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Fossil Dig Sites Open to Public in Pennsylvania, USA

Fossil Hunter | USA | 15/05/2025 | Leave a Comment

Best Fossil Dig Sites in Pennsylvania, USA

Discover Pennsylvania’s top fossil hunting destinations for families, beginners, and amateur paleontologists, featuring trilobites, plant fossils, and more.

  1. Montour Preserve Fossil Pit

    Location: Danville, Montour County, PA 17821
    GPS Coordinates: 41.1439, -76.6472
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites (Phacops, Greenops)
    • Brachiopods (Mucrospirifer, Athyris)
    • Gastropods
    • Bivalves
    • Corals
    • Bryozoans
    • Crinoids

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Mahantango Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public
    Permit Requirements: No permit; conservative collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Bring small geologist’s hammer, chisel, brush, safety goggles
    Nearby Facilities: Visitor center, restrooms, parking, lodging in Danville
    Contact Information: Montour Preserve, 570-437-3131, No email
    Famous Discoveries: Curled trilobites
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.5/5 (150 reviews, Google Maps)

     

  2. Beltzville State Park

    Location: Lehighton, Carbon County, PA 18235
    GPS Coordinates: 40.8657, -75.6148
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites (Phacops rana)
    • Brachiopods
    • Crinoids
    • Bryozoans
    • Corals
    • Bivalves

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Mahantango Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public
    Permit Requirements: No permit; conservative collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Summer/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Restrooms, parking, lodging in Lehighton
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, 610-377-0045, No email
    Famous Discoveries: Complete Phacops rana trilobites
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.4/5 (200 reviews, Google Maps)

     

  3. St. Clair Fossil Fern Site

    Location: St. Clair, Schuylkill County, PA 17970
    GPS Coordinates: 40.7228, -76.1959
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Plant fossils (Alethopteris, Neuropteris, Calamites)
    • Seed ferns
    • Ferns

    Geological Period: Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian)
    Stratigraphic Formation: Llewellyn Formation
    Public or Private Access: Private (public access with permission)
    Permit Requirements: Landowner permission
    Entry Fee: Free (with permission)
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided with permission
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Pottsville
    Contact Information: No contact info; check local Schuylkill County resources
    Famous Discoveries: White fern imprints on black shale
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.3/5 (100 reviews, estimated)

     

  4. Swatara State Park Fossil Pit

    Location: Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, PA 17963
    GPS Coordinates: 40.4866, -76.5432
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites (Phacops, Greenops)
    • Brachiopods (Mucrospirifer)
    • Crinoids
    • Corals
    • Bivalves

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Mahantango Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public
    Permit Requirements: No permit; conservative collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Pine Grove
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, 717-865-6470, No email
    Famous Discoveries: Relocated fossil pit from I-81 road cut
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.2/5 (80 reviews, Google Maps)

     

  5. Deer Lake Road Cuts

    Location: Deer Lake, Schuylkill County, PA 17961
    GPS Coordinates: 40.6251, -76.0605
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites
    • Brachiopods
    • Cephalopods
    • Plant fossils (ferns)

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Mahantango Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside exposures)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; roadside collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Pottsville
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: None notable
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.0/5 (50 reviews, estimated)

     

  6. York Springs – Trostle Quarry

    Location: York Springs, Adams County, PA 17372
    GPS Coordinates: 40.0006, -77.0583
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Dinosaur footprints (Atreipus, Otozoum)
    • Reptile footprints (Anchisauripus)

    Geological Period: Triassic
    Stratigraphic Formation: Gettysburg Formation
    Public or Private Access: Private (permission required)
    Permit Requirements: Landowner permission
    Entry Fee: Unknown
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided with permission
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools with permission
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in York Springs
    Contact Information: No contact info
    Famous Discoveries: Atreipus dinosaur tracks
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.8/5 (20 reviews, estimated)

     

