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You'll find lots of Trilobites (Pseudogygites Latimarginatus) and brachiopods (mucrospirifer) just about anywhere you look in southern Ontario. Keep an eye out for shale piles left by construction, or if you're driving around in rural areas look for road cuts through sedimentary layers, the layers are exposed at the side of the road and you can easily find exposed fossils there. You'll need tools and safety equipment: a standard builder's hard hat is the minimum that should be worn in areas that are liable to falling rocks, especially cliff faces and within quarries, a high visibility jacket will improve your chances in case of an accident. Pick up a geological hammer if you don't have one. It's got a square head on one side, and a chisel tip on the other side. Useful for splitting the layers. Also, safety glasses are essential. You don't want to get a rock splinter in your eye. There's a more comprehensive tool list here "Most of Ontario's fossil record is found in the Paleozoic rocks that cover much of southern Ontario and the James Bay Lowlands. These rocks were deposited during the Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian periods (450-350 million years ago) when Ontario was repeatedly covered by warm, shallow inland seas. The seas were fed by rivers draining from the bordering highlands of the Canadian Shield and acted as settling basins for thousands of meters of sand, mud, and clay. Eastern and northern boundaries of Paleozoic outcrop run roughly through the southern borders of Muskoka and Haliburton just east of Kingston (where Ordovician rocks lap onto Precambrian rocks). Ordovician rocks here abound with fossil snails, clams, squid-like nautiloids, trilobites, starfish, and sea lilies. Late Ordovician and Silurian rocks form the Niagara escarpment that runs from Manitoulin Island to the Niagara Peninsula and on into New York State. The escarpment was formed by rivers draining highlands to southeast. Fossils are scarce here. Silurian corals formed reefs that are now exposed as fossils on Manitoulin Island. Devonian rocks on shore of Lake Huron near Kettle Point contain abundant corals and trilobites, sea lilies and other marine invertebrates. Even the bony skin plates of early armored fish have occasionally been found. Unconsolidated deposits of Pleistocene Epoch are the next great chapter in Ontario's fossils. One of the most complete successions of interglacial sediment is exposed in Toronto Brick Pit. Fossils found here include wood, insects, freshwater clams and snails, antlers of deer, skulls of large bears, groundhogs, bison and giant beaver. Near Welland mastodons, wooly elephants, and pollen grains have been found." Ontario's Fossil Story By: Kristina Anderson, assistant curator Answer from 248_RPA on reddit.com
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askto › tips for beginner fossil hunting in toronto and area?
r/askTO on Reddit: Tips for beginner fossil hunting in Toronto and area?
July 4, 2017 -

Someone experienced was supposed to take me fossil hunting but that fell through.

They said it's not too hard to find stuff.

I'm looking for locations and tips.

Top answer
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Easiest is to find some shale by the lake and start breaking pieces open. You can find small plants and trilobite looking things. I've had decent luck on the rocky beaches in Whitby, with a 5% hit rate or so, maybe a little lower.
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You'll find lots of Trilobites (Pseudogygites Latimarginatus) and brachiopods (mucrospirifer) just about anywhere you look in southern Ontario. Keep an eye out for shale piles left by construction, or if you're driving around in rural areas look for road cuts through sedimentary layers, the layers are exposed at the side of the road and you can easily find exposed fossils there. You'll need tools and safety equipment: a standard builder's hard hat is the minimum that should be worn in areas that are liable to falling rocks, especially cliff faces and within quarries, a high visibility jacket will improve your chances in case of an accident. Pick up a geological hammer if you don't have one. It's got a square head on one side, and a chisel tip on the other side. Useful for splitting the layers. Also, safety glasses are essential. You don't want to get a rock splinter in your eye. There's a more comprehensive tool list here "Most of Ontario's fossil record is found in the Paleozoic rocks that cover much of southern Ontario and the James Bay Lowlands. These rocks were deposited during the Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian periods (450-350 million years ago) when Ontario was repeatedly covered by warm, shallow inland seas. The seas were fed by rivers draining from the bordering highlands of the Canadian Shield and acted as settling basins for thousands of meters of sand, mud, and clay. Eastern and northern boundaries of Paleozoic outcrop run roughly