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Poricy Park Fossil Beds: Fossil Hunting in Monmouth County, New Jersey

Public accessBest spot3 mineralsMonmouth County, New JerseyUpdated July 2026
Minerals reported
3
Elevation
190 ft
Best months
March to December

Poricy Brook exposes the same Late Cretaceous Navesink Formation as nearby Big Brook, and its fossil beds are among the most accessible in the state. Belemnites (Belemnitella americana), Exogyra costata oysters, and small shark teeth are common in the streambed gravel. The nonprofit Poricy Park Conservancy maintains a marked trail to the beds and rents sifting equipment on site. Reported finds include belemnite, shark tooth, fossil. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Nearest road
Oak Hill Road
Postcode
07748
Get directionsView on Google Maps

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

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.

Access note: Free public fossil beds on township land, open dawn to dusk. Sift streambed sand and gravel rather than digging the banks, which is prohibited to limit erosion. Hammers, picks, and shovels are not allowed. Equipment sets can be rented from the Nature Center, or bring your own.

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.

Best time to visit Poricy Park Fossil Beds

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to December. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 41°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 24°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, LONG BRANCH-OAKHURST station (8 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Poricy Park Fossil Beds

This spot sits on Shrewsbury Member of the Red Bank Formation, mapped as sand that formed roughly 72 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
Shrewsbury Member of the Red Bank Formation
Age
72–66 Ma (Late Cretaceous)
Rock types
sand
Elevation
190 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.

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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.

Found at Poricy Park Fossil Beds

Each name 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 Poricy Park Fossil Beds.

Across the state line from Poricy Park Fossil Beds

Poricy Park Fossil Beds is close enough to the New Jersey border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

  • MorrisvilleBucks County, Pennsylvania · 36 mi awayJasper
  • NewtownBucks County, Pennsylvania · 46 mi awayJasper, Petrified Wood
  • FeastervilleBucks County, Pennsylvania · 47 mi awaySunstone, Agate, Feldspar
  • Maple GlenBucks County, Pennsylvania · 53 mi awayPetrified Wood
  • Bucks CountyBucks County, Pennsylvania · 53 mi awayPetrified Wood
  • GreenwichWestern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut · 56 mi awaySoapstone

Poricy Park Fossil Beds FAQ

Where is Poricy Park Fossil Beds?+
Poricy Park Fossil Beds is in Monmouth County, New Jersey, at 40.37600, -74.11700. Nearest road: Oak Hill Road.
What rocks and minerals can you find at Poricy Park Fossil Beds?+
Poricy Park Fossil Beds is reported to produce Belemnite, Shark Tooth, Fossil.
Is collecting allowed at Poricy Park Fossil Beds?+
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 Poricy Park Fossil Beds?+
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 Poricy Park Fossil Beds?+
The most comfortable months at Poricy Park Fossil Beds are March to December.
How do I get to Poricy Park Fossil Beds?+
Open the directions link to navigate to 40.37600, -74.11700 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Oak Hill Road.

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