Salesville Shale
NOTE: The Mineral Wells Dump is now a "fossil park". I first visited this site in 2002 and I returned in 2018.
Fortunately, it is open to the public and is free, Dawn to Dusk. The increased notoriety is apparent in many ways.
Mineral Wells Fossil Park Website
Mineral Wells is located about an hour west of Fort Worth on Hwy 180.
The old dump site is a few miles west from town. Turn north on Indian Creek Road,
which is a gravel road just east of the Brazos River. Follow Indian Creek road for a couple of miles
and you'll come upon the old dump site gate when the road takes a sharp left turn.
(Do not take Seybold road, keep to the right when Seybold goes left)
The park features include this nice shelter, explanatory signage and a ramp into the pit with a handrail.
The sign is a well done and nice addition. I hear lots of school groups visit now.
Full Sized Image of the Sign
To the left of the gate, behind the shed, is the excavation where the fossils are to be found.
You may have company at the parking spot. While I was hunting, they licked all four of the side windows on my rental car.
This is typical of the ground surface in the excavation.
You are walking on the fossils, they are so prolific.
It is recommended to bring gloves and knee pads along as much of the hunting is done on hands and knees.
This is the kind of stuff to be found. Lots of crinoid parts, brachiopods, trilobites and other marine invertebrates.
Some crinoid parts and other interesting stuff.
Trilobites are here. This is all I have found so far.
This part of the sign shows the stratigraphy of the site.
My thanks AGAIN to the Central Texas Paleontological Society for their hot tips!
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