Poeaxtry's Poetry Prism

Spell. Stone. & Sparks that Ignite Change

Tag: brachiopod fossil

  • A Perfect Day of Falls, Fossils, and Fun: Yellow Springs to Caesar Creek Adventure

    A Perfect Day of Falls, Fossils, and Fun: Yellow Springs to Caesar Creek Adventure

    Sometimes the best hiking days aren’t about conquering peaks, they’re about good company, unexpected discoveries, and those little moments that make you remember why you love being outdoors.

    The Squad: Four Legs, Little Hands, and Big Adventures


    Wednesday’s hiking crew was pretty special. My friend finally took the wheel for once (hallelujah!), bringing along her kiddo who’s quickly becoming our favorite trail buddy. My four-legged co-pilot was practically vibrating with excitement in the backseat! I know you know that dog energy when they sense an adventure is coming. There’s something magical about multi-generational hiking days where everyone brings their own sense of wonder to the trail.


    Stop One: Amphitheater Falls Loop Trail, Yellow Springs (3.5 Miles of Pure Ohio Magic):

    Amphitheater Falls, Yellowsprings Ohio all dried up rock head and a rainbow without rain
    Amphitheater Falls & A rainbow


    The Vibe: Yellow Springs never disappoints. This 3.5-mile loop had everything we were craving – that perfect mix of forest therapy and water features that makes Ohio hiking so underrated.


    The Highlights:
    • Multiple waterfall encounters (because who doesn’t love the sound of rushing water?)


    • Stream crossings that had my dog absolutely losing her mind with joy
    • Creek walking opportunities that the kiddo couldn’t resist

    Brown and earth toned river rocks in the creek bed.
    The creek crossing where Luna lost her mind!


    • That satisfying loop format – no backtracking, just pure forward momentum toward the Little Miami River.
    The Amphitheater Falls area is one of those spots that makes you pause and actually listen. Water cascading over limestone ledges, kids laughing as they hop from rock to rock, the satisfying crunch of leaves underfoot. My friend and I found ourselves in that perfect hiking rhythm : no need for deep conversation just silence punctuated by “Look at that!” moments.


    Trail Notes: The path winds through some gorgeous creek beds, and we definitely took advantage of the water features. Fair warning: shoes will get wet, and honestly, that’s half the fun.

    wooden walking bridge over river with Forrest view of green trees
    Bridge over Little Miami river


    Stop Two: Caesar Creek State Park – Fossil Hunting & Waterfall Chasing:

    Fossil collection area view of ancient sea bed and cliffs
    Little Caesar Creek State Park Fossil area!


    The Setup: About 45 minutes down the road from Yellow Springs lies Caesar Creek State Park, and let me tell you: this place is fossil hunter’s paradise. We added another 2 miles to our day, chasing down a waterfall that shall remain nameless (because honestly, i do not remember the name and it was bone dry anyway).


    The Real Magic: Here’s where the day got interesting. While the waterfall was more of a “seasonal suggestion,” the fossil hunting was absolutely incredible. The creek bed was like nature’s treasure chest: everywhere you looked, there were remnants of Ohio’s ancient sea just waiting to be discovered.


    The Soundtrack: Could definitely hear some activity in the creek bed from other fossil enthusiasts making the most of the low water levels. There’s something so primal about hunting for 450-million-year-old treasures with your hands in the dirt. The kiddo was absolutely in her element, having no issue filling up my pockets with “specimens.”


    Why This Day Worked:


    Variety is the Spice: Two completely different experiences in one day trip. Waterfalls and forest therapy in Yellow Springs, then switching gears to become amateur paleontologists at Caesar Creek.


    The Company Factor: Sometimes the trail is secondary to who you’re sharing it with. Watching a kid discover a fossil, seeing my dog’s pure joy at every stream crossing, having a friend who finally volunteered to drive: these are the details that turn a good hike into a great memory.


    Ohio’s Hidden Gems: Both spots remind you that you don’t need to travel far for incredible outdoor experiences. Yellow Springs and Caesar Creek are perfect examples of Ohio’s understated natural beauty.


    Planning Your Own Yellow Springs to Caesar Creek Adventure:


    Distance: Expect about 5.5 total miles of hiking if you do both locations and only if you just do the trails we did.


