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Purse State Park: Fossil Hunting in Charles County, Maryland

Updated July 2026

Purse State Park sits on the tidal Potomac where the Paleocene Aquia Formation, roughly 56 to 60 million years old, is exposed along the shore, making its teeth older than the Miocene material at Calvert Cliffs. It is one of the best public places on the East Coast to find Paleocene shark teeth such as Otodus obliquus, along with ray dental plates. The site is documented by the Maryland Geological Survey and long-running fossil guides as a reliable free collecting beach. Reported finds include shark teeth, fossils. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Purse State Park photos

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

1 photo

Potomac River beach and eroding bank at Purse State Park, Charles County, Maryland

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Charles County
State: Maryland
Nearest road: Riverside Road
Postcode: 20662
Coordinates: 38.43028, -77.25278

Geology at Purse State Park

This spot sits on marsh and swamp deposits, undivided, mapped as muck that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Fossils here are typically found in fresh exposures, where erosion keeps bringing new material to the surface.

Mapped unit: marsh and swamp deposits, undivided
Age: 3 Ma to present (Quaternary)
Rock types: muck
Elevation: 30 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 Purse State Park

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 45°F in winter to 88°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, QUANTICO MCAS station (6 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 Purse State Park

Each chip 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 Purse State Park.

Across the state line from Purse State Park

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

Purse State Park FAQ

Where is Purse State Park?+

Purse State Park is in Charles County, Maryland, at 38.43028, -77.25278. Nearest road: Riverside Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Purse State Park?+

Purse State Park is reported to produce Shark Teeth, Fossils.

Is collecting allowed at Purse State 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 Purse State 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.

When is the best time to visit Purse State Park?+

Purse State Park is workable year-round.

How do I get to Purse State Park?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 38.43028, -77.25278 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Riverside Road.

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