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Killen Pond: Fossil Hunting in Kent County, Delaware

Updated July 2026

Killens Pond, the centerpiece of Killens Pond State Park near Felton, is the twin of Coursey Pond in the Delaware Geological Survey's fossil-site list, with the same poorly preserved Miocene shells and marine fragments eroding from the pond banks. The 66-acre millpond and its trail-ringed shoreline make it the most pleasant of the state's fossil-pond settings to explore. It anchors the honest inland-fossil side of Delaware rockhounding. Reported finds include fossils. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Killen Pond photos

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

1 photo

The dam and spillway at Killens Pond State Park near Felton, Kent County, Delaware, where Miocene fossils weather from the pond banks.

Quick details

Access: Permission required
County: Kent County
State: Delaware
Nearest road: Killens Pond Road
Postcode: 19943
Coordinates: 38.98253, -75.53780

Geology at Killen 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 Killen 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 Killen 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 Killen Pond.

Across the state line from Killen Pond

Killen 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.

Killen Pond FAQ

Where is Killen Pond?+

Killen Pond is in Kent County, Delaware, at 38.98253, -75.53780. Nearest road: Killens Pond Road.

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

Killen Pond is reported to produce Fossils.

Is collecting allowed at Killen 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 Killen 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 Killen Pond?+

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

How do I get to Killen Pond?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 38.98253, -75.53780 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Killens Pond Road.

More rockhounding in Delaware

See all 13 Delaware spots →

Open Killen Pond on the map

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