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Identification of Paleocene Aquia Fossils:

Click on the image below to go to the Potomac River Paleocene Fossil Identification Section:

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Access to Fossils Exposures of the Potomac River

When looking for fossil along the potomac, please remember that private property starts at the LOW tide line in VA, therefore, all beaches in VA are private property. In MD, private property starts at the HIGH tide line, so you must stay below the high tide line in MD.

Access is limited, especially without a boat and VA property laws. Look for parks near the Potomac river that have river access.

The VMNH takes field trips to places along the potomac. For information about their public field trips, click here.

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How To find Fossils along the River

Water Levels
Although the Potomac is a river, it is tidal. The tides are not extremely high or low, however, they easily flood the small beaches where the fossils are. Often times when collecting, I will start at low tide, then have to walk through knee and sometimes waste deep water when returning to my starting point. Which is often difficult because of all the fallen trees.

The following link has tide data for various places along the Potomac river: Tideschart - Potomac River.

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A small Shovel and Sifter with a 1/8" - 1/4" screen.
A shovel and sifter is ideal for sifting the pebble areas along the Potomac river. Please remember to DO NOT DIG IN THE CLIFFS, as the cliffs are provate property, plus they can collapse and cause serious injury and death. If one doesn't have a shovel and sifter, one can still find fossils by simply scanning the grownd. Slowly walk the pebble areas by the shore and scan for fossils.

Below is some recommended equipment:

• Waders, or thick bottomed shoes - There is sometimes glass mixed in with the pebbles - felt lined waders are illegal in Maryland.

• Bug spray - there are lots of mosquitos and biting flies along the river, plus there are lots of fallen trees and vegetation, so ticks can also be an issue.

• Water - It gets hot in the summer, don't get dehydrated!

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When to Go

You can fossil hunt here any time of the year. However, some times can be better than others.

It's best to fossil hunt a day or so after a heavy rain, or after the freeze/thaw cycles in early spring. These events cause more fossils to erode and washes up fossils from offshore.

Fossil hunting during a rain storm is not recommended, as the river can quickly flood.

Fossil hunting in mid-summer during a drought is more difficult, as fewer fossils will have eroded out. Also, toward the end of the summer, algae blooms and seaweed tend to cover most of the pebble areas.

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Mallows Bay - A Ship Graveyard - Nearby Location

While in the area, if you have a Kayak, I would suggest kayaking around the Ghost Ships of Mallows Bay.

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