Fossil Hunting in New Hampshire
Why New Hampshire?
Honesty first: New Hampshire is one of the most fossil-poor states in the country. The vast majority of the state is underlain by metamorphic and igneous rocks, primarily schists, gneisses, and granites, that have been heated and deformed well beyond the point where fossils survive. However, in the far northern part of the state, lower-grade Devonian metasediments preserve sparse marine fossils, and for the dedicated collector who values the challenge, finding anything at all here is a genuine accomplishment.
What You’ll Find
Deformed brachiopods in the Littleton Formation are the most realistic target. These Devonian marine fossils have been squeezed and stretched by metamorphism, making them look quite different from undeformed specimens. Crinoid columnals and trace fossils occasionally appear in the same units. The key challenge is recognizing fossils in metamorphic rock, as they lack the crisp detail found in unaltered sedimentary deposits. Everything you find here will test your identification skills.
Best Time to Visit
Late spring through early fall. Northern New Hampshire winters are severe and roadcut exposures may be snow-covered from November through April. Summer offers long days and comfortable temperatures in the mountains. Fall foliage season is spectacular but short.
Tips for New Hampshire Collecting
This state is for experienced collectors who enjoy a geological challenge. Focus exclusively on the far northern counties, Grafton and Coos, where Devonian metasediments crop out. Roadcuts along Routes 3 and 2 in the Littleton and Milan areas offer the most accessible exposures. Bring a hand lens and be prepared to examine many surfaces before finding anything identifiable. A good geological map of New Hampshire is essential for targeting the right rock units. Most visitors to New Hampshire will have far better luck mineral collecting, for which the state is well known, than fossil hunting.
Collecting Sites
Littleton area roadcuts
Free Public AccessLittleton, Grafton County
Devonian marine metasediments occasionally preserve deformed brachiopods and trace fossils. The rocks are metamorphosed, so fossils are distorted and require experience to identify.
Milan area
Free Public AccessMilan, Coos County
Low-grade metamorphic Devonian sediments in the far north of the state with sparse marine invertebrate fossils.
Legal Rules for New Hampshire
New Hampshire has no specific fossil collecting regulations. White Mountain National Forest lands permit casual collecting of common invertebrate and plant fossils. State parks may restrict collecting. The scarcity of fossils makes regulations a minor concern here.
Read our full legal guide for federal laws and more details.
Key Geological Formations
- Littleton Formation (Devonian)
- Fitch Formation (Silurian-Devonian)