Fossil Hunting in New York

New York may not be the first state that comes to mind for fossil collecting, but western New York holds some of the most accessible and fossiliferous Devonian rock in the world. The Devonian shales and limestones that underlie the region from Buffalo to the Finger Lakes are packed with 380-million-year-old marine life — trilobites, brachiopods, corals, crinoids, and ancient fish — and Penn Dixie Fossil Park near Buffalo is consistently ranked among the best public fossil collecting sites in the country.

Why New York?

During the Middle Devonian period, roughly 380 million years ago, what is now western and central New York was submerged beneath a warm, shallow tropical sea on the western edge of the Appalachian Basin. This sea was comparable in some ways to today’s Caribbean — shallow, warm, and teeming with invertebrate life.

The Catskill Delta — a massive sediment wedge shed westward from the rising Acadian Mountains (an ancient mountain chain) — deposited thick sequences of shale, siltstone, and limestone across New York. These Hamilton Group rocks record a diverse marine ecosystem that thrived for millions of years.

The Devonian is sometimes called the “Age of Fishes,” and New York’s rocks reflect this. But the invertebrate life — trilobites, brachiopods, corals, crinoids, and bryozoans — is what makes the state a collecting paradise. These fossils are extraordinarily abundant, beautifully preserved, and accessible to collectors of all experience levels.

What You’ll Find

Trilobites:

• Eldredgeops rana (formerly Phacops rana) — The iconic Devonian trilobite of western New York. These compound-eyed arthropods are the star of Penn Dixie and are found enrolled (curled up) and outstretched. Their large, schizochroal eyes are remarkably well preserved.
• Greenops — A spiny trilobite found less commonly than Eldredgeops but highly sought after.
• Dipleura — A smoother trilobite occasionally found in Hamilton Group shales.
• Bellacartwrightia (formerly Dechenella) — Small trilobites found in limestone layers.

Brachiopods (extremely abundant):

• Mucrospirifer mucronatus — The classic winged spiriferid brachiopod. Very common and photogenic.
• Mediospirifer — Another common spiriferid.
• Athyris — Smooth, rounded brachiopods.
• Tropidoleptus — Distinctive ribbed brachiopods.
• Multiple other genera — brachiopods are by far the most common fossils at most sites.

Corals:

• Horn corals (rugose corals) — Solitary cone-shaped corals, very common. Heliophyllum and Cystiphylloides are the most frequently found genera.
• Colonial corals — Tabulate corals like Favosites (honeycomb coral) and Pleurodictyum (a distinctive small colonial coral).

Crinoids:

• Crinoid stem segments (columnals) — Disc-shaped segments that look like tiny poker chips. Extremely common.
• Crinoid calyxes (the “head”) — Much rarer and a prize find.

Bryozoans:

• Lace-like and branching colonies, common in limestone layers.

Other fossils:

• Gastropods (sea snails)
• Bivalves (clams)
• Tentaculitids — tiny, cone-shaped shells, very common in some layers.
• Devonian fish — Placoderm armor plates (Bothriolepis) and other fish remains are rare but exciting finds, particularly along Lake Erie exposures.
• Devonian plant fossils — Occasionally found in the siltier layers.

Best Time to Visit

• Late spring through early fall (May-October): Penn Dixie’s main season. They run public dig programs on weekends and weekday evenings in summer.
• After freeze-thaw cycles (spring): Winter frost breaks up shale exposures, revealing fresh surfaces and new fossils. Early spring is excellent for road cuts and creek exposures.
• Summer: The most comfortable time for extended outdoor collecting. Penn Dixie hosts special events and night digs.
• Fall: Beautiful weather in the Finger Lakes with fewer visitors. Creek water levels are often low, exposing more bedrock.
• Winter: Most outdoor sites are impractical due to snow and cold, and Penn Dixie is closed for the season.

Tips for New York Collecting

• Penn Dixie is a must-visit. The park is specifically designed for fossil collecting. They provide basic tools (hammers and chisels), but bringing your own rock hammer and safety glasses will improve your experience. Split shale along bedding planes — fossils are preserved on the flat surfaces between layers. Admission is modest (around $10-12 for adults) and supports the park’s educational mission.
• Learn to split shale. The key technique for Devonian fossil collecting is splitting shale along its natural bedding planes. Place your chisel at the edge of a slab and tap gently — the rock should separate along flat planes where fossils are exposed. Work systematically through a pile of shale and check both sides of every split.
• Train your eye for trilobites. At Penn Dixie, trilobites are found as both positive impressions (bumps) and negative impressions (molds). Enrolled trilobites look like small bumps — about the size and shape of a large raisin. The large compound eyes of Eldredgeops are a giveaway once you learn to recognize them.
• Visit the Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca. PRI and its Museum of the Earth have outstanding Devonian fossil exhibits and host educational programs. The institution has been a leader in paleontological research and education since 1932.
• Explore Finger Lakes gorges carefully. The spectacular gorges of the Finger Lakes region cut through Devonian rock and expose beautifully fossiliferous layers. Watkins Glen, Taughannock Falls, and Robert H. Treman state parks all expose Devonian formations. State park rules vary — some allow surface collecting from loose material on the trail, others do not. Ask at the visitor center.
• Road cuts are productive but require caution. Some of the best Devonian exposures in the Finger Lakes are in road cuts along Routes 5, 20, and various county roads. Park safely, well off the road, and never collect from active traffic lanes. Wear a high-visibility vest.
• Bring safety equipment. Eye protection is essential when splitting rock. A rock hammer (not a regular claw hammer), cold chisel, and safety glasses are the basic toolkit.
• Consider the Buffalo Museum of Science. Their geological collection includes outstanding local Devonian material and provides context for your finds.

Collecting Sites

Legal Rules for New York

Key Geological Formations

• Windom Shale (Middle Devonian)
• Moscow Formation (Middle Devonian)
• Ludlowville Formation (Middle Devonian)
• Hamilton Group (Middle Devonian)
• Onondaga Limestone (Middle Devonian)

Local Fossil Clubs & Museums

• Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve
• Buffalo Museum of Science
• Paleontological Research Institution (Ithaca)
• New York Paleontological Society
• Rochester Academy of Science Mineral Section