Any Northern California Fossil Hunters Here?

[NorCal Gal]

Hi, everyone!

Just recently found this forum and seems like there are many here who, just like me, love to find little "treasures" along the way...

Looks like not many of you are from my area, though. I live in Sonoma County, Northern California ("Wine Country" ).

I love to go fossil hunting in a nearby county where there are shale cliffs that constantly erode near the beach. I have found many, many "complete" fossil shells there but, mostly, I find "petrified" sand dollars like some of the ones in the photo below.

I also like to tumble rocks and there is a type of agate (from the only description I could find of it, it's called "Marin" or "Bolinas", I believe) that I have found in the same location as the fossils that looks great after polishing from being tumbled so I'm including a shot of these, too...

Hope to find some others near me who know more than I do about these things (which wouldn't take much, I'll tell ya )


Happy hunting!

NorCal Gal

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[maipenrai]

Hi, I dont live in the area anymore, but visit time to time. I collect just about everything in the ground, from coins to fossils. I dont know much about fossils either, and most of the ones that I collect are from northern europe. Maybe we could hit the beach some time, and if you had a metal detector, that would make it a full day!

 

[NorCal Gal]

Hi, Mai!

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. I don't have a metal detector, unfortunately, but have always thought it would be fun to do that... You must have found a few "goodies" with it -- enough to keep you interested in pursuing the hobby, anyway.

The only coin I ever dug up worthy of mention was when I was a teenager living in an old Victorian house in Santa Rosa CA that had been divided up into 2 apartments. I was digging in one of the flowerbeds and found (I'm trying to remember exactly what it was...) a penny (called something else -- a "Sol", I think) from either Uruguay or Paraguay dated 1868 or 9. It was in pretty good shape considering how long it had been in the ground. I remember that it was exactly 100 years old when I found it. It was stolen as was my entire coin collection -- INCLUDING the 11 silver dollars my grandmother willed to me, some of which were "Morgans" and "Standing Liberty" -- in the mid-1970s. (I still cry over that...)

"NorCal Gal" (Jean)

 

[Jay64]

Hello! I know that your posting is now more than a year old, but I just came across it. If you are still out there, I am an old fossil, rock and mineral hunter/collector. I used to live in Napa, but I now live in Yolo county. I have spent time in Sonoma county, but mainly in pursuit of wine. Always glad to meet another connoisseur of rock!

 

[NorCal Gal]

Hi, Jay!

Yep... I'm still "around" on the forum here. (Although not as much as I once was...) Thanks for taking a minute to reply!

Wow... Yolo County, huh? That's pretty desolate country up there as I remember -- not many people up there to relate to (fossil hunters or not). We've got some primo wine here in Sonoma County, alright... Napa's wine is a bit more famous but, personally, on the whole, I think ours is better! Our cabernets and pinots are superior, IMHO, and, for those who like whites, our Chardonnays and Fume Blancs rank right up there with the best of 'em!

I live in Cloverdale but, I actually got the fossils (above) in Marin County -- around Bolinas Lagoon. It's a treasure trove of fossils and other rocks (agate, mainly). It's been awhile since I've been down there but I haven't really had any reliable transportation to go since I wrecked my Jeep year before last. Now I've got another Jeep, though, and it's had some major and minor "bugs" to work out but, it's almost there...

Good to meet another Northern California treasure hunter!

Happy hunting!

NorCal Gal (jean)

 

[firetab]

hello
NorCal Gal (jean)
and Hi, Jay

i'm new to fossils and rock hunting

im going to the library and find some information

any tips or good place to hunt for fossils and rock
near sacramento
any information will be helpful
thank you

 

[popevalley]

Hello,

I live in Pope Valley, which is in Napa County about 30 miutes from Lake Berryessa, closest to Angwin, Calistoga, Middletown and Saint Helena. My son is 6 years old and loves fossils and rocks. My wife asked me to see if I could help them find any places close by that they could go to find fossils or special rocks (I don't know what is the best term for it - I am very much a novice).

I wonder if anyone could respond with some specific locations.

Thanks

 

[curious kat]

Hello NorCal Gal....a used to be SouCal Gal here lol Took plenty of trips up the PCH, miss the ocean What I use to find up your way was Jade, sorry no fossils wasn't looking then. Just wanted to say "welcome to Tnet", this is such a great site with really nice people....enjoy!

 

[popevalley]

Where?

Hello NorCal Gal....a used to be SouCal Gal here lol Took plenty of trips up the PCH, miss the ocean What I use to find up your way was Jade, sorry no fossils wasn't looking then. Just wanted to say "welcome to Tnet", this is such a great site with really nice people....enjoy!

Where did you find the Jade?

 

[curious kat]

....lol I just noticed the date...2011..guess I didn't need to say welcome to the site! It was on the beach in Monterey Bay popevalley...found jade pebbles here's a pic...the other one is obsidian.

 

[popevalley]

....lol I just noticed the date...2011..guess I didn't need to say welcome to the site! It was on the beach in Monterey Bay popevalley...found jade pebbles here's a pic...the other one is obsidian. View attachment 923017

Thanks. And welcoming me was appropriate. I had just joined the same day you welcomed me.

Thanks for the welcome.

 

[MD-Mac]

Hi NorCal Gal, these finds are awesome... I was just in Bolinas this past weekend but didn't come across anything as cool as this, I'll have to ask you for some pointers on places to look for my next trip to the coast.