Sumter County Quarries: Fossil Hunting in Sumter County, Florida

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Sumter County

State

Florida

Nearest road

CR 470

Postcode

33585

Coordinates

28.76760, -82.04716

Geology at Sumter County Quarries

This spot sits on Ocala Limestone, mapped as limestone that formed roughly 38 to 34 million years ago. Limestone like this typically forms in ancient seas, so marine fossils such as brachiopods, corals, and crinoids tend to weather out of fresh exposures.

Mapped unit

Ocala Limestone

Age

38–34 Ma (Late Eocene)

Rock types

limestone

Elevation

90 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 Sumter County Quarries

Best months: September to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 69°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 43°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, BUSHNELL 1 E station (7 mi away).

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.

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 Sumter County Quarries

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

• ChertEncyclopedia →
• Fossilized Ivory