Oak Springs Trilobite Area |

Caliente

  1. trips
  2. nevada
  3. southern nevada
  4. oak springs trilobite    

Hiking Oak Springs Trilobite Area - CalienteRoadside Attraction Oak Springs Trilobite Area - Caliente Hiking Oak Springs Trilobite Area
Caliente

Overview | Getting There | Route | Photos | Maps | Comments

Overview

RATING: Roadside Attraction / Easy Hike
LENGTH: 1+ hours

Wed

Snow showers likely, mainly after 11am. Some thunder is also possible. Cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 17 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

37 | 28

Thu

A 30 percent chance of snow showers after 11am. Some thunder is also possible. Partly sunny, with a high near 40. South southwest wind 7 to 11 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

40 | 29

Fri

Mostly sunny, with a high near 38.

38 | 27

Sat

A slight chance of snow showers after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 36.

36 | 23

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 33.

33 | 22

View Full Weather Details
SEASON: Spring, Summer, Fall (Winter if there is not snow on the ground)
GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear
WATER: None

Wed

Snow showers likely, mainly after 11am. Some thunder is also possible. Cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 17 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

37 | 28

Thu

A 30 percent chance of snow showers after 11am. Some thunder is also possible. Partly sunny, with a high near 40. South southwest wind 7 to 11 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

40 | 29

Fri

Mostly sunny, with a high near 38.

38 | 27

Sat

A slight chance of snow showers after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 36.

36 | 23

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 33.

33 | 22

View Full Weather Details
View from the fossil hunting area.

View from the fossil hunting area.

Just north of US-93, west of the small town of Caliente, is the Oak Springs Trilobite site. The geology of the area, which comprises shale deposits, has fossilized plants and six types of trilobites in the deposited rock layers.

The BLM has created a trailhead and trail to an area where, with a fair bit of persistence, you can find fossilized plants and trilobites. The trailhead has picnic tables and a pit toilet.

This short outing makes a great stop when passing through the area, and was a fun “treasure-hunt” for the whole family, Our kindergartener loved hunting for fossils.

Note: In our experience, finding fossilized plants is easy, as we found widespread fossils of plants around the site. These, to my eye, were the highlight and fossils I most enjoyed. Finding trilobites takes a bit more persistence and a closer eye. We found a few examples on our trip that took about an hour of hunting.
A few of our finds.

A few of our finds.

Getting There

From the town of Caliente Nevada, head west on US-93 for about 13 miles to mile marker 81.25. A side road on the north side of US-93 here is signed for Oak Springs Trilobite area. Follow the dirt road 0.4 miles to a large parking area with a pit toilet. This is the trailhead and is signed. Reaching the trailhead should be possible by all vehicles in most conditions.

Heading on a fossil hunt!

Heading on a fossil hunt!

Route

From the trailhead, the trail heads west for about 1/4 of a mile to where the area becomes disturbed with digging pits from other visitors. The hunt begins! In talking to a group of locals that were visiting at the same time we were, the best strategy appears to be wash bottoms for trilobites, though we found fossilized plants in many places we dug.


Maps

Printable Maps:
MP81.25

11S 702372mE 4164905mN

N37° 36' 32" W114° 42' 26"
Trailhead

11S 701961mE 4165456mN

N37° 36' 51" W114° 42' 42"

Comments

Want to make a comment? Login and let yourself be heard.