through the southern borders of Muskoka and Haliburton just east of Kingston (where Ordovician rocks lap onto Precambrian rocks). Ordovician rocks here abound with fossil snails, clams, squid-like nautiloids, trilobites, starfish, and sea lilies. Late Ordovician and Silurian rocks form the Niagara escarpment that runs from Manitoulin Island to the Niagara Peninsula and on into New York State. The escarpment was formed by rivers draining highlands to southeast. Fossils are scarce here. Silurian corals formed reefs that are now exposed as fossils on Manitoulin Island. Devonian rocks on shore of Lake Huron near Kettle Point contain abundant corals and trilobites, sea lilies and other marine invertebrates. Even the bony skin plates of early armored fish have occasionally been found. Unconsolidated deposits of Pleistocene Epoch are the next great chapter in Ontario's fossils. One of the most complete successions of interglacial sediment is exposed in Toronto Brick Pit. Fossils found here include wood, insects, freshwater clams and snails, antlers of deer, skulls of large bears, groundhogs, bison and giant beaver. Near Welland mastodons, wooly elephants, and pollen grains have been found." Ontario's Fossil Story By: Kristina Anderson, assistant curator
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Fossil Guy
fossilguy.com › sites › index.htm
Fossilguy.com: Where to Find Fossils - Fossil Hunting Locations, directions, identification, tips, and fossil examples
Located in Bakersfield, CA, Shark tooth hill is a world famous spot for Miocene marine fossils. It rare C. planus shark tooth is a common find here. Near Shark Tooth hill is a pay to dig quarry, called the Ernst Quarries, where you can dig for the shark teeth!
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Cottage Life
cottagelife.com › home › latest › 4 places in ontario for top notch fossil hunting
4 places in Ontario for top notch fossil hunting - Cottage Life
April 24, 2024 - There are also exposed layers of limestone along the shore of Georgian Bay nearby. You’ll need a small hammer, a cold chisel, and protective glasses. Unless you plan to make this a hobby, don’t waste money on an expensive mason’s hammer. West of Collingwood, oil shales covered with fragments of trilobites and sometimes complete specimens are exposed in stream cuts starting at the old Craigleith railway station and extending west to Georgian Peaks. Fossil collecting is not allowed in Craigleith Provincial Park or any other municipal, provincial, or national park, but there are some exposures of Ordovician black shale nearby along the highway.
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The Globe and Mail
theglobeandmail.com › toronto › life › toronto’s fossil hunters are unearthing the history of the city
Toronto’s fossil hunters are unearthing the history of the city - The Globe and Mail
October 5, 2023 - So without amateurs and avocational collectors going on and finding this material, we would never see it all.” · Looking to start fossil hunting? Here are some popular sites around the country. Be sure to check with provincial authorities first as some provinces require permits to collect fossils. Toronto’s Mimico Creek: In this offshoot of the Humber River, you can find molluscs, crinoids, bryozoans, corals and even trilobites by digging in the bends where sediment and loose gravel accumulate.
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University of Waterloo
uwaterloo.ca › earth-sciences-museum › educational-resources › fossils › paleozoic-fossils-ontario
Paleozoic fossils in Ontario | Earth Sciences Museum | University of Waterloo
November 6, 2024 - Thus, the Quaternary glacial deposits dating back several hundred thousand years rests, like a mantle directly on top of the eroded paleozoic rocks. Although some Precambrian fossils such as stromatolites can be found in northern Ontario in the Canadian Shield, most of the fossils in Ontario recorded life beneath the shallow seas in the Paleozoic Era. On Manitoulin Island, Silurian corals formed reefs that are now exposed at the surface as fossils, and on the shore of Lake Huron near Kettle Point, there are abundant corals, trilobites, sea lilies and other marine invertebrates that can be found.
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FossilEra
fossilera.com › fossils
Where To Hunt Fossils? Fossil Parks & Pay-Per-Dig Quarries - FossilEra.com
Fossil fish found at the Fossil Lake Safari dig near Kemmerer, Wyoming by customers. Fossil Parks and Pay per Dig Quarries are a great place to start. These places are located in areas chock-full of fossils, and you are virtually guaranteed ...
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Fossil
stores.fossil.com › index › on
Fossil Store locations in Toronto, On | Fossil Watches, Wallets, Bags & Accessories
Read more about store reopenings and retail updates ... Toronto Eaton Centre 220 Yonge St. 220 Yonge St., Toronto Eaton Centre Toronto, ON M5B 2H1 CA ... Curious about what’s new at Fossil?
