Lime Kiln Park: Fossil Hunting in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
Updated July 2026
Lime Kiln Park near Grafton preserves two small Silurian reefs in the walls of a former limestone quarry along the Milwaukee River. The Field Museum records favositid and halysitid corals, stromatoporoids, brachiopods, and nautiloid cephalopods in the exposed dolomite. The park is a free Ozaukee County facility with interpretive trails through the old quarry and kiln ruins. Reported finds include fossils, coral, crinoids, dolomite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Lime Kiln Park photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Lime Kiln Park in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Ozaukee County
- State
- Wisconsin
- Nearest road
- Green Bay Road
- Postcode
- 53024
- Coordinates
- 43.32250, -87.94400
Geology at Lime Kiln Park
This spot sits on ground mapped as Racine Formation that formed roughly 445 to 420 million years ago. Fossils here are typically found in fresh exposures, where erosion keeps bringing new material to the surface.
- Mapped unit
- Racine Formation
- Age
- 445–420 Ma (Silurian)
- Elevation
- 770 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 Lime Kiln Park
Best months: April to November. Typical highs run 81°F in midsummer and 30°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 17°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, GRAFTON WWTP station (1 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 Lime Kiln 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 Lime Kiln Park.
- SaukvilleOzaukee County, Wisconsin · 3 mi awayDiamond
- Port Washington North Beach ParkOzaukee County, Wisconsin · 6 mi away
- Doctors ParkMilwaukee County, Wisconsin · 11 mi away
- Estabrook ParkMilwaukee County, Wisconsin · 15 mi awayGeode, Millerite
- South Shore ParkMilwaukee County, Wisconsin · 23 mi away
- Grant Park BeachMilwaukee County, Wisconsin · 29 mi away
- Mayville & Iron RidgeDodge County, Wisconsin · 31 mi awayLimestone, Hematite
- RacineTop pick in WisconsinRacine County, Wisconsin · 39 mi awayFossils, Calcite, Marcasite
Across the state line from Lime Kiln Park
Lime Kiln Park is close enough to the Wisconsin border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
Lime Kiln Park FAQ
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More rockhounding in Wisconsin
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