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Twentymile Creek: Fossil Hunting in Prentiss County, Mississippi

Updated July 2026

Twenty Mile Creek near Baldwyn cuts through the Campanian Demopolis Formation and the underlying Coffee Sand, exposing a marine fossil bed roughly 75 million years old. Erosion frees shark teeth, oyster and scallop shells, sponges, and occasional mosasaur, turtle, and crocodile material along the streambed. It is the state's most productive and accessible Cretaceous fossil locality, developed into a public county fossil park in 1995. Reported finds include fossils, petrified wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Twentymile Creek photos

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

1 photo

Rolling farm country at the Brice's Crossroads scenic overlook near Baldwyn, Prentiss County, Mississippi; the W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park lies on nearby Twenty Mile Creek

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Prentiss County
State: Mississippi
Nearest road: County Road 7450
Postcode: 38824
Coordinates: 34.58542, -88.63065

Geology at Twentymile Creek

This spot sits on Coffee sand, mapped as sand and clay that formed roughly 100 to 66 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: Coffee sand
Age: 100–66 Ma (Late Cretaceous)
Rock types: sand and clay
Elevation: 340 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 Twentymile Creek

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 51°F in winter to 89°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, BOONEVILLE station (5 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

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 Twentymile Creek

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 Twentymile Creek.

Across the state line from Twentymile Creek

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

Twentymile Creek FAQ

Where is Twentymile Creek?+

Twentymile Creek is in Prentiss County, Mississippi, at 34.58542, -88.63065. Nearest road: County Road 7450.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Twentymile Creek?+

Twentymile Creek is reported to produce Fossils, Petrified Wood.

Is collecting allowed at Twentymile Creek?+

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 Twentymile Creek?+

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 Twentymile Creek?+

Twentymile Creek is workable year-round.

How do I get to Twentymile Creek?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 34.58542, -88.63065 in Google Maps. The nearest road is County Road 7450.

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Open Twentymile Creek on the map

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