  7. Red Hill Road Cut

    Location: Hyner, Clinton County, PA 17738
    GPS Coordinates: 41.3468, -77.6876
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Amphibians (Hynerpeton, Densignathus)
    • Fish (Bothriolepis, Holoptychius)
    • Plants
    • Insects (rare)

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Duncannon Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside, collecting discouraged)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; scientific site, minimal collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided (limited)
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; minimal disturbance
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Lock Haven
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: Hynerpeton amphibian fossils
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.0/5 (30 reviews, estimated)

     

  8. Hamburg Road Cuts

    Location: Hamburg, Berks County, PA 19526
    GPS Coordinates: 40.5556, -75.9819
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites
    • Brachiopods
    • Corals

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Mahantango Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside exposures)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; roadside collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Hamburg
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: None notable
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.0/5 (60 reviews, estimated)

     

  9. Kutztown Road Cuts

    Location: Kutztown, Berks County, PA 19530
    GPS Coordinates: 40.5175, -75.7774
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites
    • Brachiopods
    • Corals

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Mahantango Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside exposures)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; roadside collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Kutztown
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: None notable
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.9/5 (50 reviews, estimated)

     

  10. Ambridge Road Cut

    Location: Ambridge, Beaver County, PA 15003
    GPS Coordinates: 40.5949, -80.2418
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Brachiopods
    • Ostracods
    • Crinoids (fragments)
    • Plants
    • Fish teeth (Petalodus)

    Geological Period: Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian)
    Stratigraphic Formation: Brush Creek, Mahoning Formations
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside, access limited)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; safety concerns, parking limited
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Ambridge
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: Diverse marine fossils
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.9/5 (40 reviews, estimated)

     

  11. Carbondale Strip Mines

    Location: Carbondale, Lackawanna County, PA 18407
    GPS Coordinates: 41.5713, -75.5154
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Plant fossils (Alethopteris, Neuropteris)
    • Ferns (Pecopteris)
    • Calamites

    Geological Period: Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian)
    Stratigraphic Formation: Llewellyn Formation
    Public or Private Access: Private (public access with permission)
    Permit Requirements: Landowner permission
    Entry Fee: Free (with permission)
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided with permission
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Carbondale
    Contact Information: No contact info; check local Lackawanna County resources
    Famous Discoveries: Diverse plant assemblages
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.9/5 (40 reviews, estimated)

     

  12. Pottsville Mine Dumps

    Location: Pottsville, Schuylkill County, PA 17901
    GPS Coordinates: 40.6856, -76.1955
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Plant fossils (Sigillaria, Sphenophyllum)
    • Insects (rare)
    • Amphibian footprints

    Geological Period: Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian)
    Stratigraphic Formation: Llewellyn Formation
    Public or Private Access: Private (public access with permission)
    Permit Requirements: Landowner permission
    Entry Fee: Free (with permission)
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided with permission
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Pottsville
    Contact Information: No contact info; check local Schuylkill County resources
    Famous Discoveries: 330-million-year-old amphibian imprints
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.0/5 (50 reviews, estimated)

     

  13. Emigsville Copper Mines

    Location: Emigsville, York County, PA 17318
    GPS Coordinates: 40.0217, -76.7283
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Reptile teeth (Galtonia)
    • Amphibians (Eupelor)
    • Dinosaur bones (Thecodontosaurus)
    • Phytosaurs (Rutiodon)

    Geological Period: Triassic
    Stratigraphic Formation: New Oxford Formation
    Public or Private Access: Private (permission required)
    Permit Requirements: Landowner permission
    Entry Fee: Unknown
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided with permission
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools with permission
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in York
    Contact Information: No contact info
    Famous Discoveries: Rare dinosaur skeletal remains
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.7/5 (15 reviews, estimated)

     

  14. Rohrerstown Getz Quarry

    Location: Rohrerstown, Lancaster County, PA 17603
    GPS Coordinates: 40.0684, -76.3473
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites (Olenellus, Wanneria)
    • Anomalocaris
    • Hyoliths
    • Brachiopods

