10/07/2026
Recently, being Late July, I had a chance to check out the Mineral Wells Fossil Park near Mineral Wells, Texas. It's basically a large pit where the city used to take dirt from for landfills.
When you walk down into it, it doesn't take long for you to spot a plethora of little fossils all over the ground. The sediments here were laid down in a shallow ocean, yielding all sorts of marine animal remains.
Most common were crinoids (sea lilies) and brachiopod shells. Those little circles with interesting shapes in the center are segments from sea lily "stems". Trilobites, bryozoans, corals, sea snails, and even petal-shaped shark teeth can be found here! I didn't find any shark teeth, but I'll surely return and look again.
Oh, and anyone can come and collect for free. No digging equipment allowed - there's enoguh on the surface.