Florissant Fossil Quarry: A "Split" Decision

The prospect of finding a perfectly preserved insect that was trapped in ancient tree sap is a fossil collector's dream.

Unfortunately, the opportunities for bugs-in-amber aren't too plentiful in the good old USA.

What's the next best thing?

The Florissant Fossil Quarry in Florissant, Colorado.

Geologists aren't settled on the question of how this layered formation actually came to be. Some think that the thousands of paper-thin layers of sediment were laid down by the action of a moderately active volcano near a large lake, but others aren't so sure. But regardless of the origin story, this superhero of a collecting site is a must-see for all rockhounds traveling near Colorado Springs.




The quarry is a fee dig site, but the price is very reasonable. The operators of the quarry will deliver cardboard boxes of large chunks of the layered sediment to you at a smattering of picnic tables around the area. Using standard kitchen knives or other sharp objects, the idea is to split each rock, layer by thin-layer, to discover a wealth of hidden treasures.

The overwhelming majority of fossils contained in this formation are plant-related, but the fortunate finder may discover insects. My son, Chase, and I spent about two hours, and we found several well-preserved leaves and stems...but alas...no bugs. A fossil hunter at the table next to us discovered a nice bee, and everyone around was pretty excited. The paperwork that you must sign gives the owners of the quarry the right to keep any of your discoveries (if they are a truly valuable or unique find) but I do not recall that they asked to see any of our treasures as we departed.

While in the area, do not forget to visit the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, just a short distance away.

Click the link below for a detailed Google Map locator for the quarry:
LINK TO GOOGLE MAP

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