Best spot

Trammel Fossil Park: Fossil Hunting in Hamilton County, Ohio

Updated July 2026

A graded hillside at Trammel Fossil Park lays bare several formations of Upper Ordovician Cincinnatian limestone and shale, over 440 million years old, in a suburb of the city that gives the Cincinnatian Series its name. Trilobites, crinoids, brachiopods, and bryozoans weather straight out of the slope, and the layered exposure lets collectors read the sequence of rock units in one walk. The park was built for fossil hunting and lets visitors keep what they find. Reported finds include fossils, trilobites, brachiopods, crinoids, bryozoans. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Trammel Fossil Park photos

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

1 photo

Layered Upper Ordovician Kope Formation in a roadcut near Cincinnati, the same fossil-bearing Cincinnatian rock exposed at Trammel Fossil Park in Sharonville, Hamilton County, Ohio

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Hamilton County
State: Ohio
Nearest road: Tramway Drive
Postcode: 45241
Coordinates: 39.28062, -84.40281

Geology at Trammel Fossil Park

This spot sits on Kope Formation, mapped as shale that formed roughly 470 to 445 million years ago. Sedimentary layers like these are where fossils are typically preserved, and fresh exposures after rain or in active cuts tend to produce best.

Mapped unit: Kope Formation
Age: 470–445 Ma (Middle Ordovician to Late Ordovician)
Rock types: shale
Elevation: 640 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 Trammel Fossil Park

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 87°F in midsummer and 40°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 21°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, HAMILTON BUTLER CO RGNL AP station (8 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 Trammel Fossil 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 Trammel Fossil Park.

Across the state line from Trammel Fossil Park

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

Trammel Fossil Park FAQ

Where is Trammel Fossil Park?+

Trammel Fossil Park is in Hamilton County, Ohio, at 39.28062, -84.40281. Nearest road: Tramway Drive.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Trammel Fossil Park?+

Trammel Fossil Park is reported to produce Fossils, Trilobites, Brachiopods, Crinoids, Bryozoans.

Is collecting allowed at Trammel Fossil 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 Trammel Fossil 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 Trammel Fossil Park?+

The most comfortable months at Trammel Fossil Park are March to November.

How do I get to Trammel Fossil Park?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 39.28062, -84.40281 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Tramway Drive.

More rockhounding in Ohio

See all 38 Ohio spots →

Open Trammel Fossil Park on the map

Use the RockHoundR app for live land overlays, weather, geology, directions, and saved finds.