Where to Find Fossils in Missouri: 48 Mapped Sites
Missouri has 48 documented sites where fossils have been reported, and the best-known are Defiance Quarry, Saint Charles Quarry, and Gallatin. Every site is mapped below with GPS coordinates and links to a full report of access and what's been found there. 7 of the 48 sites are on public-access land.
Last updated: — data compiled by the Rockhounding.org Research Team · methodology
Fossils Map: Missouri
All 48 fossils sites in Missouri. Click a pin for the full site report.
Where Fossils Are Found in Missouri
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 Missouri: Defiance Quarry, Saint Charles Quarry, Gallatin, Daviess County, Gentry County.
Of the 48 sites, 7 are public access. Check each site report for current land status before you go.
All Fossils Sites in Missouri
- Defiance Quarry — Public Access
- Saint Charles Quarry — Public Access
- Gallatin — Public Access
- Daviess County — Public Access
- Gentry County — Public Access
- Grundy County — Public Access
- Livingston County — Public Access
- Ash Grove — Other
- Barnhart quarry — Other
- Big Springs — Other
- Brickeys — Other
- Carboniferous Basins of Southwestern Missouri — Other
- England strip pit — Other
- Ewing strip pit — Other
- Fulton — Other
- Fulton — Other
- Glen Park quarry — Other
- Greenfield pinnid — Other
- Herculaneum Fissure — Other
- Houston strip pit — Other
- King's Butte — Other
- Knight's locality #12 — Other
- Knight's locality #37 — Other
- Knight's locality #38 — Other
- Knight's locality #7 — Other
- Laredo Coal — Other
- Leeds Quarry, Kansas City — Other
- Loc. 14. Bank of Hackberry Branch, just west of bridge where north-south country road crosses stream 500’ north of Hackberry School, 6 miles southwest of Nevada — Other
- Loc. 15. Bank of Hackberry Branch, 800' west of bridge where road crosses stream, 5.5 miles southwest of Nevada — Other
- Loc. 16. Old quarry just sout of the Marmaton River, west side of County Highway H, ½ mile north of Deerfield — Other
- Loc. 1A. Waste banks of strip mine 1.5 miles west of Mindenmines, 1 mile north from KS-MO state line road — Other
- Loc. 27A. Small strip pit on west side of the county road, just east of Bear Creek, ~2.5 miles east of Montrose — Other
- Loc. 2. Second Nicolson Creek tributary, 300 ft. upstream of where creek crosses road, 1 mile west of Liberal — Other
- Loc. 32. Waste banks of the Power Compnay mine, just east of County Hwy. K, 2¾ miles north of Germantown — Other
- Loc. 36. Waste banks of the Black Diamond Coal Company mine on the east side of US Hwy. 69, just south of Brush Creek, ~5.0 miles south of Pittsburg — Other
- Loc. 8. Old quarry on the east side of County Hwy. H, just before it crosses Marmaton River, ½ mile northwest of Deerfield — Other
- Loc. 9. Waste banks of old Wastell mine on the east side of Dumping Creek, ~3 miles southeast of Clinton — Other
- Locality 6. 200 ft. north of Clayton Rd., 1st street west of Kirkwood-Ferguson Trolly tracks, "Davis Place" subdivision, Clayton — Other
- Locality D — Other
- Lucas, Cherokee Shale — Other
- New Florence — Other
- Overby strip pit — Other
- Ovid Coal Bed — Other
- Peerless Park — Other
- Shideler strip pit — Other
- SL-1. Headwaters of Feefee Creek, north of Olive St. & west of Lindberg Blvd., 1.5 km northwest of Stratmann (Olivette) — Other
- Upper St. Louis Limestone — Other
- Weston, Platte County — 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 Missouri?
Missouri has 48 mapped sites where fossils have been reported. The best-known are Defiance Quarry, Saint Charles Quarry, and Gallatin. Each listing on the map above includes GPS coordinates, access type, and what has been found there.
How many fossils sites are mapped in Missouri?
We have 48 documented fossils sites in Missouri, compiled from community submissions and published locality records and reviewed by the Rockhounding.org Research Team.
Is it legal to collect fossils in Missouri?
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 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.
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.