June 21-22, 2025 Field Trip: 

Day 1: Geode Hunt Locations

Day 2: Fossil Hunt Location

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Hosted By: Brown County Rock and Mineral Club

Please email lindabergeon@yahoo.com to let Linda know if you plan to attend

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June 21, 2025  TIME: 9am-TBD 

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LOCATION: We will be geode hunting south of Bloomington near Monroe Lake. This area is on Eastern standard time.  There will be 2 locations about 20 min apart. Both locations will be in creeks. The creeks are state property but remember the land leading up to the creek can be private property.

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    *Stop 1-- 9am to Noon'.    One location will have smaller geodes and fossil geodes that are very unique to this                                                    area.  

 

**BREAK at a gas station between the 2 locations for restroom, food and beverages**

 

    *Stop 2--1pm to TBD   The other will be medium sized geodes which could contain crystals.   

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COST: Free

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WHAT YOU WILL FIND: Geodes

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED: There will be no need for digging tools as they are exposed.  Maybe a tool to pry them would be handy (think prybar, screw driver or trowel). No safety equipment will be required.  Bring buckets, there are no limits.  YAY!  You can bring a wagon or dolly to transport the buckets but know they could be difficult to maneuver through the woods or down the river bank.  

 

I am bringing a wagon for myself and leaving it at the edge of the upper bank. When the time gets closer, I will instruct where our meeting place will be to car caravan to our location.

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DRESS CODE: None,  Water proof boots, waders, or water shoes as the creek could be slippery are suggested

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June 22--9am to 1pm

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LOCATION: We will be at a famous road cut near St. Leon for fossil hunting.  

 

WHAT YOU WILL FIND: This will be for Ordovician fossils.  Again, there is no limit.  You will be looking for trilobites, brachiopods, crinoids, bivalves, sponge, bryozoan, coral, gastropods and hash plates. 

 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: Once again, no digging, surface hunting only.  A flat head screwdriver works great to release them from the dirt.  We will be limiting how many cars can park at the roads edge so once again, when I know the headcount, I will work out a place to meet for carpooling if needed.  All will be expected to leave at this time.  

 

​​​LODGING: There are 3 cities you could choose to stay: Bloomington, Columbus (IN) and Greensburg.  Bloomington is closest for the 1st day's hunt.  Greensburg is closest to the 2nd day's hunt and Columbus is in between.

 

From Bloomington to Columbus is 53 miles and Columbus to St. Leon is 62 miles.  Bloomington to Greensburg is 67 miles.  It is 31 miles from Greensburg to St. Leon.  

 

Since it will be a personal choice as to how far you want to drive on any given day, we could all wind up a distance apart so dinner will not be scheduled for Sat. Night. After our 2nd day of fossil hunting, if you like, we can gather for lunch after our hunt if enough people decide they would like to, before going home.  The club will help defray the cost of the lunch on Sunday

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OTHER NOTES: 20 car maximum so carpooling will be required to keep car count down and allow maximum participation for those interested. A car pool meeting site will be determined. REMEMBER--artifacts are off limits.  You must leave them where you found them.  But, you can take pictures!  I have been told you will find all the geodes and fossils you will want. The Indiana club requests no geodes be cracked open on site, please take them to your vehicle whole.  The state of Indiana requests the geodes be used for personal use, not for resale. 

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