The temporary Ladonia Fossil Park on FM2990 is now only accessible from the north side.

[BudB]

With my knee feeling fine after Tuesdays fossil hunting trip, and ready for a more challenging hike, I headed out to the Ladonia Fossil Park yesterday. Knowing that part of the NSR will be at the bottom of a lake soon, I wanted to get in another trip there first. I checked the park's website to make sure it was still open. According to it, everything was still operational. Except it wasn't, at least not from the south. On FM2990, about a mile south of the bridge and park, was a new fence and gate with signs saying Road Closed and Bridge Out. The FM2990 temporary fossil park is no more. Problems getting to the river, with it soon to be at the bottom of a lake; sounds like the beginning of Deliverance, huh?

 

I have used another access point on that part of the river. I hadn't tried it in a while, and it isn't as easy to get into the river as the park, but I turned around and headed to it. I had no problem getting on the river, with just a later start than I had planned. That part of the river tends to be hit or miss, depending on the conditions. I've had some spectacular finds on a couple of trips, and came home with nothing on others. This trip ended up falling more into the latter category, not worthy of a report here. But I'll make that report anyway, just to let people know that the park is now not accessible from the south.

 

NSR is, of course, known for the big stuff you find there, and that's always what I'm looking for. But on days where I just couldn't find anything, I've spent the last hour or two on gravel bars on knee pads, searching for the smaller stuff. And that's how I ended my day in the river yesterday. As always on one of those days, I picked up Hamulus worm tubes. There are always lots of those to be found as I'm looking for teeth. But other than the worm tubes, I've never found much small stuff at NSR. But I did find a small assortment yesterday, 7 teeth, a tiny bivalve, a gastropod, and even a tiny fish vert. One of the teeth is an Enchodus fang. I always love finding one of those.

 

 

 

For only an hour and a half on knee pads, I picked up more than usual there. I had enough fun that I'm considering another trip there, with all my time just on the knee pads. I think I may have found a pattern for finding more of the tiny items, and will put it to use in all of my future trips to the area. Oh wait, it's about to be at the bottom of a lake. Never mind.....

[historianmichael]

The Fossil Park is reportedly still open but it has to be accessed from the north side, given the closure of the bridge south of the park.

[BudB]

5 minutes ago, historianmichael said:

The Fossil Park is reportedly still open but it has to be accessed from the north side, given the closure of the bridge south of the park.

Thanks for that. When I checked google maps after my drive, it just showed the park as closed.