Venice Beach, Florida. Major Florida findings Starting in the 1960s, scuba divers began looking seriously for fossils in the Peace River and other areas of Southwest Florida. There are thousands of fossil pictures here, being steadily added on an almost weekly basis since 1998. Florida Statute 1004.57. It was not near the Peace River, actually a little over an hours drive each way. The late Mitchell Hope gathered one of the largest collections, now one of the Natural History Museum’s two largest fossil collections. Brownville Park is a 75 acre county park and campground in Arcadia, Florida located directly on the Peace River. These tours generally take place on the Peace River in the towns of Zolfo Springs, Wauchula, and Arcadia and are approx. Fossil mollusks occur as reworked casts, molds, and limited original shell material. Fossil fans short on time but long on interest often declare their trip to Florida to be a bonanza because they get two sites for the price of one by following the Peace River to Venice where so many shark teeth wash ashore on a regular basis, you could just hang out and wait for them to come in with the tide. This is a lucky thing for those interested in archaeology and paleontology, as these creeks are some of the best places to find fossils, most notably shark teeth, ray teeth, and other bits and pieces of the fossil record. Peace River Florida South Beach Florida Venice Florida Visit Florida Florida Vacation Florida Travel Florida Beaches Vacation Spots Travel Usa. I stayed for a week, with family in Cape Coral, Florida. The site of an open-pit phosphate mine until the early 1980s, this reclamation project borders the Peace River floodplain, where the boardwalk winds through the floodplain forest out to the river. By: Mike Jerrard. A permit is recommended before you begin. Florida Peace river Bone Valley Sign in to follow this . 5. While fossils of marine animals make up the bulk of what we find on our tours, terrestrial (land) animal fossils are also very common. All vertebrate fossils found on lands owned or leased by the state belong to the state with title to the fossils vested in the Florida Museum of Natural History for the purposes of administration. There are two reasons that marine and land fossils are found in the Peace River. 1 hr east from Sarasota. [Learn More] The Peace River near Arcadia, FL contains a wealth of land and marine fossils. Located in Bone Valley, the Peace River area is home to countless fossilized remains of prehistoric animals. Either scoop and sift at sites such as the boat ramps at Arcadia and Brownsville or canoe/kayak on the river to reach the various gravel bars that are otherwise inaccessible. The beautiful Peace River offers wildlife viewing, fishing, swimming, hiking trails, wilderness camping, fossil hunting, and of course, canoeing and kayaking. The Peace River is fed by several tributaries. Peace River, near Arcadia, Florida January 2017. This is a river location, so be careful of weather and current conditions. We offer walk-in or canoe fossil tours. Boardwalk at Mosaic Peace River Park. Tread the same land that Native Americans and Spanish explorers walked many years ago. The Peace River located in southwestern Florida is a virtual graveyard from prehistoric times and includes fossils of the giant carcharodon shark otherwise known as megalodon. Shark teeth, invertebrates, and plant fossils may be kept by individuals. Black River Fossils - All About the Hunt. It joins the Peace River in southwest DeSoto County. extending into the Okeechobee Basin. Land fossils commonly found include horse, glyptodont, alligator, bird, turtle, snake, deer, etc. Next: 4 of the Best Places to Find Fossils in Florida Peace River is also a great place for fossil hunting. In the winter dry season – November to June – the river is usually shallow and clear, and the sand and gravel bottom is easy to search by wading or snorkeling. In the winter dry season - November to June – the river is usually shallow and clear, and the sand and gravel bottom is easy to search by wading or snorkeling. The Peace River area near Arcadia and Wauchula has some of the best fossil-finding dirt in Florida, and it’s an easy day trip from Lee and Collier counties. Followers 3. Fossils - Florida eco travel guide. It is 40 miles in length. Yes there are alligators but they don't bother anyone unless you mess with the babies or fed them. Horse Creek is the largest tributary on the Peace. Experience genuine Florida eco-tourism. The Peace River and its tributaries cut down into fossil-bearing strata within Bone Valley. We all probably have a childhood memory of pretending to dig up some rare, imaginary dinosaur fossil in our back yard, or scrawling our own treasure map and hunting around the house for a bounty that was really just a stuffed animal. Members from the Tampa Bay Fossil Club regularly meet at the river when the water is low enough to screen. If you are searching for fossils on any property owned by the state of Florida with a creek or river running through it, you are required to have either a permit or a guide. In the gravel you can find fossils from the Miocene and from the Pleistocene (part of the Quaternary and Neogene periods). The Peace River is one of the most favorable of fossil hunting sites. The Peace River Formation appears as an outcropping or is beneath a thin overburden from Hillsborough County to Charlotte County on