Field Trips

The DVPS takes to the field on a regular basis, visiting sites throughout Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Canada. The upcoming field trips season is approaching, the dates and details of the trips are published in the newsletter.

Here are some of the sites we visit:

Beltzville Dam State Park, PA - This is a Devonian site in the spillway near the dam. It is very fossiliferous and a short drive from Philadelphia. It is a good family site and mobility issue friendly.

Seven Stars, PA - A Devonian site and very fossiliferous. The site is near Harrisburg, PA. The site is known for finding large trilobites. It is a good family friendly site.

Potomac River, MD - This Paleocene site has a nice variety of sharks' teeth, mollusks, and reptile material.

Calvert Cliffs, MD - Public beaches are available to find sharks' teeth, whale and porpoise bones, and mollusks.. A kayak trip is often planned.

Potomac River VA - Trip leaders take members to a private beach site to find sharks' teeth, whale and porpoise bones, and mollusks.

Madison County, NY - Devonian sites in central New York are visited. These are very fossiliferous locations..

St. Clair, PA – Located north of Pottsville, this Pennsylvanian Period site is known for its bright white fossilized ferns on black shale. This is the only site in the world where the plant fossils are white. Collectors try to dig up big sheets. They are some of the most beautiful plant fossils to be found. (This site is currently closed.)

Red Hill, PA – This Devonian site in central Pennsylvania is one of a kind. Fossils of large predatory fishes and primitive amphibians and reptiles have been found here which make it an important scientific site. DVPS members visit this site and collect many specimens of armored fish. Members also donate rare finds to the Academy of Natural Science’s Red Hill Field Station. You are finding very unique specimens. (This site is currently on hold.)

Little Falls, NY – An Ordovician Period site with some of the most beautiful trilobites to be found. A day of collecting will usuallly yield several complete trilobites and cephalopods.

Northern WV – A variety of Devonian sites in this area have made this a very popular trip. It is usually held in the Fall to take advantage of the breathless colors of leaves along the Appalachians.

Deer Lake, PA – Devonian trilobite sites all along Schuylkill County. It’s a short drive from our home base. (New areas are being explored..)

Ramanessin, NJ – A Cretaceous period stream bed where many shark and fish teeth can be found. With hip waders, shovels, and screens members enjoy collecting dinosaur era fossils.

Ontario Province, Canada – There are many quarries throughout this Province that has given us an opportunity for fossils that cannot be found in too many places throughout North America. Collectors find eurypterids from Silurian deposits, as well as trilobites and crinoids from Ordovician deposits. The specimens are exquisite in preservation.

18 Mile Creek, NY- A world renowned site on Lake Erie, near Buffalo, Known for the outstanding preservation of Devonian Period fauna. Pyritized trilobites are some of the most prized fossils to collect. (access to this may be closed)

Many of these sites are just one of several locations we go to over the course of a weekend. These trips vary in length from one to four days. Not all locations are appropriate for all members and there may be some restrictions. Information on upcoming Field Trips is published in the newsletter. All our Field Trips have one thing in common, a good time is had by all!

This website is maintained by Chris Storck.