Visit Fossil Park in Sylvania, Ohio

Sylvania, Ohio is the home to one of the most unique parks in the United States: Fossil Park. This park, one of only three of its kind in the country, offers you a chance to get down and dirty and dig for fossils in a safe environment. Families of all ages and come and enjoy this awesome experience!

The Park is a part of the Olander park system, a park system in Sylvania, Ohio near Toledo. Located at 8250 Mayberry Square in Sylvania, Ohio, the park is open from late May to late October on Saturdays and Sundays only. The admission is free, and there is a port-o-potty setup for restroom services.

When you arrive at the park, you will find a very spacious parking area that has a trail lined by a large green fence. That trail is part of the parks system that leads over to Pacesetter Park. The quarry has a wheelchair accessible ramp to reach the dig site safely. Once there, you will find a parks employee who will give you some basic information and point out all the areas that are off limits for your safety.

The park is a dumping area for a local quarry, and the Devonian shale and rock is brought in and separated into three large piles. You have an opportunity to dig and clean the shale to find your very own fossils of many varieties. The main rule is that there is no sharp instruments allowed, only a brush and container to take your fossils home in. Water to clean off the fossils is recommended also.

Everyone there is looking for the elusive trilobite, and some do find pieces or even whole trilobites. But you are more likely to find brachiopods. These shelled creatures come in a variety of shapes and sizes and make up the bulk of found treasure in the pile. Crinoids are also common, and are called "sea lilies" and may be best found with any circular indentations in the shale. Horn Coral is small cone shaped fossils that are remnants of the simple corals that lined the ocean floor.

If you are an amateur or a professional, this is a rare opportunity to come and take fossils to add to your collection. This is a stop you should make if you are in the northwest Ohio/southeast Michigan area for sure-it will be worth the trek to find and explore all the various "treasures" that await!