the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society and plan to do several trips on my own and with both groups. I highly suggest finding a club or group like Cathy's to get started n this great family hobby.

And now back to the trip report...

We drove 10 hours from our home to the hotel and were very happy to see that the Hampton Inn we stayed in is brand new and very comfortable. Maysville Kt is a series of road cuts that you hike up and down in search of your treasures. Brachiopods, Corals, and Cephalopods, were by far the most numerous of our finds but then the Trilobites began to show up. I found a very nice and LARGE Isotelus (missing it's head) that only had a small portion exposed. This I sent off to Marc Behrendt of Fossil Prep in Ohio who did an awesome job bringing out the rest of my prize for a fair price.

Also of note on this trip was that if you accidentally broke open some of the Braciopods, they turned out to be Geodes! They were filled with very pretty crystals. After our first discovery, we "accidentally" broke some more. Very cool!

The Cephalopods at this location were the largest I have found and several had also crystallized making for some very pretty plates.

Overall: A (You always find something there)
Family Fun: A (Is very easy - much has washed out and is laying at your feet)
Variety: B (Brachiapods, Cephalopods, Trilobites)
Difficulty: B (These are highway road cuts so care must be taken with kids)
Site Cost: A+ Free!
Age: Ordovician (About 500 MYA)
Location: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=&daddr=38.604194,-83.760452&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=14&sll=38.605402,-83.747663&sspn=0.047689,0.114326&ie=UTF8&ll=38.605603,-83.758221&spn=0.047689,0.114326&t=h&z=14
Equipment: B (Geology Pick and Chisels, Gloves and Eye Protection)

Big Brook NJ - Fossil Hunting

This post is a bit late but better than never. I went to Big Brook the first opportunity I could in February once the weather cleared a little. I think it hit 50 degrees that day. Either way, I stayed out of the water as much as possible. It was a quick trip due to the cold water temps but I managed to pull some nice shark teeth, ray plates and some belemnites. The cool find for the day was a perfect Ostera Mesenterica. It was my first ever and on the the second complete one I've seen from this stream.

Last year I hit the stream about 4 or five times and came up with many nice teeth and belemnites, some crab claws, and numerous shell and gastropod impressions. I have also found some bone fragments, ray crusher teeth and barbs, drum teeth, shark coprolite, and one cool saw fish rostrum.

A friend and her brother found a very large Enchodus in great shape at 1 7/8 inches.

This year my goal is a Mososaur Tooth (same goal as last years) and maybe a Croc too.

Overall: B+ (You always find something there)
Family Fun: A (Water is only 12 inches deep)
Variety: A (I like to take a few hours here and relax)
Difficulty: B (Steep hill from parking area then it's flat stream)
Cost: A+ Free!
Age: Cretaceous (About 80 MYA)
Location: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=&daddr=40.32023,-74.22315&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=18&sll=40.320238,-74.223177&sspn=0.002908,0.007145&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=18
Equipment: A (Hand Trowel and Screen)