Where to Find Fossils in Iowa: 42 Mapped Sites
Iowa has 42 documented sites where fossils have been reported, and the best-known are Dubuque, Bellevue, and Skunk River. Every site is mapped below with GPS coordinates and links to a full report of access and what's been found there. 10 of the 42 sites are on public-access land.
Last updated: — data compiled by the Rockhounding.org Research Team · methodology
Fossils Map: Iowa
All 42 fossils sites in Iowa. Click a pin for the full site report.
Where Fossils Are Found in Iowa
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 Iowa: Dubuque, Bellevue, Skunk River, Ames, Brandon.
Local reporting distinguishes Silicified Coral (3 sites), Calcified Coral (3 sites), Petrified Coral (2 sites), Coral (1 site).
Of the 42 sites, 10 are public access. Check each site report for current land status before you go.
All Fossils Sites in Iowa
- Dubuque — Public Access
- Bellevue — Public Access
- Skunk River — Public Access
- Ames — Public Access
- Brandon — Public Access
- Cedar Creek — Public Access
- Cedar Rapids — Public Access
- Coralville — Public Access
- Farmington — Public Access
- Fremont County — Public Access
- Akron — Other
- Along East-West Road in southeast quarter of Section 17, Orleans Township — Other
- Bassett — Other
- Brachiopods of Lower Coralville Fm., Buffalo Quarry, Scott County, Iowa — Other
- Butters — Other
- Chert Bed #1, South bank of English River, 1 mile north of Daytonville. — Other
- Delta — Other
- Des Moines, western — Other
- Dimerocrinites (D.) hopkintonensis Assoc., Welton Mbr., Scotch Grove Fm., E Iowa — Other
- Dover Mills — Other
- East side of the West Branch of the Des Moines River — Other
- F1 LCf Om — Other
- Fayette — Other
- GC Sample 1 — Other
- Greene — Other
- Hindia parva?-Sphenothallus-Apycnodiscus Communityof the Elgin — Other
- Hushpuckney Shale Mem, Crescent, Pottawattamie County, IA (Schram, 1984, Loc. 6) — Other
- Linn County — Other
- Maquoketa Group, Fort Atkinson Fm, northeastern Iowa-northwestern Illinois — Other
- Mich Mine Coal Balls — Other
- North of Stuart — Other
- Palaeoneilo fecunda-Plagioglypta iowaensis Community of the Dubuque — Other
- Palo — Other
- Petalocrinus mirabilis-Pentameroides-Coral Assoc., Buck Creek Member, E Iowa — Other
- Porocrinus pentagonius-Carabocrinus Association of the Wise Lake Formation at Bu — Other
- Roadcut near Turkey Creek on south side of county highway east of Fort Atkinson — Other
- Rudd — Other
- Tecnocyrtina fauna, Gizzard Creek Mbr., Coralville Fmn., Glory Quarry — Other
- Thaerodonta recedens-Iowacystis sagittaria Comm., Elgin Member, Maquoketa Fm. — Other
- Tributary to Otter Creek. Southeast quarter of northwest quarter of section 30 — Other
- UI locality Z-1F, Eagle City Ls, Hampton Fm, Marshall Co, Iowa — Other
- Well #D-7 — 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 Iowa?
Iowa has 42 mapped sites where fossils have been reported. The best-known are Dubuque, Bellevue, and Skunk River. Each listing on the map above includes GPS coordinates, access type, and what has been found there.
How many fossils sites are mapped in Iowa?
We have 42 documented fossils sites in Iowa, compiled from community submissions and published locality records and reviewed by the Rockhounding.org Research Team.
Is it legal to collect fossils in Iowa?
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 Iowa?
Reports from Iowa distinguish Silicified Coral (3 sites), Calcified Coral (3 sites), Petrified Coral (2 sites), Coral (1 site), Fossilized Coral (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 Iowa
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.