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Coursey Pond: Fossil Hunting in Kent County, Delaware

Updated July 2026

Coursey Pond, a millpond on the Murderkill drainage southeast of Felton, is one of the few inland Delaware spots where fossils turn up: poorly preserved Miocene shells and marine fragments, roughly 15 million years old, weather from the banks at the water line, mixed with quartz pebbles, feldspar, and mica in the sand and gravel. The Delaware Geological Survey lists Coursey and nearby Killens Pond together as the state's classic pond fossil localities. It is a change of pace from Delaware's beaches, a woodland pond where the material erodes out along the shore. Reported finds include fossils. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Coursey Pond photos

Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.

1 photo

The Murderkill River in Kent County, Delaware, the same drainage as Coursey Pond a short distance upstream; shown here at Killens Pond, not Coursey Pond itself.

Quick details

Access: Permission required
County: Kent County
State: Delaware
Nearest road: Coursey Mill Road
Postcode: 19943
Coordinates: 38.98950, -75.51738

Geology at Coursey Pond

This spot sits on Chesapeake Group, mapped as silt that formed roughly 66 to 3 million years ago. Reworked sediments like these can carry fossils eroded from older beds upstream, typically as rolled bone fragments, teeth, and shell material.

Mapped unit: Chesapeake Group
Age: 66–3 Ma (Tertiary)
Rock types: silt
Elevation: 20 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.

Best time to visit Coursey Pond

Best months: February to December. Typical highs run 87°F in midsummer and 44°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 28°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, DOVER station (11 mi away).

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

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.

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.

Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.

Found at Coursey Pond

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

Fossils Encyclopedia →

Nearby rockhounding spots

Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Coursey Pond.

Across the state line from Coursey Pond

Coursey Pond is close enough to the Delaware border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

Coursey Pond FAQ

Where is Coursey Pond?+

Coursey Pond is in Kent County, Delaware, at 38.98950, -75.51738. Nearest road: Coursey Mill Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Coursey Pond?+

Coursey Pond is reported to produce Fossils.

Is collecting allowed at Coursey Pond?+

Permission required before collecting. Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Coursey Pond?+

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.

When is the best time to visit Coursey Pond?+

The most comfortable months at Coursey Pond are February to December.

How do I get to Coursey Pond?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 38.98950, -75.51738 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Coursey Mill Road.

More rockhounding in Delaware

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Open Coursey Pond on the map

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