GMS Field Trip February 2024

GMS Field Trip
Cambrian and Mississippian Marine Fossils in Alabama
Sunday, February 4, 2024

Originally scheduled for January, this trip was postponed due to heavy rain. Even though the rescheduled trip had beautiful sunny days leading up to it, we ultimately encountered some soggy weather. This did not discourage intrepid GMS members, who persevered through a cold, wet, and windy day to collect fossils. Their determination paid off, as they were rewarded with good specimens at the three locations we visited.

Although we are uncertain of the formation, the first location we visited is most likely Mississippian, making the fossils there about 300 million years old. Fossils were scarce and located in a narrow band, but keen-eyed juniors found clusters of crinoid stems and eagerly shared their discoveries with the group. After a brief exploration of the Mississippian location, we moved on to Cambrian areas where the fossils are much older, dating up to 500 million years old. Despite high water levels limiting our search area at the second location, members were able to find a few fossils, including the first fossilized coral we have seen at this site and a beautiful Brooksella, a curiously shaped pseudofossil that resembles a puffy flower. The third location proved to be the most productive. Everyone went home with multiple trilobites, including some remarkably well-preserved specimens exhibiting significant body features such as clearly visible eyes.

Many thanks to Tim Hellinger and Lynn LeMaster for finding new collecting sites, assisting with trip planning, and guiding the group throughout the trip. Thank you to Jason and Aaron Leatherwood for offering their expertise in identifying trilobites and answering questions about the age of the fossils. A special thank you goes out to our wonderful members, who not only braved some challenging situations but also generously shared their finds with other members. And of course, we must thank Charles for organizing another fantastic field trip!

Lori Carter
On behalf of Charles Carter, Field Trip Chair
e-mail: