If you’re looking for something truly unique and adventurous to add to your Buckeye State bucket list, then consider visiting a fossil park in Ohio with treasures that are more than 300-million-years-old. Most people have no idea you can hunt for fossils right here in Ohio — let alone fossils that are so very ancient. It’s never a bad idea to release your inner paleontologist and embark on a fossil hunt at the Olander Park System’s Fossil Park in Sylvania, Ohio. Take a look:
The Olander Park System features five different parks. The Fossil Park features one of the very few Devonian Era sites in the world.
JenBell1969/Trip Advisor You’ll find it at 5675 Centennial Rd., Sylvania, OH 43560.
The Fossil Park features 5 acres of rock quarry to explore. (It’s also ADA accessible.)
TNGray/Trip Advisor About 375 million years ago, northwest Ohio was covered in an ancient sea. Today, the area is full of “fossilized brachiopods, coral and more than 200 species of prehistoric life”, according to the fossil park’s website. Click here for more information.
This unique park will bring out your adventurous side. Pictured below are some typical fossils you may find at the park.
TNGray/Trip Advisor You can dig for fossils at the park from spring through fall every day from 8:30 a.m. until 60 minutes before sunset.
Please note: Tools are prohibited in the park as the shale is soft enough to break with your hands.
Jessika W./Trip Advisor Pets are also prohibited in the fossil pit, although they are allowed on the trail and in the parking lot.
Throughout the park, you’ll find some educational signs that go into detail about the area and the types of fossils you’ll find there.
ShiroWani/Trip Advisor You can even schedule educational programs in the park. For more information click here.
The best part about this unique activity is the fact that you get to take your treasures home.
ShiroWani/Trip Advisor And don’t forget to walk the trail surrounding the park before you leave! It’s also a great idea to keep sunscreen handy during your visit, as you’ll find that the fossil pit and walking trail feature plentiful sunlight.
There is so much to love about Ohio’s prehistoric past, and nothing quite compares to experiencing its wonders and mysteries hands on. Olander Park System’s Fossil Park is located at 5675 Centennial Rd., Sylvania, OH 43560. Have you ever been here before? If so, we want to know what your experience was like in the comments below! We’d love to see photos of your fossilized finds as well if you have any to share.
JenBell1969/Trip Advisor
You’ll find it at 5675 Centennial Rd., Sylvania, OH 43560.
TNGray/Trip Advisor
About 375 million years ago, northwest Ohio was covered in an ancient sea. Today, the area is full of “fossilized brachiopods, coral and more than 200 species of prehistoric life”, according to the fossil park’s website. Click here for more information.
You can dig for fossils at the park from spring through fall every day from 8:30 a.m. until 60 minutes before sunset.
Jessika W./Trip Advisor
Pets are also prohibited in the fossil pit, although they are allowed on the trail and in the parking lot.
ShiroWani/Trip Advisor
You can even schedule educational programs in the park. For more information click here.
And don’t forget to walk the trail surrounding the park before you leave! It’s also a great idea to keep sunscreen handy during your visit, as you’ll find that the fossil pit and walking trail feature plentiful sunlight.
For more free things to do in Ohio, check out our previous article: 15 Great Things To Do In Ohio Without Opening Your Wallet.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Olander Park, 6930 W Sylvania Ave, Sylvania, OH 43560, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Fossil Park In Ohio April 19, 2020 Nikki Rhoades Did dinosaurs live in Ohio? If you call The Buckeye State home, you have likely wondered at some point if dinosaurs ever walked the same path you do. And the answer is that while it is very possible that dinosaurs populated Ohio, the truth is that it’s complicated. During the time that dinosaurs walked the earth, the primary force was erosion rather than deposition. As a result, there is a gap in our fossil record. It jumps from Paleozoic Era fossils (around 250 million years old) to fossils that are circa 1.5 million years old. So, to sum it up, scientists cannot be one hundred percent certain what times of animals populated that timespan of a few hundred million years.. What types of fossils can I find in Ohio?
