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Finding Fossils Pages
Cori's Fossil Map
Brownie's Beach
Flag Ponds
Calvert Cliffs State Park
Purse State Park
Purse State Park is on the Potomac, and is not part of the Calvert Cliffs area. It
won't win any awards for its "beach" -- a thin strip of pebbly, dark sand. And the
water is not very appealing for swimming (just lots of things growing in it -- it's
not dirty). But it's got a lot to offer. Fewer people, for one thing. Lots of
fossils, including some large internal molds of gastropods (those slug-like creatures
that live in spiral shells, like conchs or snails) which you probably won't find at
Calvert Cliffs. On the day we were there, there were bald eagles hunting for fish about
20 yards from the shore!To get there, take the Beltway to Route 210 south, to Indian Head. About 5 miles past the intersection with Route 227, turn left at the light onto Route 225. Go to the next light (about 1.5 miles) and go right on Route 224. Follow 224; you will cross Liverpool Point Road, and after about 2 miles, you will come to a small parking area on the left. You'll feel like you're in the middle of nowhere. To get to the water, take the quarter-mile path opposite the parking area.
The fossils here are considerably older (56-59 million years) than at the Cliffs. There are lots of teeth, and we found those gastropod molds in the small "cliffs" about a half mile to the south. There are supposedly cliffs to the north as well; we've only been here once. And of course, they have a web site.
Find more fossil sites on Cori's Fossil Map.