Fossils rockhounding sites in Illinois

Trilobites, brachiopods, petrified wood, and other paleontological collecting on public land.

32 fossils destinations in Illinois.

Rockhounding sites in Illinois — fossils: 32 spots in our directory. Sort live from your phone with near me, or browse all U.S. fossils rockhounding sites and the Illinois state page.

Fossils collecting in Illinois

Trilobites, brachiopods, petrified wood, and other paleontological collecting on public land.

We currently document 32 fossils collecting sites in Illinois. Each listing includes original descriptions, visitor notes, and last-updated dates when available.

What to know before you collect

Fossils destinations in Illinois vary widely in access, season, and legality. Some are official recreation areas; others are informal gravel bars. Read the access and safety sections on each listing — never assume collecting is allowed without checking current signage.

For trip planning beyond this filter, browse the full Illinois state page, our guides, or use near me to sort by distance from your location.

How we research listings · Report a correction · Safety disclaimer

What to pack for fossil hunting

Splitting shale and hiking exposures — gear we compare for paleontology field trips.

Chisels & Wedges — Split matrix cleanly and protect your specimens

Chisels & Wedges

Split matrix cleanly and protect your specimens

5 products compared

Safety Glasses — Non-negotiable eye protection when hammering rock

Safety Glasses

Non-negotiable eye protection when hammering rock

4 products compared

Specimen Bags & Wrap — Get your finds home without chips and scratches

Specimen Bags & Wrap

Get your finds home without chips and scratches

4 products compared

Field Gloves — Cut and abrasion protection for sharp rock and tools

Field Gloves

Cut and abrasion protection for sharp rock and tools

4 products compared

All gear categories →

Disclosure: Gear links may earn a commission as an Amazon Associate — at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Bed C. Clear Creek, Along South Bank And In Bed Of Intermittent Stream — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Bed C. Clear Creek, Along South Bank And In Bed Of Intermittent Stream

Fossil collection site in the St. Laurent, Union County, Illinois. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Bellflower — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Bellflower

Fossil collection site, McLean County, Illinois. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Cahokia — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Cahokia

Fossil collection site, St. Clair County, Illinois. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Carlinville — fossil rockhounding site near The Carbondale, IL

FossilIL

Carlinville

Fossil collection site in the Carbondale, Illinois. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesThe Carbondale

Charleston — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Charleston

Fossil collection site, Coles County, Illinois. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Coal City — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Coal City

Coal City is a documented mineral occurrence near IL. Reported specimens include Concretions with fossils. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.

Fee variesIllinois

Crotalocrinites-eucalyptocrinites Association Of The Gower Formation — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Crotalocrinites-eucalyptocrinites Association Of The Gower Formation

Fossil collection site in the Gower, Rock Island County County, Illinois. Environment: reef, buildup or bioherm. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Drilling On The Herkimer Farm, 2.41 Km Northwest Of The Center Of Mattoon — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Drilling On The Herkimer Farm, 2.41 Km Northwest Of The Center Of Mattoon

Fossil collection site in the Grand Tower Limestone, Coles County, Illinois. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Fisher Site — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Fisher Site

Fossil collection site, Will County, Illinois. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Glen Park Formation, Stratigraphic Locality 396 (poor Farm Hollow Road), Calhoun — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Glen Park Formation, Stratigraphic Locality 396 (poor Farm Hollow Road), Calhoun

Fossil collection site in the Glen Park, Calhoun County, Illinois. Environment: shallow subtidal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Huber Site — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Huber Site

Fossil collection site, Cook County, Illinois. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Lasalle Limestone Member, Bond Fm., Near Pontiac, Livingstone County, Il — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Lasalle Limestone Member, Bond Fm., Near Pontiac, Livingstone County, Il

Fossil collection site in the Bond, Livingston County County, Illinois. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Locality 14. Along Stream & Dirt Road, 1½ Miles South Of Marigold — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Locality 14. Along Stream & Dirt Road, 1½ Miles South Of Marigold

Fossil collection site in the Haney Limestone, Johnson County, Illinois. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Mazon River — fossil rockhounding site near The Carbondale, IL

FossilIL

Mazon River

Fossil collection site in the Carbondale, Illinois. Environment: deltaic indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesThe Carbondale

Naperville — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Naperville

Fossil collection site, DuPage County, Illinois. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Near Thebes — fossil rockhounding site near The Bowling Green, IL

FossilIL

Near Thebes

Fossil collection site in the Bowling Green, Illinois. Environment: coastal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesThe Bowling Green

Niota — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Niota

Niota is a documented mineral occurrence near IL. Reported specimens include Fossils, Geodes. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.

Fee variesIllinois

North End Of Orchard Creek Exposure, 1.6 Km North Of Thebes — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

North End Of Orchard Creek Exposure, 1.6 Km North Of Thebes

Fossil collection site in the Orchard Creek Shale, Alexander County, Illinois. Environment: shallow subtidal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Paris Mammoth — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Paris Mammoth

Fossil collection site, Edgar County, Illinois. Environment: glacial. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Peter's Cave — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Peter's Cave

Fossil collection site, Jackson County, Illinois. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Porter Brothers Quarry On West Side Of Old Highway 2, 1 Mile South Of Rockton — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Porter Brothers Quarry On West Side Of Old Highway 2, 1 Mile South Of Rockton

Fossil collection site in the Dunleith, Winnebago County, Illinois. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Rock Island — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Rock Island

Fossil collection site, Rock Island County, Illinois. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Salt Spring Hollow, About Two Miles North Of The Hollow South Of Kritesville — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Salt Spring Hollow, About Two Miles North Of The Hollow South Of Kritesville

Fossil collection site in the Little Cedar, Calhoun County, Illinois. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Shawneetown — fossil rockhounding site near County, IL

FossilIL

Shawneetown

Fossil collection site, Gallatin County, Illinois. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesCounty

Sinkhole Quarry In East Part Of Evansville, Between Rr And East-west County Road — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Sinkhole Quarry In East Part Of Evansville, Between Rr And East-west County Road

Fossil collection site in the Okaw, Randolph County, Illinois. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

St. Joseph — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

St. Joseph

Fossil collection site, Champaign County, Illinois. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Tar Springs Loc. 2 — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Tar Springs Loc. 2

Fossil collection site in the Tar Springs, Johnson County, Illinois. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Tarter Collection 1 — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Tarter Collection 1

Fossil collection site in the Tradewater, Johnson County, Illinois. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Terre Haute — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Terre Haute

Terre Haute is a documented mineral occurrence near IL. Reported specimens include Fossils. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.

Fee variesIllinois

Thornton Quarry Fossils — fossil rockhounding site near Thornton, IL

FossilIL

Thornton Quarry Fossils

Silurian reef fossils in the Thornton quarry are world-class but the active operation prohibits public collecting; specimens seen at museums.

Fee variesThornton

Two Old Quarries Just East Of The Illinois And Michigan Canal, Romeoville — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Two Old Quarries Just East Of The Illinois And Michigan Canal, Romeoville

Fossil collection site in the Joliet Dolomite, Will County, Illinois. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois

Type Localitity Of Shumway Limestone Member, Matttoon Fm., Shumway Cyclothem — fossil rockhounding site near Illinois, IL

FossilIL

Type Localitity Of Shumway Limestone Member, Matttoon Fm., Shumway Cyclothem

Fossil collection site in the Mattoon, Effingham County County, Illinois. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesIllinois