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Fossil Hunting in Tennessee

beginner friendly BrachiopodsBryozoansCrinoid stemsCretaceous gastropods and bivalvesHorn coralsTrilobite fragments

Tennessee is a state that spans geological time in remarkable fashion. The Nashville Basin exposes some of the finest Ordovician marine beds in the eastern United States, while western Tennessee’s Cretaceous Gulf Coastal Plain deposits have produced fossils of international scientific importance.

Why Tennessee?

Tennessee sits at a geological crossroads. The Nashville Basin is an erosional window into ancient Ordovician seafloor rocks roughly 450 million years old, while the western third of the state lies on the Gulf Coastal Plain where Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments hold a completely different suite of fossils. In between, the Cumberland Plateau preserves Mississippian and Pennsylvanian formations with their own collecting potential.

This geological variety means you can find Ordovician brachiopods in the morning near Nashville and Cretaceous gastropods in the afternoon near the Mississippi border.

What You’ll Find

Ordovician marine fossils (central Tennessee, ~450 million years old):

  • Brachiopods — Abundant and well-preserved across the Nashville Group
  • Bryozoans — Colonial forms are extremely common in Ordovician limestone
  • Crinoid stems — Disc-shaped columnals weather out of limestone easily
  • Horn corals — Solitary rugose corals in good condition
  • Trilobite fragments — Mostly partial specimens; complete trilobites are rare but possible

Cretaceous marine fossils (western Tennessee, ~70 million years old):

  • Gastropods — Beautifully preserved snails with original shell material at Coon Creek
  • Bivalves — Oysters, clams, and scallops in exceptional detail
  • Cephalopods — Ammonite and nautiloid fragments
  • Echinoids — Sea urchin tests and spines
  • Crustacean remains — Crab claws and other arthropod parts

Best Time to Visit

  • Spring (March-May): Rain and freeze-thaw cycles expose fresh fossils in road cuts
  • Fall (September-November): Comfortable temperatures and low water levels in creek exposures
  • After storms: Fresh erosion reveals new material, especially in western Tennessee clay exposures

Tips for Tennessee Collecting

  1. Start at the Coon Creek Science Center — It is the crown jewel of Tennessee paleontology and a must-visit for any fossil enthusiast
  2. Scan Nashville road cuts carefully — Ordovician fossils are abundant but can be subtle in fresh limestone; look for weathered surfaces
  3. Bring safety gear for road cuts — High-visibility vests and caution around traffic are essential on highway exposures
  4. Carry a spray bottle — Wetting Ordovician limestone surfaces makes fossils much easier to spot
  5. Check creek beds in the Nashville Basin — Streams cutting through Ordovician bedrock are productive after rain events

Collecting Sites

Coon Creek Science Center

Public (Fee)

Enville, McNairy County

One of the most celebrated Cretaceous fossil sites in North America. The Coon Creek Formation preserves beautifully detailed marine shells from roughly 70 million years ago. Many specimens retain original aragonitic shell material. Now managed as a science center with guided collecting.

GastropodsBivalvesCephalopodsCrustaceansEchinoids

Nashville Road Cuts (I-440/I-65 Corridor)

Free Public Access

Nashville, Davidson County

Numerous road cuts through Nashville expose Ordovician limestone packed with marine invertebrates. Collecting from loose rock at the base of cuts is typical. Use extreme caution with highway traffic.

BrachiopodsBryozoansCrinoid stemsHorn coralsTrilobite fragments

Lebanon Road Cuts

Free Public Access

Lebanon, Wilson County

Middle Ordovician Stones River Group exposures along Highway 231 and surrounding roads. Excellent weathered-out brachiopods and bryozoans on exposed bedding surfaces.

BrachiopodsBryozoansCrinoid stemsGastropods

Ladds Quarry Area

Private (Permission Needed)

Bartow County, northwest Georgia border area

Road cuts and exposures along the Tennessee-Georgia border near Chattanooga expose Ordovician and younger formations. Permission needed for quarry access.

Pleistocene vertebratesOrdovician marine invertebrates

Legal Rules for Tennessee

Tennessee allows surface collecting of invertebrate fossils on public land. Vertebrate fossils on state land require a permit. Collecting along road cuts is legal but exercise extreme caution near traffic. The Coon Creek Science Center charges a fee and has specific collecting rules. Always obtain permission before entering private property.

Read our full legal guide for federal laws and more details.

Key Geological Formations

  • Nashville Group (Upper Ordovician)
  • Coon Creek Formation (Upper Cretaceous)
  • Fort Payne Formation (Mississippian)
  • Stones River Group (Middle Ordovician)

Local Fossil Clubs & Museums