Shark River: Fossil Hunting in Monmouth County, New Jersey
- Minerals reported
- 2
- Elevation
- 50 ft
- Best months
- March to December
Shark River is named for the fossil shark teeth found where it cuts middle Eocene marine beds, notably the Shark River and Manasquan formations, roughly 45 million years old. A basal quartz sand layer yields shark and ray teeth, while the glauconitic marl above carries molds of clams and other shells. It sits inside a Monmouth County park, so collecting is done through the park's programs or on the exposed gravel bars. Reported finds include shark tooth, fossil. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Monmouth County
- State
- New Jersey
- Nearest road
- West Dianne Drive
- Postcode
- 07753
- Coordinates
- 40.20023, -74.07277
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: Shark River Park is a free Monmouth County park. The county allows fossil collecting mainly through its naturalist-led Family Fossiling programs (registration and a small fee, ages 8 and up). Check current park rules before collecting on your own, and stick to loose material in the streambed gravel.
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 Shark River
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: March to December. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 42°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 25°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, LONG BRANCH-OAKHURST station (8 mi away).
Geology at Shark River
This spot sits on Lower Member of the Kirkwood Formation, mapped as clay and sand that formed roughly 23 to 16 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
- Lower Member of the Kirkwood Formation
- Age
- 23–16 Ma (Early Miocene)
- Rock types
- clay and sand
- Elevation
- 50 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.
Today's weather
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Get the appSources & 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.
- New Jersey Geological and Water Survey
- Monmouth County Park System, fossil collecting rules
- Sterling Hill Mining Museum
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Shark River
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 Shark River.
- ManasquanMonmouth County, New Jersey · 6 mi awayQuartz, Fossil, Petrified Wood
- Long BranchMonmouth County, New Jersey · 9 mi awayQuartz
- Big Brook ParkMonmouth County, New Jersey · 12 mi awayShark Tooth, Belemnite, Fossil
- Poricy Park Fossil BedsMonmouth County, New Jersey · 12 mi awayBelemnite, Shark Tooth, Fossil
- Ramanessin BrookMonmouth County, New Jersey · 13 mi awayShark Tooth, Fossil
- SayrevilleMiddlesex County, New Jersey · 21 mi awayMarcasite, Pyrite, Petrified Wood
- Ocean CountyOcean County, New Jersey · 31 mi awayQuartz
- KingstonSomerset County, New Jersey · 31 mi awayAgate, Prehnite, Quartz
Across the state line from Shark River
Shark River 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 · 37 mi awayJasper
- FeastervilleBucks County, Pennsylvania · 47 mi awaySunstone, Agate, Feldspar
- NewtownBucks County, Pennsylvania · 47 mi awayJasper, Petrified Wood
- Maple GlenBucks County, Pennsylvania · 54 mi awayPetrified Wood
- Bucks CountyBucks County, Pennsylvania · 55 mi awayPetrified Wood
- EurekaBucks County, Pennsylvania · 59 mi awaySmoky Quartz
Shark River FAQ
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More rockhounding in New Jersey
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