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U.S. National Park Service
nps.gov › subjects › fossils › fossil-parks-list.htm
Fossil Parks—Master List - Fossils and Paleontology (U.S. National Park Service)
Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website.
Find elsewhere
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Toronto Life
torontolife.com › home › you can find 350-million-year-old fossils less than three hours from toronto
You can find 350-million-year-old fossils less than three hours from Toronto - Toronto Life
August 6, 2025 - Today, that ancient seabed lies exposed at Rock Glen, just outside Arkona, two and a half hours west of Toronto. Thanks to the erosive power of Rock Glen Falls and the Ausable River, fossils practically spill from the earth: brachiopods, crinoids, ...
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McGill University
mcgill.ca › redpath › files › redpath › fossil.sites.pdf pdf
Twenty Fossil Sites Near Montreal
fifty blocks of fossils here. Elevation: 36 feet. N 45°40,375', W 073°32,578'. 11. Parc René Labrosse. 4 Place de l’église/Notre-Dame, (near St-Octave church). This location is easy to get to,
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Creationresearchontario
creationresearchontario.com › fossil-trips.html
FOSSIL TRIPS - The Creation Research Museum of Ontario
Introduction to the site by Martin Legemaate. Clare Dederer identifying her fossil finds from the sheet. Hamilton Area · Fossil trip with Brampton Christian Family Church. Daniel Gibson comes home with an interesting stromatoporoid specimen. Toronto Area · School fossil trip studying the Georgian Bay Formation Shale.
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Tourism Nova Scotia
novascotia.com › home › explore nova scotia › outdoor activities & tours › fossils
Fossils - Tourism Nova Scotia
November 29, 2024 - The Bay of Fundy and Annapolis Valley region is home to some of the province’s earliest recorded history, from the fossils of prehistoric creatures…
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Wichita Mom
wichitamom.com › home › where to take kids hunting for shells & fossils in kansas
Where to Take Kids Hunting for Shells & Fossils in Kansas
April 26, 2025 - From Wichita, the locations of shells and fossils are closer than you’d think. For a quick trip, find a building downtown, house in your neighborhood or a landscaping store and check out their limestone for sea life…could be in your own backyard! Happy hunting! I would also recommend going down near the Cowley County waterfall.
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Fossilspot
fossilspot.com › STATES › ON.HTM
Ontario Fossil Sites
Version 0810 current as of OCT 2008 · Back to States INDEX
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SkullStore
skullstore.ca › collections › dinosaur-fossils
SkullStore // Buy Real Dinosaur Fossils Online | SkullStore Inc.
333 Yonge St, Toronto - Unit 2 (7 Days/Week, 12-8pm) ... REAL museum grade dinosaur fossils for sale! Buy teeth, bones, eggs, footprint and more online!
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The Fossil Forum
thefossilforum.com › fossil discussion › questions & answers
What kind of fossils can you find in Toronto, Canada? - Questions & Answers - The Fossil Forum
August 12, 2024 - Hey, im a upcoming undergrad moving to Canada at the Univeristy of Waterloo in Toronto. Up till 6th grade, I lived in India, and then moved back to New Jersey (where I was born) for one year. In that year, I went to the Big Brook preseve and a few other locations where I found awesome things by s...
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Derek Cadzow
atlanticdestinations.com › home › nova scotia › best fossil hunting in nova scotia
Best fossil hunting in Nova Scotia - Atlantic Destinations
August 27, 2025 - Fossil hunting in Nova Scotia is unlike any other place in the world. Visit Blue Beach or one of the other sites and be prepared to be fascinated. Thanks for joining us on this new adventure!
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Royal Ontario Museum
rom.on.ca › whats-on › galleries › james-and-louise-temerty-galleries-age-dinosaurs
Age of Dinosaurs | Royal Ontario Museum
Specimens reflect life in the northern hemisphere, primarily from North America. The gallery is dominated by original dinosaur skeletons from the famous fossil fields of Alberta, Canada. ... From the Jurassic (200 to 145 million years old) to the Cretaceous (145 to 65 million years old) periods.
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Science World
scienceworld.ca › home › 2 spots in bc to start your career as a fossil hunter
2 spots in BC to start your career as a fossil hunter - Science World
September 3, 2024 - Just east of Jericho Beach is a great local venue to see some ancient plant life. Just east of the Dunbar Street access steps, you’ll see the cliff is being slowly cut back by the waves. The rock in this area contains black fossils of organic plant matter within the shale.