Fossil hunting in Alpena, Michigan, US

[Neonatal RRT]

These are some of the fossils I found this past week at the Rockport State Recreation Area near Alpena, Michigan, US. These are Devonian Era fossils in limestone, some 419-359 million years ago when this area was a warm water ocean. The first one is out in the field. This is a huge example of a Hexagonaria coral (Petosky stone). Way too big to move. The second and third are specimens that I took home and cleaned up. Mostly different corals and sponges.

 

[TBRS1]

Oh!

I'm taking my grandkids to Rockport to hunt for fossils in a few weeks!

(Petosky stones are common in my backyard.)

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Oh!

I'm taking my grandkids to Rockport to hunt for fossils in a few weeks!

(Petosky stones are common in my backyard.)

Awesome! Wear some rugged footwear, bring a hiking stick, carry some water, and a heavy-duty bag or plastic bucket. Not needed, but helpful, would be a rock hammer. You can pick these up on Amazon for about $15. The rocks there are loose and jagged, with a lot of ankle-twisting foot placements. Just take your time with walking around, you should find all sorts of fossils, and have a great time. Also, there aren't "facilities" there, so pretty much a "natural area" versus an actual park. The place is a lot bigger than you think and you can spend hours out there.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Nice. The second pic, lower right looks like a piece from the rugose coral Zaphrentis sp. It is next to a Heliophyllum. Brachiopods?

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Nice. The second pic, lower right looks like a piece from the rugose coral Zaphrentis sp. It is next to a Heliophyllum. Brachiopods?

That's what I am thinking, as well.

I only found a single brachiopod. I am thinking an Athyris ebora or something similar.

The wife and I will be heading back in a few weeks. I didn't get out to the far reaches of the area. I have seen videos of folks picking brachiopods near the back walls, but the area is huge and I couldn't climb up all that loose rock to poke around for them. But I would like to add some brachiopods, crinoid pieces, and gastropods to my collection.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

That's what I am thinking, as well.

I only found a single brachiopod. I am thinking an Athyris ebora or something similar.

The wife and I will be heading back in a few weeks. I didn't get out to the far reaches of the area. I have seen videos of folks picking brachiopods near the back walls, but the area is huge and I couldn't climb up all that loose rock to poke around for them. But I would like to add some brachiopods, crinoid pieces, and gastropods to my collection.

I used to hunt fossils in the Thedford/Arkona, Ontario, area. While corals and brachiopods were common (except for Microcyclus thedfordensis), I was out to bag crynoid calyxes, blastoids, and trilobites.

If you are ever out West, in the vicinity of Delta, Utah, there is the U-Dig quarry near Antelope Springs. You are charged by the hour and when you split shale, it is relatively easy to find many trilobites. The two most common are Elrathia kingi, and Asaphiscus wheeleri. Delta also has a great museum about the Topaz, Japanese internment camp, which was nearby.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I used to hunt fossils in the Thedford/Arkona, Ontario, area. While corals and brachiopods were common (except for Microcyclus thedfordensis), I was out to bag crynoid calyxes, blastoids, and trilobites.

If you are ever out West, in the vicinity of Delta, Utah, there is the U-Dig quarry near Antelope Springs. You are charged by the hour and when you split shale, it is relatively easy to find many trilobites. The two most common are Elrathia kingi, and Asaphiscus wheeleri. Delta also has a great museum about the Topaz, Japanese internment camp, which was nearby.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Ben H]

Those are cool fossils. I’m from Michigan originally but live in Montana now. My wife does a ton of rock-hounding both out here and in Michigan.