Black Warrior River Mines & Pits: Fossil Hunting in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Tuscaloosa County

State

Alabama

Nearest road

Rocky Branch Road

Postcode

35444

Coordinates

33.27837, -87.39943

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 Black Warrior River is a navigable waterway, so its bed and gravel bars below the ordinary high water mark are state sovereign land reachable from public boat ramps and river accesses. Collect loose surface material only and do not cross or dig into private banks without permission. Old strip-mine spoil in the area is generally private and requires the operator's or owner's consent.

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.

Best time to visit Black Warrior River Mines & Pits

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: September to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 55°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 34°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, NORTHPORT 2 S station (12 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Black Warrior River Mines & Pits

This spot sits on Pottsville Formation (upper part), mapped as shale, siltstone, and sandstone that formed roughly 360 to 300 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

Pottsville Formation (upper part)

Age

360–300 Ma (Carboniferous to Pennsylvanian)

Rock types

shale, siltstone, and sandstone

Elevation

500 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.

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.

• Geological Survey of Alabama
• National Forests in Alabama
• Alabama State Parks rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules