Second visit in 8 days / brought a friend this time
Back again, second time in just over a week. I didn’t plan on becoming someone who returns to the same place so soon, but here I am. Fossil Park’s got a hold on me, apparently.
This time I brought a friend. They’d never been either, and she didn’t know what to look for, what was real, what was just rock. Same as me the first time, honestly. But where I was breaking apart crumbly layers of mud and shale, they were out there going at full boulders like a one-person demolition crew. I looked over at one point and they were dead-serious trying to crack open a rock the size of a car battery. I told them, “You’re working too hard. You look for these.” And I handed her some shale. Eventually she caught on, just as I had. As for me? I found a rock shaped like a heart. That’s already a good day.
The water tower that marks the parking lot
But this one had fossils stretched across the surface… tiny patterns and lines like pressed flowers, just petrified. It’s rough, imperfect, and absolutely getting added to the little collection I’ve been building for my fiancé. I always keep heart-shaped rocks for them. This one just happens to be 375 million years old and covered in dead sea life. Felt right.
We took our time heading back. Talked. Wandered. Didn’t even feel rushed. That’s two visits now, and I’m already thinking about the third. Might be soon.
I went up to Monroe, Michigan the other day. Let’s be real, their prices are cheaper. It’s legal in both Ohio and Michigan. So, who gives a fuck? I’d been meaning to combine one of these trips with a fossil stop. A few weeks ago, it hit me. Fossil Park in Sylvania, Ohio is only like a half-hour away. It is right on my way home. Easy win, right?
And yeah, even with the gas prices up in the USA (thanks Trump for lowering them NOT). In Michigan, it’s still cheaper, and way more worth it. Even considering, the closest Ohio one is right around the corner from my house. The THC is weak, the taxes are wild, and they’re trying to take half your soul in regulation fees. Fuck Ohio.
I was hoping to finally catch Lake Huron on this run. I thought the ride back wasn’t going to be that long. Then I actually looked at the apple map. Curious to see the distance just from Port Huron to my place. It slapped me in the face with a full five-hour drive. So Huron’s getting bumped to a future trip.
Instead, I shifted gears and headed to Fossil Park. I’m really glad I did. All things considered, I really need to make sure I have an inhaler with me at all times!
Fossil Park isn’t a “hike” in the usual sense. It isn’t a forest, no huge trail, no hills, no beautiful waterfalls, or views. It’s a designated fossil dig zone. This area is set up with trucked-in Silica Shale, which is a layered rock that splits into sheets. It is not the crumbly mud ball I had in my head. I spent the first hour breaking up clay blobs. A dumb ass, sweating and squinting at my phone trying to figure out what shale actually looks like. To save you the same time I wasted, here’s a little Spoiler: it’s the flat, flaky, grayish rock. You’re welcome.
There’s a fenced-in quarry where the actual digging happens. You’re only allowed to collect fossils within that enclosed space, not just anywhere in the park. Let’s follow the rules. We should use the provided trash cans. Do not bring tools (rock hammers and such). Follow whatever else they ask. So we can work to keep the cool free things cool and free!
Photo showing most of the poster type signs near sitting areas in the quarry
They’ve got:
Picnic tables and with covers used as shaded spots around the quarry. The shaded covers have metal posters showing all the fossils you can find. This is super helpful if you can see your phone. It’s not too bright to see or so hot you can’t touch it. If you can see your phone, there’s a QR code on the poster also. You can it scan and learn more. There’s a big-ass water tower, pretty much in the parking lot. Which is a cool thing to use to know you’re at the right spot.
If you’re wondering about trails, yes! And, it’s definitely not just a fenced-off fossil pit, either. The actual dig site is enclosed. The whole area has more going on. There is a network of smaller trails that connect to Sylvan Prairie Park and Pacesetter Park. I could never climb these. There is a climbing area with three multi-sided towers near the parking area. Next to it is a large covered picnic shelter just outside the dig zone. It’s certainly a spot where you can make an entire afternoon out of it! Even if you don’t spend all six hours baking in shale like I did.
So I totally ended up back here FOUR times since this trip! I made it up the wall ALSO!!! Climbing
Here’s what you can expect to find in that Devonian Silica Shale:
Trilobites (rare but incredible)
Brachiopods (look like seashells but aren’t)
Bryozoans (coral-like, colonial creatures)
Crinoids (those segmented stem fossils)
Gastropods (ancient snail-like shells)
Horn corals (singular coral fossils, horn-shaped)
I managed to grab a decent variety. Though, I forgot my bucket or even a bag. Alas, I must go back for more!
The near-death experience I mentioned:
I got there before noon, thinking I’d stay for “a little while.” Next thing I know, it’s after 6 p.m., my entire outfit was soaked through with sweat. I then notice I’m on the verge of either a heat stroke or an asthma attack. It was 104 degrees out. I didn’t even realize how bad it was. I tried to walk two minutes back to my car. Honestly, I had to keep stopping to breathe. Or sit. Took me forever. Not fun. Hydrate, people. This is how you die. Alone. Fossils in your pocket.
Even though it wasn’t a traditional hike, for me. Fossil Park earns its place in this journal. I’m sure I’ll have to go back to see the trails. I also want to see more fossils! I said that like Mr. Crocker from The Fairly Odd Parents when he’s yelling “fairy godparents.” It’s outdoors. It’s a hands-on experience. It’s a rare chance to pull 375 million-year-old fossils out of the ground with your bare hands. If you’re anywhere near Toledo, Monroe, or heading East from Michigan into Ohio, it’s an easy and rewarding detour.
