South Dakota Fossil Sites

Location County State/Province Directions,Notes Age Formation Fossils Comments Reference Lat-Long
– Bennett SD In area exposures of Little White River badlands fossils SD0002
Flint Hill Quarry Bennett SD Miocene (Hemingford) Batesland Ictalurus,Menoceras,Moropus SD0001
North Bijou Hills Brule SD 200m NE of benchmark on E side of Missouri River Miocene (Clarendon) Ash Hollow vertebrates SD0003 CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission See Ash Hollow sites at http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/rock.html for more details.
Belle Fourche Butte SD Cephalopod Scaphites SD0004
Belle Fourche Butte SD N Cretaceous ammonites http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/education/fossils/fossilpart4.pdf SD0005
– Campbell,Corson SD 32 km N near Little Eagle and along Grand River Silicified Wood SD0006
– Campbell,Corson SD N along Missouri River Silicified Wood SD0007
South Bijou Hill Charles Mix SD Brule Miocene Fort Randall vertebrates-mammals-Merychippus SD0008 CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission
– Corson SD Area Exposures Cretaceous Lance dinosaurs-Pachycephalosaurus SD0011
Mobridge Corson SD On W side of Missouri River just S of town Paleocene Cannonball Decapods SD0009
Mobridge Corson SD S on W side of Missouri River Paleocene crabs SD0010
Buffalo Gap Custer SD 12.8km SE Cretaceous Pierre Ammonites-Didymoceras SD0014
Cheyenne River Custer SD At Chimney Breaks Oligocene Chadron reptiles-Squamata SD0015
Cheyenne River Custer SD In area exposures Cretaceous Pierre Shale Scaphites,Placenticeras SD0016
Fairburn Custer SD 3 km SW in s25t4sr7e Cretaceous Greenhorn abundant fossils — Gryphaea,Prionotropis SD0017
Fairburn Custer SD SEsw1/4s28t4sr8e Cretaceous Upper Carlisle large cephalopods,other fossils SD0018
Red Canyon Custer SD In regional badlands vertebrates,coral,cycads,petrified palm SD0019 CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission
Lantry Dewey SD WNW in float in RR cuts,road cuts,Spillway of Lantry Dam S4T12NR22E Ammonites-Jeletzkytes,other fossils SD0020
Timber Lake Dewey SD area exposures Cretaceous Fox Hills ammonites,Baculites,vertebrates SD0021
Trial City Dewey SD pelecypod Corbicula SD0022
– Dewey,Ziebach SD In N part of County Cretaceous reptiles-Triceratops SD0012 Original cites Schnasse County which was eliminated in 1991
– Dewey,Ziebach SD In N part of County Cretaceous reptiles-Triceratops SD0013 Original cites Schnasse County which was eliminated in 1991
– Fall River SD Cretaceous Greenhorn Inoceramus SD0035
– Fall River SD Cretaceous Pierre Shale cephalopods – Cirroceras SD0033
– Fall River SD In limey patches in sandstone Cretaceous Carlisle Prionotropis,Acanthoceras,Scaphites,Gyrodes,Inoceramus,Fusus,etc SD0036
– Fall River SD On US18? Near county line,tepee buttes Cretaceous Pierre poorly preserved pelecypods. SD0034
Cycad National Monument Fall River SD In area exposures at Parker Peak 2 km E of Hwy 18,3 km S on Minnekahta silicified Cycad stumps SD0023
Edgemont Fall River SD Prionocyclus SD0024
Edgemont Fall River SD Cretaceous Fox Hills Limestone cephalopods – Discoscaphites,Hoploscaphites,Sphenodiscus SD0025
Edgemont Fall River SD Cretaceous Niobrara shark tooth,plesiosaur bones SD0026
Edgemont Fall River SD 28.8km W on Moss Agate Creek Cretaceous Niobrara vertebrate-Squamata SD0027
Edgemont Fall River SD 32km S near Doo’s place Cretaceous Pierre Mosasaur-Platecarpus;Turtle-Toxochelys SD0028 Original says ‘Platycarpus’ which appears to be an alternate spelling of ‘Platecarpus’
Edgemont Fall River SD 32km W on Moss Agate Creek Cretaceous Niobrara vertebrates-plesiosaur bones SD0029 CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission
Hot Springs Fall River SD Cretaceous Carlisle Shale Cephalopods – Prionocyclus SD0030
Hot Springs Fall River SD In Sediments in old sink hole Pleistocene About 150 mammoths excavated,150 more estimated still in ground. SD0031
Oelrichs Fall River SD 27 km W Cephalopods -Prionocyclus SD0032
Dixon Gregory SD 12km N and 3km W in road cut Miocene (Clarendon) Ash Hollow vertebrates SD0037 CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission See Ash Hollow sites at http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/rock.html for more details.
