On March 15, 2024, my wife and I spent a mild afternoon fossil hunting at Poricy Park in Middletown, New Jersey. We brought wading boots, a fossil sifter each, and containers for our finds, ready to explore Poricy Brook.
Both of us found fossils, although the shark teeth and elusive mosasaur tooth we hoped for stayed on our wish list. Finding something to bring home was fun, but the setting was just as memorable: flowing water, towering banks in shades of brown and rust, bare trees, and a bright blue sky as the afternoon sun lowered.
We spent about an hour and a half at the brook. Here is our experience, from the short boardwalk approach to sifting for fossils and discovering that the soft creek bottom deserved our attention.
Arriving at the Poricy Park Fossil Beds
Our drive took a little over an hour, and we arrived in the late afternoon to find the parking area empty. We had brought water, snacks, and containers for our finds in a backpack, along with our wading boots and fossil sifters.
Signs near the entrance explained the collecting rules and showed examples of fossils found at the site. From there, a short wooden path led us toward Poricy Brook. A sign identified the boardwalk as an Eagle Scout project, a detail we appreciated as we made our way to the water.
The brook’s tall sediment banks immediately caught our attention. Shades of brown, rust, and orange lined the water, with exposed roots hanging from the banks and trees leaning over the brook, their root systems clinging to the sides.
A Friendly Warning About the Mud
Two or three boys walked through the area while we were there. They seemed surprised to see adults in wading boots and stopped to talk with us for a few minutes.
They warned us about soft spots in the brook where our feet could sink into the muck. One of them told us he had lost a sneaker on an earlier visit. Their warning proved accurate: some spots were soft enough that we had to watch our footing as we explored.
After the boys continued on, we had the site to ourselves again. Their brief visit gave us useful local insight before we spent more time searching the brook.
Sifting for Fossils in Poricy Brook
We worked our way up and down the brook, using our small trowels and sifters to search the material in the flowing water. Each of us had a sifter, so we could explore and examine our finds at our own pace.
The posted rules prohibited digging into the banks. Although those tall walls of sediment were fascinating to look at, we kept our collecting to the brook itself.
Along some muddy edges, we noticed piles of material left by other fossil hunters. We returned our sifted material to the brook as we went, though we weren’t sure whether that was a specific site requirement.
We both found fossils that afternoon. We did not find any shark teeth, and the mosasaur tooth we had hoped for remained elusive. Maybe next time.
A Closer Look at Our Finds
Our finds included fossil shells, shell fragments, and interesting concretions. Looking at them afterward gave us another chance to appreciate the different shapes, ridges, and textures we found in the brook.
One small triangular piece initially caught my attention because I thought it might be a tooth. It appears more likely to be a weathered shell fragment, a reminder that identifying a find can take more investigation than spotting it in the sifter.
Some specimens were easier to recognize as shells than to identify by name. We are keeping those identifications tentative as we continue learning about our finds.
More Than the Fossils We Found
Finding fossils is always fun, but we enjoyed much more than the search. The sky was bright blue with a few white clouds, the trees were still bare, and patches of green grew along the brook.
As the afternoon sun lowered, we took in the flowing water, colorful sediment banks, and exposed roots around us. Wading through that setting together was a memorable way to spend a mild March afternoon.
We spent about an hour and a half at the site. We both had fossils to bring home, along with the enjoyment of being outside in a place that offered plenty to examine beyond what landed in our sifters.
Poricy Park Fossil Hunting Overview
- Location: Poricy Park Fossil Beds, 1083 Middletown-Lincroft Road, Middletown, NJ 07748. Use the fossil beds parking area. You can’t access the fossil beds from the main park entrance on Oak Hill Road.
- Hours and admission: The fossil beds are open from dawn to dusk. Families bringing their own equipment can visit at no charge.
- Our visit: March 15, 2024, in the late afternoon. We spent about an hour and a half exploring and sifting.
- Approach and footing: Our visit included a short boardwalk approach followed by wading in the brook. We encountered muddy edges and soft spots underfoot. Stream depth and conditions can change.
- Permitted equipment: The township allows trowels and screens. Rock hammers, picks, shovels, and excavating tools are prohibited.
- Protect the banks: Search the brook’s sand and gravel. Do not dig into or climb the banks.
- What you may keep: Township guidance allows you to take home a few of your best finds.
- Footwear: Wear secure shoes or boots suitable for the stream. Flip-flops, slip-on footwear, and bare feet are prohibited. We recommend bringing a towel and a change of footwear or clothes.
Before heading out, review Middletown’s official fossil beds visitor information for current rules and equipment rental details. For directions, use the township’s fossil beds location listing.
Our afternoon at Poricy Brook reminded us how much there is to enjoy beyond the fossils we bring home. Exploring the water, examining the banks, and spending time outside together made the visit worthwhile. We still have that elusive mosasaur tooth on our wish list for another day.
If you are new to collecting, our Fossils 101 guide provides a starting point for exploring the hobby. Our Fossil Places guide introduces more places to explore, while our fossil sifter review shares our experience with the sifters we brought to Poricy Brook.
Adventure Never Gets Old™