Montour Preserve Fossil Pit - Atlas Obscura
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Montour Preserve Fossil Pit

Danville, Pennsylvania

Construction uncovered this trove of fossils, which visitors are welcome to add to their own collections. 

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Scree of shale.
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Located In rural Danville, Pennsylvania, the Montour Preserve was dedicated as a nature area in 1972. When parking areas were being built for the preserve, part of a hillside was dug out to use as fill. The hillside consisted of shale from the Mahantango Formation. This rock is rich in Devonian-era marine fossils, from an era when Pennsylvania was covered by a warm, shallow sea.

When this fossil-rich shale was discovered, The Montour Fossil Pit was established. The dug-out hillside is open daily from dawn until dusk. Visitors are welcome to hunt for fossils and keep what they find.

Know Before You Go

The Montour Preserve Fossil Pit is open daily from dawn until dusk. Visitors are welcome to hunt for fossils and keep what they find. Hammers, chisels, and protective eye wear are recommended. The fossil pit is a short walk from the parking area.

paleontology fossils geology
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