Osteodontokeratic Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 Hello All, My wife and I will be leaving on a driving vacation in about 3 weeks from our home near St. Louis to the Petrified Forrest, with multiple stops along the way to National Parks & Monuments, state parks, and prehistoric Native American ruins in NM, AZ, and CO. Was wondering if anyone had any known roadcuts along the routes below that they would not mind mentioning. Since we will be strapped for time, it would be a snatch & grab in 15 minutes or so, but I would like to find some species I currently do not have, especially Permian and Mesozoic. As most of these are interstates, is interstate stopping illegal in any of these states? Here are the routes: We will be traveling on I-44 in MO and OK. Then I-40 in OK, TX, NM, and AZ. Then US 160, with a spur to Canyon De Chelly, and through CO. In CO, we will head N. on I-25, then I-24 to I-70 through KS and home. I will be most grateful for info on any locations. Thx. P.S. Anyone know how to change your user name. My brain was not functioning properly. Wanted Osteodontokeratic in honor of Raymond Dart, but instead put in what you see, Pretty embarrassing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Man Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 (edited) Typically interstate roads are a no no for collecting. I know I-70, US-160 is a no go, but the others I do not know. There are plenty of fossil hunting road trips posted in blogs and other spots on the net that consist of road cuts and other public collecting sites Many people do not just give up site locations freely. How does the old saying go? "Loose lips, sink ships." Will you be near Creede, Colorado? There is a road cut by the airport there you can hunt. Creede is a beautiful place to visit and it's right by the Rio Grand reservoir and the famous Ute trail head. 2 miles back you can find Opal. There is another site in Creede that yields opal/agatized bivalves, oysters etc. However, you will need a 4x4 vehicle or ATV to traverse the trail. Best regards, Paul Edit: If you visit Creede, stop off at the visitors center. They will give you a sheet with several fossil,mineral hunting sites within 15 minutes if Creede. I hear the red fluorite by the dump is spectacular and is fluorescent under SW UV 240nm. Edited June 6, 2016 by Raggedy Man ...I'm back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 You can't stop legally on any interstate, anywhere, but you may be able to stop at on/off ramps well away from the actual highway as long as there are no signs to the contrary. The local police will let you know if they have any issues I'm sure, though if they do they will probably just ask you to move along. In Colorado, all highway right-of-ways and other state-owned land fall under legislation that makes fossils the property of the state, so a permit is required to collect. I don't know how rigorously that is enforced, especially on back roads which may be on county land. Certainly I would be careful to not attract attention. In general, I would suggest that you think about getting off the interstates and take some back roads. Of course that would be slower, even without fossil stops, but you would see more "real country" than you will from the interstate. Good luck, Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 ....P.S. Anyone know how to change your user name. My brain was not functioning properly. Wanted Osteodontokeratic in honor of Raymond Dart, but instead put in what you see, Pretty embarrassing! Your display name has been changed. Your log in name was not changed. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 If You are in the Albuquerque area You may try Sandia peak. It would be a side trip, but You can find some very nice mississippian fossils up there, and the view is amazing!! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osteodontokeratic Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 Thank you so much, Paul, Don, & Tony, I will be close to Creede, CO and will definitely attempt to stop there. We are going through Albuquerque and may attempt Sandia Peak depending on time of day as we are planning on stopping at Grants for the night & then head to Acoma and from there to El Moro, El Malapais & into AZ. I was not sure about interstate stopping. Glad to know I best refrain. While stopping on interstates is a no no in IL & IN, I have never had any problems in MO and there are a lot of Middle Ordovician *Plattin, Decorah, Kimmswick) and a few Mississippian (Fern Glen) sites on I-55 between St. Louis & Perryville. Also nce stopped in TN, just outside of Nashville, within site of a state trooper and he did not even come over to me. Also thank you Administrator for correcting my username! Much appreciating to you all for your help and suggestions, P,S.,We are taking my wife's Hyndai and not my GMC Sierra due to twice as better gas mileage, so will be avoiding a lot of off roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Good luck on the trip! Looking forward to seeing the trip report! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osteodontokeratic Posted May 27, 2019 Author Share Posted May 27, 2019 Hello Paul & Don, Extremely belated apologies. Geez, been almost 3 years. Anyway. did want to finally let you know that I did make it to the hill at Airport Curve. Collected some plant remains and some circular blobs that look like jellyfish. 3 years later I still do not know what they are. Tried 3 years ago to upload their photos, but had zero luck, so am thinking about trying again. Anyway, I wanted to thank you both for your advice. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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