the southern part of the Ocala Platform. Silicified corals and wood, and vertebrate fossils are also present. Other finds may include the fossilized remnants of the mastodon, mammoth, camel, horse, bison, whales, and alligators, in addition to a host of other creatures. TIRED of the maddening crowds of tourist, a few days on the Peace river recharges my batteries. Another fossil hunt on the Peace River to kick off the season a little early. Horse Creek begins at the “Four Corners,” where the counties of Hillsborough, Manatee, Polk and Hardee meet. The Peace River is popular for kayaking and canoeing and many fossil hunters use a boat to reach sites that haven't been explored yet. I found a spot in the peace river, lots of gravel and so peaceful area. In North Florida, you’re never far from a fresh water creek. The park has 12 RV sites with water and electric hook up with a dump station on site along with12 tent sites. Florida Peace river Bone Valley. Sometimes the gravesl is covered with a sandlayer. But now, those fantasies can be lived out as an adult and actually lead to something super exciting. View towering cypress trees with moss beards and soaring birds, hear the rippling water, and the meaning of the true Florida becomes apparent. Florida Statute 1004.57 sets forth the State of Florida’s declared intent to protect and preserve vertebrate fossils and vertebrate paleontology sites. Paddling along the river you will see tons of birds and animals around every bend. There are no volcanoes and earthquakes in Florida, and hence the fossils continue to be undisturbed. “This state has been land then ocean then land again at least 24 times in the last 2 million years,” the leader of … Florida's Oldest and Largest Canoe Outfitter. In the river-bed of the Peace River in Florida, USA everywhere you can find fossils in the gravel banks. Just west of Arcadia, car parking is available on the north side of the highway 70 bridge over the Peace River. Florida is renowned for its beaches and seascapes, but the state also has possibly the highest concentration of springs in the world, due to the karst geology and climate. Every year erosion exposes new fossils which means there continues to be an abundant supply for collectors. Interpretive signs give background information on the 1,800-square-mile Peace River basin. Although you can find fossils nearly anywhere you look along the Peace River, your best options are from Arcadia to Wachula. Fossil-Hunting Tours. This is an Area of Florida that provides 80%+ of the worlds supply of Phosphorous, and had yielded DOZENS of fossil specimens NEW to science. The Peace River is a river in the southwestern part of the Florida peninsula, in the U.S.A.. Even finding anything still makes for great day. It originates at the juncture of Saddle Creek and Peace Creek northeast of Bartow in Polk County and flows south through Fort Meade (Polk County) Hardee County to Arcadia in DeSoto County and then southwest into the Charlotte Harbor estuary at Punta Gorda in Charlotte County. Discovering Florida’s Past Through Fossils. The phosphate content of the Peace River Formation sands is frequently high enough to be economically mined. Fossil Expeditions in Florida is the premier tour offering walk-in or kayak trips in order to hunt for shark, mammal, and reptile fossils right in the Peace River. ... Florida Geology and Fossils Collecting Saved by Ron Ambrosino. The shark was between 55 and 60 feet long. 4. Park on the east side of 17 and wade the shallows 100 yards downstream of the bridge. The Peace River flows through a large area rich in fossils. ... (and other fossils) they … It is widespread in Florida and part of the … Welcome to Black River Fossils, a site all about collecting fossils, artifacts, and other interesting things. It took me some time after learning about the Peace River to finally take the trip from Chicago. For the true Florida experience, paddle the majestic Suwannee with its "white-water" stretches and white sandy beaches; the spring-fed Santa Fe's crystal clear water; the shady, "Outstanding Florida Waterway," Little Manatee River; or the beautiful, meandering Peace River, a fossil mecca. The marine fossils commonly found include shark, ray, pufferfish, barracuda, dolphin, etc. In addition to holding the remains of fossilized mammoth teeth, bones, and ivory, the River is a treasure trove for countless other prehistoric beasts and native peoples. FOSSIL FUNATICS tours focus on an every changing area, BONE VALLEY. Take in the sights and sounds of this hidden piece of …the Real Florida. There is a fossil expedition tour in Florida that allows visitors from all over to hunt for historical treasures riverside. The Peace River Formation is widespread in southern Florida. The five most important are: Horse Creek. The marine fossils found in the Peace River are mostly from the Miocene epoch and vary in age depending on specific location to between 5-15 million years in age. The Peace River flows through a large area rich in fossils. Creek, a tributary to the Peace River which passes under State Road 17 a few miles south of Arcadia. Currents and Erosion are constantly replenishing the river and creek beds with new specimens for US TO FIND! The slow current keeps the fossils well-preserved. Peace River, Florida Peace River is located near Port Charlotte in southwest Florida. The river, of course, was a place where many animals gathered.