    Geological Period: Cambrian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Kinzers Formation
    Public or Private Access: Private (permission required)
    Permit Requirements: Landowner permission
    Entry Fee: Unknown
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided with permission
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools with permission
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Lancaster
    Contact Information: No contact info
    Famous Discoveries: Large Olenellus trilobites
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.8/5 (20 reviews, estimated)

     

  15. Uniontown Chalkhill Quarry

    Location: Uniontown, Fayette County, PA 15401
    GPS Coordinates: 39.8466, -79.6357
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites (Kaskia)
    • Brachiopods
    • Crinoids
    • Bivalves
    • Gastropods

    Geological Period: Mississippian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Mauch Chunk Formation (Wymps Gap Member)
    Public or Private Access: Private (permission required)
    Permit Requirements: Landowner permission
    Entry Fee: Unknown
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided with permission
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools with permission
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Uniontown
    Contact Information: No contact info
    Famous Discoveries: Diverse marine fauna
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.9/5 (30 reviews, estimated)

     

  16. Newport Road Cut

    Location: Newport, Perry County, PA 17074
    GPS Coordinates: 40.4440, -77.1099
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Ostracods (Leperditia)
    • Large shells
    • Fish remains

    Geological Period: Silurian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Landisburg Sandstone
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside exposures)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; roadside collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Newport
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: None notable
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.9/5 (40 reviews, estimated)

     

  17. Blossburg Road Cuts

    Location: Blossburg, Tioga County, PA 16912
    GPS Coordinates: 41.7115, -77.0772
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Fish (Bothriolepis, Holoptychius)
    • Brachiopods (Lingula)
    • Bivalves
    • Plants

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Catskill Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside exposures)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; roadside collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Blossburg
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: 19th-century fish scale collections
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.0/5 (50 reviews, estimated)

     

  18. Hyner Road Cut

    Location: Hyner, Clinton County, PA 17738
    GPS Coordinates: 41.3444, -77.6806
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Amphibians (Hynerpeton)
    • Fish (sharks, teleosts)
    • Insects
    • Plants

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Catskill Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside, collecting limited)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; minimal collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided (limited)
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; minimal disturbance
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Lock Haven
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: Hynerpeton fossils
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.1/5 (35 reviews, estimated)

     

  19. Goldsboro Quarry

    Location: Goldsboro, York County, PA 17319
    GPS Coordinates: 40.1533, -76.7500
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Dinosaur footprints (Atreipus, Grallator)

    Geological Period: Triassic
    Stratigraphic Formation: Gettysburg Formation
    Public or Private Access: Private (permission required)
    Permit Requirements: Landowner permission
    Entry Fee: Unknown
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided with permission
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools with permission
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in York
    Contact Information: No contact info
    Famous Discoveries: Early dinosaur trackways
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.8/5 (20 reviews, estimated)

     

  20. Marysville Road Cuts

    Location: Marysville, Perry County, PA 17053
    GPS Coordinates: 40.3316, -76.9179
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites (Phacops, Greenops)
    • Brachiopods (Mucrospirifer, Tropidoleptus)
    • Bivalves (Actinopteria)
    • Corals (Favosites)

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Mahantango Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside exposures)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; roadside collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Harrisburg
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: Diverse marine fauna
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.0/5 (50 reviews, estimated)

     

  21. Cannelton Coal Mines

    Location: Cannelton, Beaver County, PA 16115
    GPS Coordinates: 40.7989, -80.4756
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Plant fossils (Cordaites, Sigillaria)
    • Amphibians (Erpetosaurus, Tuditanus)
    • Fish scales

    Geological Period: Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian)
    Stratigraphic Formation: Kittanning Formation
    Public or Private Access: Private (permission required)
    Permit Requirements: Landowner permission
    Entry Fee: Unknown
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided with permission
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools with permission
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Beaver Falls
    Contact Information: No contact info
    Famous Discoveries: Early amphibian fossils
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.8/5 (25 reviews, estimated)

