Ladonia Fossil Park: Fossil Hunting in Fannin County, Texas

Public accessBest spot5 mineralsFannin County, TexasUpdated August 2026

Minerals reported: 5
Elevation: 630 ft

The North Sulphur River channel at Ladonia cuts into Late Cretaceous marine beds that yield shark teeth, mosasaur teeth and bone, ammonites, and Exogyra oysters. The Upper Trinity Regional Water District operates the site as a free public fossil park, and what visitors find is theirs to keep. Mosasaur material is among the more common vertebrate finds. Reported finds include fossilized shark tooth, ammonite, mosasaur tooth, fossilized oyster, petrified wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County: Fannin County
State: Texas
Coordinates: 33.46335, -95.87786

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Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

Land & collecting status

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.

Access note: The park moved in 2025 to its permanent site at 2242 FM 904, where FM 904 crosses the North Sulphur River downstream of Leon Hurse Dam, near the Baker Creek confluence. Operated free by the Upper Trinity Regional Water District, open dawn to dusk; gates close automatically in bad weather. The former temporary park upstream closed 3 March 2025 and is no longer accessible.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Geology at Ladonia Fossil Park

This spot sits on Wolfe City Formation, mapped as sandstone mudstone that formed roughly 72 to 66 million years ago. Sedimentary layers like these are where fossils are typically preserved, and fresh exposures after rain or in active cuts tend to produce best.

Mapped unit: Wolfe City Formation
Age: 72–66 Ma (Late Cretaceous)
Rock types: sandstone mudstone
Elevation: 630 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

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Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Bureau of Economic Geology, Texas geology
Big Bend National Park, Rules
Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Ladonia Fossil Park

Each name opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

Nearby rockhounding spots

Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Ladonia Fossil Park.

Sides of creekEllis County, Texas · 93 mi awayPyrite
S side of US 287Ellis County, Texas · 93 mi awayFossil Leaf Print
General AreaEllis County, Texas · 95 mi awayFossilized Shark Tooth
Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland (Black Creek Lake)Wise County, Texas · 103 mi awayFossilized Oyster, Agate, Petrified Wood
General AreaWise County, Texas · 104 mi awayPyrite Cube
General Area N.E. Lake BridgeportWise County, Texas · 115 mi awayFossil

Across the state line from Ladonia Fossil Park

Ladonia Fossil Park is close enough to the Texas border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

AntlersPushmataha County, Oklahoma · 57 mi awayGreen Quartz
Tenmile CreekPushmataha County, Oklahoma · 63 mi awayGrahamite
AtokaAtoka County, Oklahoma · 68 mi awayNovaculite, Chert
LehighCoal County, Oklahoma · 75 mi awayManganese

Ladonia Fossil Park FAQ

Where is Ladonia Fossil Park?+

Ladonia Fossil Park is in Fannin County, Texas, at 33.46335, -95.87786.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Ladonia Fossil Park?+

Ladonia Fossil Park is reported to produce Fossilized Shark Tooth, Ammonite, Mosasaur Tooth, Fossilized Oyster, Petrified Wood.

Is collecting allowed at Ladonia Fossil Park?+

Generally open to casual rockhounding. Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Ladonia Fossil Park?+

A rock hammer, a cold chisel, safety glasses, and newspaper or foam for wrapping finds cover most fossil ground. A trowel and a sieve help in soft exposures.

How do I get to Ladonia Fossil Park?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 33.46335, -95.87786 in Google Maps. Some spots are remote, so check road conditions before driving out.

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