As all you rockhounds out there know, it is becoming more and more difficult to find places to study rocks, fossils, and minerals. Sites are constantly being built on, or access is being denied. In additiion, many people are unwilling to 'give up' their sites. So here are some good spots!
CAUMSETT STATE PARK, LONG ISLAND
DIRECTIONS: From the village of Huntington, take route 25A west to West Neck Road. Take West Neck Road North until you see the entrance sign for Caumsett State Park. Enter the park, and park in the main lot. Take the trail to the beach which is a two mile walk. Once on the beach, head for the cliffs.
DESCRIPTION; There are many glacial erratics and the closest thing to an 'outcrop' that can be found on Long Island in a Cretaceous exposure. The two most notable things to be seen are concretions (some up to one foot in diameter) and red shale containing spectacular leaf fossils of magnolia and sassafras.
CROTON POINT, NEW YORK
DIRECTIONS: Croton Point (Drive over the railroad tracks ans straight to the large parking lot) The best place to find a variety of rocks is along the beaches that look out into the main channel. Be sure to go at or near low tide.
DESCRIPTION: Rocks which can be found include gabbro, granite, schist, gneiss, sandstone, conglomerate, and varved clays
HIGHLAND MILLS RAILROAD CUT, NEW YORK
DIRECTIONS: Just drive into Highland Mills, and turn east at the Mobil Station...you cant miss it
DESCRIPTION: A railroad cut in Highland Mills is an exceptional exposure of steeply-dipping, Devonian age shales, limestone, and sandstones. This has been a popular exposure for geology field trips, however EXTREME CAUTION is required because it isadjacent to rail lines with very fast moving trains.
ROCK CITY FALLS, NEW YORK
DIRECTIONS: Get off at exit 14 of the Adirondack Northway. Head west on Route 29. Go through Saratoga Springs, continue west to the village of Rock City Falls (around 8 miles from exit 14). Make at left at County Route 49 at a large smokestack. Continue south a few yards until you see the Fire Department on your right. Park to the left of the building, NOT IN FRONT OF THE GARAGES. The outcrop will be directly in front of you
DIRECTIONS: (north of Cortland on Interstate 81, exit 14). The oucrop is located on the east side of the Interstate, behind the Best Western Motel.
DESCRIPTION: Brachiopods, Crinoids, Gastropods, and Trilobites are found in the black shales. Thin limestone beds occur at the top of the section where corals can be found.
CATSKILL, NEW YORK
DIRECTIONS: NYS thruway (I-87) to exit 20 at Saugerties. Make a left at light (McDonalds). Cross over the thruway and make the first right. Follow Rt 32 for approximately 3.1 miles to the fossil dig (on the right).
DESCRIPTION: It is a road- cut into shale loaded with brachiopods, a few crinoids and ammonites.
ANTELOPE SPRINGS UTAH
DIRECTIONS: quarry is located approximately 52 miles west of Delta, Utah. travel 32 miles west on Highway 6/50. At the Long Ridge Reservoir sign between mile markers 56-57, turn right. There is a U-DIG Fossils sign at this intersection. Then travel 20 miles down a well-maintained gravel road to reach the U-DIG Fossils trilobite quarry.
DESCRIPTION: $30 and you will find more Trilobites than you have ever seen
FLORRISSANT COLORADO
DIRECTIONS: As you travel from Colorado Springs toward Florrissant National Monument, you will make a left hand turn off route 1. Right at the intersection, on your right side will be an outcrop that is owned by the small rock shop in the area.
DESCRIPTION: Volcanic ash deposit (shale) with leaves and insects
GORHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE
DIRECTIONS: The site is reached by taking a trail which starts at the old train trestle (green, you cant miss it) that crosses the main highway just north of Gorham. Hike under the bridge on the lower level across the river. Once over the river, turn right on a dirt road. As you approach a hydroelectric plant, walk between the plant (on your right) and the reservoir (on your left) The trail then heads to your left for a short while, and then branches off to the right (There are signs and arrows) You will go uphill, crossing under some high tension wires. The trail splits, just follow the sign to the pond.
DESCRIPTION: talus slope, coming from old, abandoned lead mines. In the talus you find at least 20 different minerals.
CRYSTAL PARK, MONTANA
DIRECTIONS: This area is located in the Pioneer Mountains of southwestern Montana
DESCRIPTION: The US Forest Service and the Butte Mineral and Gem Club maintain mining claims at Crystal Park, which is open to the public, free of charge, for digging quartz crystals. You'll need a shovel and a 1/4 inch mesh sieve. You can find clear, milky, gray, purple and smoky crystals, as well as twinned crystals
SAYREVILLE NEW JERSEY
DIRECTIONS: KENNEDY PARK, Middlesex County, NJ: This city park in Sayreville, NJ(near Sayreville High School) is partially surrounded by bluffs left behindby fire-clay mining operations
DESCRIPTION: exceptional exposures of theRaritan/Magothy formations of late Cretaceous age which contain lignite,rare non-marine fossils and amber.
MOAT MOUNTAIN SMOKEY QUARTZ AREA , New Hampshire
DIRECTIONS: From Conway, New Hampshire...travel north on route 16 to the first set of traffic lights. Take a left to West Side Road. Follow west side road for .7 miles, and turn left on Passaconoaway Road. Proceed 1.2 miles to High Street which is an unmarked dirt road bearing right. ( you will see a little mineral collecting sign) Drive High street for 1.9 miles, following the two mineral collecting signs. There will be parking lot at the end of the road. Hike 3./4 miles to the Moat Mtn Site