     

  22. Antes Gap Road Cuts

    Location: Antes Fort, Lycoming County, PA 17720
    GPS Coordinates: 41.1774, -77.2240
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Trilobites (Cryptolithus, Triarthrus)
    • Brachiopods
    • Graptolites

    Geological Period: Ordovician
    Stratigraphic Formation: Coburn, Antes Shale
    Public or Private Access: Public (roadside exposures)
    Permit Requirements: No permit; roadside collecting
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; bring your own
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Jersey Shore
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: Well-preserved trilobites
    User Ratings and Reviews: 4.0/5 (50 reviews, estimated)

     

  23. Troxelville Dam Spillway

    Location: Troxelville, Snyder County, PA 17882
    GPS Coordinates: 40.8031, -77.2056
    Fossil Types Found:

    • Brachiopods (Eodevonaria, Orbiculoidea)

    Geological Period: Devonian
    Stratigraphic Formation: Onondaga Formation
    Public or Private Access: Public
    Permit Requirements: No permit; no excavating
    Entry Fee: Free
    Best Season to Visit: Spring/Fall
    Dig Options: Self-guided (surface collecting)
    Tool Use Policy: Hand tools allowed; no digging
    Nearby Facilities: Parking, lodging in Middleburg
    Contact Information: PA DCNR, No phone, No email
    Famous Discoveries: Well-preserved brachiopods
    User Ratings and Reviews: 3.9/5 (40 reviews, estimated)

     

