Marble Mountain California Trilobites

January is a great month to explore the marble mountains.

Marble mountain california trilobites.

Trilobites were small marine crustaceans that resemble modern day horseshoe crabs. Please note that this photograph was taken long before the marble mountains became part of a national monument. The marble mountain fossil beds lie in a beautiful shale formation that is 60 feet thick and over 550 million years old. Here is the posting from the california bureau of land management website please visit the website for rules on collecting.

Geology of the area. The land was first set aside in april 1931 as the marble mountain primitive area which comprised 234 957 acres 950 84 km 2. In addition to many trilobite fossils found here this rock collecting area yields green epidote dolomite chrysocolla chalcedony serpentine marble garnet and specular hematite iron and kenatite chalcedony crystals geodes. The latham shale borders the cadiz and chambless formations both named after the small towns nearby.

However the land has become part of a nationally. The fossils are approximately 518 million years old. Here is the posting from the california bureau of land management website please visit the website for rules on collecting. Our plan was to explore them on saturday camp there then meet the yucaipa valley gem and mineral society for a trilobite fossil hunt on sunday.

A group of fossil seekers explores with eager attentiveness an exposure of the lower cambrian latham shale at the classic trilobite quarry in the marble mountains. We left highway 40 at ludlow and drove the old national trails highway route 66 through amboy to chambless. It s a special place now included in the rather recently. Marble mountain fossil bed contains one of the classic cambrian trilobite fossil sites within the western united states.

Although trilobites are the most common and most popular fossils in the latham shale they are not the only fossils that have been found there. Take a trip to the place that first inspired my life long fascination and interest in fossils the classic trilobite quarry in the lower cambrian latham shale in the marble mountains of california s mojave desert. The marble mountain wilderness is a 241 744 acre 978 30 km 2 wilderness area located 60 miles 97 km southwest of yreka california in the united states it is managed by the united states forest service and is within the klamath national forest in siskiyou county. One of the classic cambrian trilobite fossil sites in the western u s.

Collecting trilobites in the marble mountains california. Is located at this beautiful outcrop in a 60 foot thick formation over 550 million years old. Trilobites in the marble mountains mojave desert california.