    Drive Time: 45 minutes between locations


    Best For: Friend groups, dog owners, water lovers, and amateur geologists


    Season Notes: Spring and fall offer the best waterfall action; late summer/early fall is prime fossil hunting season when water levels are lower.


    Pack: Water shoes or boots you don’t mind getting muddy, fossil collection bags, snacks for energy between locations, and a sense of adventure.

    The Bottom Line:


    Some hiking days are about personal records and summit selfies. Others are about slowing down, collecting ancient treasures, and remembering that the best adventures often happen close to home with some of your favorite people (and pups).

    Yellow Springs to Caesar Creek delivered exactly what we didn’t know we needed :

    variety, discovery, and those simple moments that make you grateful to live in a state with this much natural beauty hiding in plain sight.


    What’s your favorite Ohio hiking combo? Drop a comment below. I am always looking for our next local adventure!

    Links portfolio coffee

  • Fossils, Falls, and Full Bags – An Evening in Richmond, Indiana

    Fossils, Falls, and Full Bags – An Evening in Richmond, Indiana

    Overlooking thistlewaite falls from the stairs
    Thistlewaite falls

    Yesterday’s “hike” wasn’t really a hike. Not the kind with switchbacks and summits, anyway. This was slow, head-down wandering… moving from one patch of rock to another, eyes scanning for anything that didn’t quite match the rest.I first saw Thistlethwaite Falls on TikTok just yesterday morning, in fact. I’d just woken up, still half tangled in my blankets, when this video popped up showing this cute fall you could get right in. The next video showed the fossils. You know I was SOLD! It was one of those moments where the phone goes down and you just know you’re going. Within hours, we were in the car, snacks packed, bags ready, heading toward Richmond with no real plan except “play in a waterfall and find as many fossils as possible.”

    Front view of thistlewaite falls in Richmond Indiana
    Thistlewaite Falls

    It was me, my home slice Sky, and the baby, out on a late-summer day at Thistlethwaite Falls in Richmond, Indiana. The water spilled wide over its limestone ledge, humming in that steady, drum-like way waterfalls do. The spray caught in the warm air, carrying the smell of wet stone. And right there, underfoot, was where the real action was… fossils embedded in the rock like the past had been gift-wrapped for us to find.

    We started small, a crinoid here, a shell impression there but things escalated quickly. Before long, I was hauling multiple bags of fossils back up from the falls to the car. And then back down again. And then up again. The baby, apparently inspired by all this rock action, decided to test her throwing arm. At one point, I took a direct hit to the head and felt it rattle around my skull like a maraca. Sky caught a rock to the face not long after. Adventures are never without their battle scars.

    Rock haul from Thistlewaite in my floorboard
    Rock haul featuring a baby cup

    Next stop was Richmond’s Fossil Park, which felt like a fossil hunter’s open-air market . A broad gravel bed scattered with chunks of rock, each one a possible time capsule. This is where I found some of my favorites: a few pieces with shimmering quartz inclusions, and a whole brachiopod! The dude has both valves, hinge and all . It was like it had been waiting all this time just to be found. The creek bed here and the gravel is also just basically nothing but fossils and stuff. That’s actually where I found one quartz piece.

    Mural at the fossil park in Richmond Indiana
    Mural at fossil park

    The front floorboard of my car became a rock bed of its own, layered with crinoids, coral pieces, and other prehistoric odds and ends. Along with two bags in the back seat full… well overflowing if I am being honest. The sun was dropping toward the horizon by the time we finally looked up around 7:30 p.m. and the baby’s rock-throwing streak had given way to full on running baby.

    We never made it to our planned third stop. Time just slipped through our fingers, as it tends to do when the hunt takes over. I’m not mad about it. That place will still be there. And now, I have more than enough reason to go back . Let’s pretend as if the fossils alone weren’t reason enough.

    Rockhounding isn’t fast, and it isn’t clean. It’s slow, deliberate, and sometimes chaotic. It’s a mix of patience, luck, and a little chaos courtesy of the smallest member of the crew. But it’s always worth it. Because in the end, you walk away with more than just rocks. You walk away with pieces of the earth’s history and the stories you’ll tell about how you found them.