Category: California Fossil Sites

Death Valley National Park

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Look for the Middle to Late Miocene Dove Spring Formation at Red Rock Canyon State Park, which yields one of the great terrestrial, land-deposited Miocene vertebrate fossil faunas in all the western United States. Another site of interest is the Barstow Formation, which provides vertebrate paleontologists with one of the greatest concentrations of Miocene mammal fossils yet recovered from North America. The park also hosts a variety of other fossil sites, including the Trilobite Wilderness, which is home to 21 species of ancient plants and animals, including trilobites, an echinoderm, a coelenterate, mollusks, blue-green algae, and brachiopods. The park’s fossil sites are accessible via various hiking trails and guided tours. For more information, visit the Death Valley National Park website.

Cabrillo National Monument

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Geology:

The geologic history of Cabrillo National Monument is dominated by two periods of time – when the rocks formed, and when they were uplifted and shaped into the peninsula we see today. The peninsula’s main mass of rocks accumulated as sand, mud, and gravel dumped into the Pacific Ocean during the late Cretaceous Period, about 76 million years ago. These sedimentary rocks were uplifted and deformed by faulting, cut across by ancient beaches and sea floors, and modified by erosion during the last 2 million years or so (the Quaternary) source.

Paleontology:

The site is known for its fossilized burrows of Ophiomorpha and Thalassinoides, as well as Inoceramid fossils, which are about 10-20 cm wide and look like bubbly crusts embedded into the tidepool cliffs. These fossils provide a glimpse into the ancient marine life that once inhabited the area source.

Joshua Tree National Park

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Joshua Tree National Park, located in southeastern California, is a haven for fossil enthusiasts and geology buffs alike. The park is known for its rich paleontological history, with fossils dating back to the Pliocene epoch, around 5 million years ago. These fossils include a variety of marine invertebrates, such as mollusks and echinoids, as well as terrestrial mammals like horses, camels, and mastodons. The park is also home to a number of plant fossils, including the park’s namesake, the Joshua Tree.

The park is located about 140 miles east of Los Angeles, 175 miles northeast of San Diego, 215 miles southwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 222 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona. There are several entrances into the main park, including dirt trails that require high clearance vehicles and even four-wheel drive. Visitors should study possible routes for their journey in advance to be prepared for any outcome. The closest airport is in Palm Springs. Public transportation to the park is limited.

The geology of Joshua Tree National Park is incredibly diverse, with a history that spans nearly two billion years. The park’s landscape is the current expression of this evolution, with varied landforms reflecting the differing origins of underlying rock types and their differing responses to subsequent geologic events. The park is situated within the eastern part of California’s Transverse Ranges province and straddles the transition between the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. The geologically diverse terrain that underlies the park reveals a rich and varied geologic evolution. The park’s geology includes metamorphic rocks, volcanic intrusions, and a variety of mountain ranges and valleys. The park also lies near the San Andreas Fault System, one of the most notable fault zones in the region.

Remember that this is a National Park and you should inform yourself of the appropriate permissions and restrictions of National Park land when it comes to fossil hunting.

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John Muir National Historic Site

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The John Muir National Historic Site, located in Martinez, California, is a tribute to the life and work of the famous naturalist and conservationist, John Muir. While the site is not primarily known for its fossils, it does offer a rich geological history. The site’s geologic story began between about 145 million and 56 million years ago, when sediments that would become the site’s bedrock were deposited. The Great Valley Sequence, the geologic formation underlying the site, was formed over millions of years. Geologic processes such as plate tectonics and fluvial activity (the flowing of water) continue to alter the landscape to the present day. The site is also relevant for park management, including erosion, flooding, faults, and earthquakes. While the site does not have a specific fossil hunting area, it offers a unique opportunity to explore the geological history and the influence it had on John Muir’s life and work. Visitors can explore the beautiful grounds and orchards, the historic Victorian house of the Strenzel/Muir families, over 360-acres of trails on Mt. Wanda, and the Strentzel/Muir Gravesite.

Remember that this is a National Park and you should inform yourself of the appropriate permissions and restrictions of National Park land when it comes to fossil hunting.

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Golden Gate National Recreation Area

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The Golden Gate National Recreation Area, located in San Francisco, California, is a treasure trove for paleontology enthusiasts. The park is home to a wide diversity of marine and terrestrial fossils, including plants and animals. However, only a few of the rock units in the park are known to produce fossils, and most are marine invertebrates and microfossils. The park’s geology is also fascinating, with the Presidio showcasing serpentinite that was formed deep in a subduction and then pushed up to the surface along fault zones. The Marin Headlands contain abundant exposures of a rock of biological origin, radiolarian chert, which forms nearly all of the ridge tops and summits in the Headlands due to its resistance to weathering. The park also contains younger rocks linked to sea level rise and fall during past glacial periods.

The Merced Formation forms the sea cliffs at Fort Funston and is composed of fossil-rich beds of sand and clay laid down during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs. The Colma Formation dates back a mere 100,000 years and records a time of high sea level developed during the last warm interglacial period before our present one. These rocks are locally covered by recent sand dunes formed from 5,000 to 8,000 years ago as sea level stabilized following the last glacial period that peaked around 19,000 years ago. The Mesozoic-aged Franciscan Complex in the park contains few macrofossils but contains microscopic fossils, radiolarians, and, together with rare macrofossils, are of great importance in dating these terranes composed of oceanic rocks. The park is accessible to the public, and visitors are encouraged to explore and discover the rich geological and paleontological history it offers. However, fossil hunting is not permitted, and all fossils must be left undisturbed for others to enjoy.

Remember that this is a National Park and you should inform yourself of the appropriate permissions and restrictions of National Park land when it comes to fossil hunting.

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Submission: La Jolla Shores

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Directions:

You can just park right by the beach and access the beach directly when you arrive at La Jolla Shores Beach.

Fossils:

Submitter found in the ocean at La Jolla Shores just south of Torrey Pines in San Diego. Hasn’t identified it and is looking for guidance. Object is around 1”x1”. Any insight on this specimen and the imprints on it appreciated.

Ernst Quarries

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The Ernst Quarries have some of the largest deposits of marine fossils in the world. It’s located right next to Shark Tooth Hill in Kern County. The site contains over 260 acres of rich paleontological lands divided into 3 quarries. The land is owned by The Ernst Quarries, found here!

How to Get There:

Find directions here on the Ernst Quarries website.

Arrange a Visit:

You can arrange a visit by contacting them on their website. See pricing here, $40 per adult, $30 for children, and $15 for student groups for 4 hours of fossil collecting.

What Kind of Fossils Can You Find There:

Find rich deposits of marine bone fossils from the Miocene (12 to 15 mya). At the time Kern County consisted of shallow oceans and river bays. Shark teeth from this period are very common in the area.

Submission: Santa Paula Creek

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Submitted: May 31, 2019

Location: 34°26’20.0″N 119°05’01.4″W

Fossils Found: A contributor found Turritella Snail Shells, Oyster Drill Snail Shells, and Fossil Bivalves, which they were told could be any of or a mix of Cucullaea, Glycymeris, and Glycymerita. Shell and gastropod fossils are relatively common in this area which is part of the Topatopa Range. The fossils are of an unknown age, but similar fossils found in the Los Padres Wilderness have been dated to the Oligocene-Eocene periods.

Directions: Find the coordinates on the Santa Paula Creek flood plain, downstream from the “Punchbowls” waterfalls. Many of the trails in the area can have loose gravel so it’s important to be careful fossil hunting in the area!