# Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve: legal collecting field guide

Canonical page: https://lithomap.app/resources/field-trips/penn-dixie-fossil-park-new-york
Last access and rule review: September 18, 2026
Page purpose: Original LithoMap trip-planning reference for an explicitly authorized rock, mineral, or non-dinosaur fossil collecting destination.

## Direct answer

A private nonprofit fossil park where paid admission, an introductory tour, and site rules allow visitors to collect Devonian marine fossils during public hours.

## Location and material

- State: New York
- Area: Hamburg, New York
- Category: Fossil collecting
- Collection status: Collecting allowed
- Expected material: Devonian brachiopods, Trilobites, Corals, Crinoid remains

## Authorization

Penn Dixie expressly permits admitted visitors to collect and keep fossils on its private property during authorized hours. Nonmembers may not enter when the site is closed.

## Access

Public dates, hours, rates, tours, and private expeditions change seasonally. First-time visitors must take the introductory tour; check the current official schedule before travel.

## Tools, limits, and season

- Tools: The site provides basic buckets and trowels. Approved hand tools and rentals are governed by age and safety rules; power tools are prohibited except a rock saw with prior management permission.
- Limits: The operator currently says it does not restrict the amount collected, but visitors must follow all staff instructions. Unusual finds should be shown to staff so their scientific value is not lost.
- Season and current status: General admission is seasonal, with guided or private options sometimes available outside normal dates. Use the current operator calendar rather than assuming daily access.

## Conditions

- Pay admission or use valid member access.
- Complete the required first-visit orientation.
- Use only approved tools and eye protection.
- Stay in designated collecting areas.
- Show exceptional material to staff.

## Geology

The site exposes Middle Devonian marine strata containing abundant invertebrate remains.

Loose surface fossils and fresh shale splits can preserve different details; identification should stop at the level supported by anatomy.

## Field plan

1. Confirm the exact public session and book if required.
2. Start with surface collecting after the tour.
3. Use approved tools only after learning the safe method.
4. Wrap fragile specimens separately.
5. Label finds with the park and visit date rather than an invented species name.

## Safety

- Uneven ground and sharp shale require sturdy footwear.
- Use goggles whenever approved striking tools are used.
- Follow age restrictions for rentals and professional tools.

## Official sources

- Hours and rates — Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve: https://penndixie.org/hours-and-rates/
- Frequently asked questions and collecting rules — Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve: https://penndixie.org/faq/

This guide is not a permit, reservation, boundary survey, legal opinion, guarantee of access, or promise of a find. Open every official source again before travel. Current signs, closures, permits, claim boundaries, and staff instructions control.