Due to the geological forces that shaped Ohio’s ancient landscape, we now know that if dinosaurs called Ohio home, their stories are lost to the sands of time. However, we do know about much older critters that used to call this pretty place home. When you visit any Ohio park with fossils, you’ll likely uncover sea shells and similar underwater remains Devonian era (“Age of Fishes”) fossils, like the Dunkleosteus terrella on display in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, are abundant here… and they are amazingly well-preserved. Interestingly, some of the modern day species in Ohio (like lake sturgeon and ferns) are living fossils. What is the best park for kids in Ohio? If you’re in search of the best park for kids in Ohio, you have your work cut out for you. Our landscape is full of incredible attractions and features, and each park has its own distinct personalities. Kids will love visiting the Olander Park System’s Fossil Park, but they’ll also adore a trip to the tallest waterfall in Ohio in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. There’s so much to adore about this local landscape that you will find the picture-perfect park for your crew with very little searching.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Fossil Park In Ohio
April 19, 2020
Nikki Rhoades
Did dinosaurs live in Ohio? If you call The Buckeye State home, you have likely wondered at some point if dinosaurs ever walked the same path you do. And the answer is that while it is very possible that dinosaurs populated Ohio, the truth is that it’s complicated. During the time that dinosaurs walked the earth, the primary force was erosion rather than deposition. As a result, there is a gap in our fossil record. It jumps from Paleozoic Era fossils (around 250 million years old) to fossils that are circa 1.5 million years old. So, to sum it up, scientists cannot be one hundred percent certain what times of animals populated that timespan of a few hundred million years.. What types of fossils can I find in Ohio?
Due to the geological forces that shaped Ohio’s ancient landscape, we now know that if dinosaurs called Ohio home, their stories are lost to the sands of time. However, we do know about much older critters that used to call this pretty place home. When you visit any Ohio park with fossils, you’ll likely uncover sea shells and similar underwater remains Devonian era (“Age of Fishes”) fossils, like the Dunkleosteus terrella on display in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, are abundant here… and they are amazingly well-preserved. Interestingly, some of the modern day species in Ohio (like lake sturgeon and ferns) are living fossils. What is the best park for kids in Ohio? If you’re in search of the best park for kids in Ohio, you have your work cut out for you. Our landscape is full of incredible attractions and features, and each park has its own distinct personalities. Kids will love visiting the Olander Park System’s Fossil Park, but they’ll also adore a trip to the tallest waterfall in Ohio in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. There’s so much to adore about this local landscape that you will find the picture-perfect park for your crew with very little searching.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
If you call The Buckeye State home, you have likely wondered at some point if dinosaurs ever walked the same path you do. And the answer is that while it is very possible that dinosaurs populated Ohio, the truth is that it’s complicated. During the time that dinosaurs walked the earth, the primary force was erosion rather than deposition. As a result, there is a gap in our fossil record. It jumps from Paleozoic Era fossils (around 250 million years old) to fossils that are circa 1.5 million years old. So, to sum it up, scientists cannot be one hundred percent certain what times of animals populated that timespan of a few hundred million years..
What types of fossils can I find in Ohio?
Due to the geological forces that shaped Ohio’s ancient landscape, we now know that if dinosaurs called Ohio home, their stories are lost to the sands of time. However, we do know about much older critters that used to call this pretty place home. When you visit any Ohio park with fossils, you’ll likely uncover sea shells and similar underwater remains Devonian era (“Age of Fishes”) fossils, like the Dunkleosteus terrella on display in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, are abundant here… and they are amazingly well-preserved. Interestingly, some of the modern day species in Ohio (like lake sturgeon and ferns) are living fossils.
What is the best park for kids in Ohio?
If you’re in search of the best park for kids in Ohio, you have your work cut out for you. Our landscape is full of incredible attractions and features, and each park has its own distinct personalities. Kids will love visiting the Olander Park System’s Fossil Park, but they’ll also adore a trip to the tallest waterfall in Ohio in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. There’s so much to adore about this local landscape that you will find the picture-perfect park for your crew with very little searching.