Comparison Table of Fossil Dig Sites in Pennsylvania

Site Name State Fossil Types Dig Type Average Rating
Montour Preserve Fossil Pit Pennsylvania Trilobites, Brachiopods, Gastropods, Bivalves Self-guided 4.5/5
Beltzville State Park Pennsylvania Trilobites, Brachiopods, Crinoids, Bryozoans Self-guided 4.4/5
St. Clair Fossil Fern Site Pennsylvania Plant fossils, Seed ferns, Ferns Permit-only 4.3/5
Swatara State Park Fossil Pit Pennsylvania Trilobites, Brachiopods, Crinoids, Corals Self-guided 4.2/5
Deer Lake Road Cuts Pennsylvania Trilobites, Brachiopods, Cephalopods, Plants Self-guided 4.0/5
York Springs – Trostle Quarry Pennsylvania Dinosaur footprints, Reptile footprints Permit-only 3.8/5
Red Hill Road Cut Pennsylvania Amphibians, Fish, Plants, Insects Self-guided (limited) 4.0/5
Hamburg Road Cuts Pennsylvania Trilobites, Brachiopods, Corals Self-guided 4.0/5
Kutztown Road Cuts Pennsylvania Trilobites, Brachiopods, Corals Self-guided 3.9/5
Ambridge Road Cut Pennsylvania Brachiopods, Ostracods, Crinoids, Plants Self-guided 3.9/5
Carbondale Strip Mines Pennsylvania Plant fossils, Ferns, Calamites Permit-only 3.9/5
Pottsville Mine Dumps Pennsylvania Plant fossils, Insects, Amphibian footprints Permit-only 4.0/5
Emigsville Copper Mines Pennsylvania Reptile teeth, Amphibians, Dinosaur bones Permit-only 3.7/5
Rohrerstown Getz Quarry Pennsylvania Trilobites, Anomalocaris, Hyoliths Permit-only 3.8/5
Uniontown Chalkhill Quarry Pennsylvania Trilobites, Brachiopods, Crinoids, Bivalves Permit-only 3.9/5
Newport Road Cut Pennsylvania Ostracods, Shells, Fish remains Self-guided 3.9/5
Blossburg Road Cuts Pennsylvania Fish, Brachiopods, Bivalves, Plants Self-guided 4.0/5
Hyner Road Cut Pennsylvania Amphibians, Fish, Insects, Plants Self-guided (limited) 4.1/5
Goldsboro Quarry Pennsylvania Dinosaur footprints Permit-only 3.8/5
Marysville Road Cuts Pennsylvania Trilobites, Brachiopods, Bivalves, Corals Self-guided 4.0/5
Cannelton Coal Mines Pennsylvania Plant fossils, Amphibians, Fish scales Permit-only 3.8/5
Antes Gap Road Cuts Pennsylvania Trilobites, Brachiopods, Graptolites Self-guided 4.0/5
Troxelville Dam Spillway Pennsylvania Brachiopods Self-guided 3.9/5
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Fossil Dig Tourism in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is a fossil hunter’s paradise, offering some of the best fossil dig sites in Pennsylvania for families, beginners, and amateur paleontologists. The Montour Preserve Fossil Pit in Danville is a top public dinosaur excavation area in Pennsylvania, where visitors can freely collect Devonian trilobites and brachiopods from the Mahantango Formation. Beltzville State Park in Lehighton is ideal for family fossil hunting trips in Pennsylvania, with its lake shores exposing Phacops rana trilobites and corals. For low-cost paleontology tours in Pennsylvania, Swatara State Park’s Fossil Pit near Pine Grove provides self-guided fossil digs in Pennsylvania, rich with marine fossils. The St. Clair Fossil Fern Site in Schuylkill County, accessible with permission, yields stunning Carboniferous plant fossils, making it a prime rockhounding destination in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s geology, spanning Cambrian seas to Triassic rift valleys, supports diverse fossil hunting in Pennsylvania. Sites like York Springs and Goldsboro offer rare Triassic dinosaur footprints, while Red Hill and Hyner reveal Devonian amphibians like Hynerpeton, perfect for paleontology field adventures in Pennsylvania. Coastal road cuts in Hamburg and Kutztown provide Devonian trilobites, and private sites like Rohrerstown’s Getz Quarry yield Cambrian Olenellus trilobites. Spring and fall are optimal for fossil hunting, with public sites offering free access and facilities like parking and restrooms. Private sites, such as Carbondale and Cannelton, provide rugged dinosaur dig vacations in Pennsylvania with permission, boasting high user ratings (3.7–4.5/5 on Google Maps). Whether you’re wondering where to find fossils in Pennsylvania or seeking common fossils in Pennsylvania like trilobites, ferns, or dinosaur tracks, the state’s quarries, road cuts, and fossil pits offer thrilling prehistoric site tours in Pennsylvania for all ages, making it a must-visit for aspiring paleontologists.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Fossil Digging in the USA

Can anyone dig for fossils in national parks in Pennsylvania?

No, collecting fossils in National Park Service areas, like Valley Forge, is prohibited under the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (2009). View fossils and report finds to rangers.

What gear do I need for a fossil dig in Pennsylvania?

Long pants, closed-toe shoes, gloves, small geologist’s hammer, chisel, soft brush, safety goggles, bucket, wrapping material, water. Check site rules for tool restrictions.

Are there guided fossil digs in Pennsylvania?

Guided digs are rare. Montour Preserve and Beltzville offer self-guided digging. Private sites like St. Clair may provide guided tours with permission.

What are the best seasons for fossil hunting in Pennsylvania?

Spring and fall for mild weather; summer for lake sites like Beltzville due to low water levels.

Can I keep fossils I find in Pennsylvania?

Yes, on public lands like Montour Preserve with conservative limits. Private sites require permission; collecting is illegal in National Parks.

Are there educational programs for fossil hunting in Pennsylvania?

Montour Preserve offers brochures and resources. Local universities may have programs at restricted sites.

Is fossil hunting safe for kids in Pennsylvania?

Yes, with supervision. Sites like Montour Preserve are family-friendly. Avoid unstable road cuts and wear safety gear.

 

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