Moolack Beach: Fossil Hunting in Lincoln County, Oregon

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Lincoln County

State

Oregon

Nearest road

Oregon Coast Highway

Postcode

97369

Coordinates

44.70218, -124.06143

Geology at Moolack Beach

This spot sits on Astoria Group; Astoria Formation, mapped as sandy siltstone, fossils: fossiliferous fossils; concretions: calcareous ledges and concretions; mineralogy: micaceous, carbonaceous, basalt sandstone, dacite tuff, and arkosic sandstone that formed roughly 23 to 5 million years ago. Fossils are uncommon in volcanic rock itself; look to any interbedded sediments and ash beds, where plant material and bone are typically preserved.

Mapped unit

Astoria Group; Astoria Formation

Age

23–5 Ma (Miocene)

Rock types

sandy siltstone, fossils: fossiliferous fossils; concretions: calcareous ledges and concretions; mineralogy: micaceous, carbonaceous, basalt sandstone, dacite tuff, and arkosic sandstone

Elevation

40 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 Moolack Beach

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 55°F in winter to 66°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, NEWPORT 3N station (1 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.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• BLM Oregon/Washington — Rockhounding & mineral material
• Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI)
• Oregon Parks and Recreation Department — beach collecting rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Moolack Beach

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

• AgateEncyclopedia →
• JasperEncyclopedia →
• FossilsEncyclopedia →