Where to Find Fossils in Indiana: 38 Mapped Sites
Indiana has 38 documented sites where fossils have been reported, and the best-known are Maumee River, 10 - B, and 11 - B. Every site is mapped below with GPS coordinates and links to a full report of access and what's been found there. 2 of the 38 sites are on public-access land.
Last updated: — data compiled by the Rockhounding.org Research Team · methodology
Fossils Map: Indiana
All 38 fossils sites in Indiana. Click a pin for the full site report.
Where Fossils Are Found in Indiana
Fossils live in sedimentary rock — limestone, shale, and sandstone. Fresh exposures are everything: roadcuts, creek banks after storms, quarry spoil, and eroding badlands beat weathered outcrop every time.
The richest reported sites in Indiana: Maumee River, 10 - B, 11 - B, 12 - LC, 13 - B.
Local reporting distinguishes Fossilized Coral (1 site), Trilobite (1 site).
Of the 38 sites, 2 are public access. Check each site report for current land status before you go.
All Fossils Sites in Indiana
- Maumee River — Public Access
- 10 - B — Other
- 11 - B — Other
- 12 - LC — Other
- 13 - B — Other
- 14 - B — Other
- 15 - B — Other
- 16 - B — Other
- 17 - B — Other
- 18 - LC — Other
- 19 - B — Other
- 20 - B — Other
- Abandoned Ripley County Construction Company Quarry on SE edge of Osgood — Other
- Boston, IN — Other
- Brockocystis-Anartiocystis Association of the Brassfield — Other
- Caryocrinites sphaeroidalis Community, Laurel Limestone Units 2 & 3, SE Indiana — Other
- Corals of Brassfield Fm, mid - Llandovery, 21 - Patzkowsky — Other
- Eucalyptocrinites crassus-Botryocrinus nucleus Assoc., Basal Waldron Unit 1 — Other
- Fairmount — Other
- Fauna from the Blocher Member, New Albany Shale (Upper Devonian) of Indiana — Other
- Hapalocrinid-Gissocrinus Assoc., Mississinewa Mbr., Wabash Fm., Huntington, Ind. — Other
- Hitz Bed, sample 4 (HW4), Upper Whitewater Formation, Madison, IN — Other
- Holocystites (Sepulticystis) spangleri-Triamara tumida Assoc., Middle Osgood Lst — Other
- Jamestown — Other
- Knob Rock Cave — Other
- Locality 3, Bed 13, Clear Creek Quad, Harrodsburg Limestone Formation, Monroe Co — Other
- McCray Quarry (= Kentland Quarry), Division 4, 3 miles east of Kentland — Other
- Mt. Ayr — Other
- Napoleon — Other
- Petalocrinus longus-Zophocrinus howardi Assoc., Laurel Member, SE Indiana — Other
- Pipe Creek Falls, 2 miles above where stream enters Wabash River — Other
- Section 2. Bed 9. Log of part of core from Porter County — Other
- Spergen Hill, near railroad station at Harristown, southeast of Salem — Other
- Stephanocrinus cornetti-Cupulocorona osgoodensis Assoc., Osgood Fms., Indiana — Other
- USGS 6139-CO. Southern bank of Salt Creek, 900’ upstream from covered bridge on Enochsburg-Oldenburg Rd. New Point — Other
- USGS 6140-CO. Northern bank Salt Creek, 0.4 mi upstream f. Stockheughter bridge — Other
- Weisburg — Public Access
- Wells Mastodon — Other
How to Identify Fossils
Look for biological structure the rock around it lacks: shell curves and growth lines, the spongy honeycomb interior of bone, leaf veins, ribbed corals, or the segmented symmetry of a trilobite. Fossils usually contrast with their matrix in color or density. Bone that has mineralized feels heavier than fresh bone and often shows a polished brown-black surface.
Not sure what you found? Try our identification guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find fossils in Indiana?
Indiana has 38 mapped sites where fossils have been reported. The best-known are Maumee River, 10 - B, and 11 - B. Each listing on the map above includes GPS coordinates, access type, and what has been found there.
How many fossils sites are mapped in Indiana?
We have 38 documented fossils sites in Indiana, compiled from community submissions and published locality records and reviewed by the Rockhounding.org Research Team.
Is it legal to collect fossils in Indiana?
Casual collecting is generally allowed on BLM and National Forest land for personal, non-commercial use — the standard BLM limit is 25 lbs per day plus one specimen. National parks, monuments, and many state parks prohibit collecting, and private land always requires the owner's permission. Check the site report for each location and verify current land status before you dig.
How do I identify fossil?
Look for biological structure the rock around it lacks: shell curves and growth lines, the spongy honeycomb interior of bone, leaf veins, ribbed corals, or the segmented symmetry of a trilobite. Fossils usually contrast with their matrix in color or density. Bone that has mineralized feels heavier than fresh bone and often shows a polished brown-black surface.
What kinds of fossils are found in Indiana?
Reports from Indiana distinguish Fossilized Coral (1 site), Trilobite (1 site).
What should I bring to collect fossils?
The basics: a rock hammer, safety glasses, gloves, a bucket or padded bag for specimens, and a GPS app with the coordinates from this page. Add a spray bottle — wetting a stone makes color and banding far easier to judge in the field.
⚠️ Always verify current regulations, weather conditions, and access requirements before visiting any location. Information provided is based on community submissions and may not be current or accurate.
More to Find in Indiana
Data: Paleobiology Database, community submissions — reviewed and approved by the Rockhounding.org Research Team. Always verify current land status, regulations, and access before visiting any site.