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Painted Gorge

Imperial County, California
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Next site in CaliforniaEdwards · 2 mi

Can I collect here?

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See who owns this land and whether it is claimedPro shows the owner, the claim on this spot and every claim within a mile.
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Based on our latest records, with claims updated from the BLM on Oct 15, 2026. Land and claims can change quickly, so check before you go.

Minerals on record here

1 mineral

Recorded here: fossil.

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About Painted Gorge

Painted Gorge is a fossil collection site in Imperial, California, cataloged in the Paleobiology Database. Fossils here come from the Deguynos Formation, dated to the Zanclean (5.333–3.6 million years ago). The depositional environment is recorded as marine indet. Documented finds include Valenictus imperialensis, Ostrea, Pectinidae, Carcharodon arnoldi.

Geologic setting

Formation
Deguynos
Geologic interval
Zanclean
Age
5.333–3.6 Ma
Depositional environment
marine indet.
Recorded occurrences
4
Locality notes

1000 feet south, 800 feet east of northwest corner, Sec. 32, T. 15 S., R. 10 E., Painted Gorge Quadrangle California, USGS 1957: On the 400 foot elevation contour in the mouth of Painted Gorge, eastern flank of Coyote Mountains, Imperial county, CA

Fossils found here

Valenictus imperialensis
Mammalia · Odobenidae
Ostrea
Bivalvia · Ostreidae
Pectinidae
Bivalvia · Pectinidae
Carcharodon arnoldi
Chondrichthyes · Lamnidae

Records and references

Data: Paleobiology Database collection 58982 (CC BY 4.0) — view the source record

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Questions about Painted Gorge

Can you collect at Painted Gorge?

It depends on who owns the land and whether a mining claim covers it. BLM land usually allows hand collecting for personal use, national parks allow none, and private land needs the owner’s permission. Pro members see the owner and any claims at this spot.

What minerals are found at Painted Gorge?

Fossil.

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Meteorite nearbyA 28.6 kg iron meteorite was found at Ocotillo in 1990, 6 miles from here.

Source: Paleobiology Database.