Marble Mountain California Trilobites

A group of fossil seekers explores with eager attentiveness an exposure of the lower cambrian latham shale at the classic trilobite quarry in the marble mountains.

Marble mountain california trilobites.

Trilobites in the marble mountains mojave desert california. However the land has become part of a nationally. The marble mountains are a rather small mountain range located in one of the harshest driest parts of the mojave desert in southeastern california near the tiny towns of chambless and cadiz. Here is the posting from the california bureau of land management website please visit the website for rules on collecting.

The mountains contain a rich outcropping of the latham shale known for its diversity of lower cambrian fossils. The latham shale borders the cadiz and chambless formations both named after the small towns nearby. Trilobites were small marine crustaceans that resemble modern day horseshoe crabs. January is a great month to explore the marble mountains.

The marble mountain wilderness is a 241 744 acre 978 30 km 2 wilderness area located 60 miles 97 km southwest of yreka california in the united states it is managed by the united states forest service and is within the klamath national forest in siskiyou county. Marble mountain fossil bed contains one of the classic cambrian trilobite fossil sites within the western united states. Our plan was to explore them on saturday camp there then meet the yucaipa valley gem and mineral society for a trilobite fossil hunt on sunday. The fossils are approximately 518 million years old.

Here is the posting from the california bureau of land management website please visit the website for rules on collecting. In addition to many trilobite fossils found here this rock collecting area yields green epidote dolomite chrysocolla chalcedony serpentine marble garnet and specular hematite iron and kenatite chalcedony crystals geodes. We left highway 40 at ludlow and drove the old national trails highway route 66 through amboy to chambless. Collecting trilobites in the marble mountains california.

Please note that this photograph was taken long before the marble mountains became part of a national monument. The land was first set aside in april 1931 as the marble mountain primitive area which comprised 234 957 acres 950 84 km 2. Take a trip to the place that first inspired my life long fascination and interest in fossils the classic trilobite quarry in the lower cambrian latham shale in the marble mountains of california s mojave desert. Geology of the area.

Although trilobites are the most common and most popular fossils in the latham shale they are not the only fossils that have been found there. Trilobites were small marine crustaceans that resembled modern day. It s a special place now included in the rather recently.