Fort Randall Dam Gregory SD on US18 complete section of Pierre Shale on W side of the Missouri River Cretaceous Pierre vertebrates and invertebrates– SD0038
– Harding SD in ant hill debris at Leibermann[?] localities Cretaceous Hell Creek vertebrates-Alphadon,Pediomys SD0042 This is likely a perfectly valid reference,but I can’t identify any Internet references to these localities. CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission
Big Springs Canyon Harding SD Miocene (Clarendon) Loup Fork turtle-Geochelone SD0039
Buffalo Harding SD S in Sandstone abundant dinosaur bones SD0040
Buffalo Harding SD near Cretaceous Hell Creek turtles SD0041
Moreau River Harding? SD Area exposures North of Black Hills Cretaceous Lance dinosaurs-Anatosaurus,Anatotitan SD0043 I’ve arbitrarily assigned this to Harding County,But could include Butte and/or Perkins County
Pierre Hughes SD at crossing of White River by US44 in road cuts Cretaceous fossils SD0044
– Jackson SD badlands in W of county Oligocene Chadron|Brule Tertiary mammals,Hackberry,oak,deciduous trees,Chadron (Oreodon,Titanotheres,Brontops,Brontotherium)Brule (Metamynodon,Hyracodon,tapirs,Agriochoerus,Merycoidodon,Leptauchenia,Dinictis,Hoplophoneus,Artiodactyls,pigs,camels-Poebrotherium SD0051
Cedar Pass Jackson SD 3.2km NE Oligocene Sharps bird bones-Paracrax SD0045
Cedar Pass Jackson SD E side Miocene Sharps Turtles-Stylemys SD0046
Kadoka Jackson SD area outcrops Oligocene White River mammal bones SD0047
Kadoka Jackson SD at Flying U Ranch Petrified Wood and Fossils. (Fee in 1970s) SD0048
Quiver Hill Jackson SD Oligocene Brule mammals-Capatanka,Hadroleptauchenia,Hyracodon,Palaeocastor,Pseudocyclopidius,Subdesmatochoerus SD0049 Washabaugh County merged with Jackson County
Red Water Creek Jackson SD On West branch Oligocene Brule mammals-Promesoreodon SD0050 Washabaugh County merged with Jackson County
– Jackson,Pennington SD In shales in White River bluffs Lucina,Inoceramus,Baculites SD0053
– Jackson,Pennington SD S11t17r4e-12t17r4e in ‘Iron Beds’ Cretaceous Lingula,Inoceramus,Anisomyon,Scaphites SD0052
Spearfish Canyon Lawrence SD petrified Cycad and palm SD0054
Whitewood Creek Lawrence SD petrified Cycad and palm SD0055
– Meade SD Cretaceous Pierre Shale Cephalopods – Acanthoscaphites SD0062
Belle Fourche River Meade SD at mouth Cephalopods -Eutrephoceras SD0056
Bridger Meade SD Cheyenne River Cretaceous Pierre Shale Cephalopods Eutrephoceras,Placenticeras,Baculites SD0057
Cottonwood Creek Meade SD at head of creek Paleocene crabs,Linuparus SD0058 Original says North Dakota,but there is no Meade County in ND
Cottonwood Creek Meade SD at head of creek Paleocene Cannonball Decapods SD0059
Elk Creek Meade SD Cretaceous Pierre Shale Cephalopods – Baculites SD0060
Piedmont Meade SD 4.4km N Cretaceous Lakota vertebrate bones-Atlantosaurus,Hypsilophodon SD0061
– Meade?,Pennington? SD Mollusks Jurassic? Oxytoma SD0063
Cheyenne River Meade[?] SD Oligocene White River Mammals-Aepinacodon,Agriochoerus,Archaeotherium,Brontops,Brontotherium,Caenopus,Canis,Colodon,Didymoconus,Dinictis,Elomeryx,Entelodon,Erethizon,Eumys,Hesperocyon,Hoplophoneus,Hyaenodon,Hypertragulus,Hyracodon,Hyracotherium,Ischyromys,Leptauchenia SD0064 Leptictis,Leptochoerus,Leptomeryx,Megalagus,Menodus,Mesohippus,Merycoidodon,Mesohippus,Metamynodon,Miniochoerus,Miohippus,Oreodon,Palaeolagus,Perchoerus,Steneofiber,Subdesmatochoerus,Subhyracodon,Titanotherium;Turtles-Stylemys
– Mellette SD At Joe Thin Elk gravel pits Miocene (Clarendon) Ash Hollow vertebrates SD0068 CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission See Ash Hollow sites at http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/rock.html for more details.
– Mellette SD In area exposures of Little White River badlands fossils SD0069
Mission Mellette SD 8km N,4.8kmE at Thin Elk Gravel Pit Miocene Valentine Turtle-Geochelone,Trionyx SD0065
Three Points Butte Mellette SD near top Miocene Rosebud fossil Daemonelix burrows SD0066
White River Mellette SD Oligocene White River bird eggs SD0067
– Pennington SD In area exposures Cretaceous Pierre Baculites SD0081
– Pennington SD In badlands Oligocene Brule Turtles: Stylemys,mammals: Leptomeryx,Merycoidodon,Ischyromys (a rodent) SD0082
– Pennington SD badlands in W of county Oligocene Chadron|Brule Tertiary mammals. Hackberry,oak,deciduous trees,Chadron (Oreodon,Titanotheres,Brontops,Brontotherium) Brule (Metamynodon,Hyracodon,tapirs,Agriochoerus,Merycoidodon,Leptauchenia,Dinictis,Hoplophoneus,Artiodactyls,pigs,camels-Poebrotherium SD0083
Bear Creek Coal Mine Pennington SD Oligocene Brule turtles-Stylemys SD0070
Indian Creek Pennington SD Paleocene crabs SD0071
Indian Creek Pennington SD Paleocene Cannonball Decapods SD0072
Rapid City Pennington SD area exposures corals SD0073
Rapid City Pennington SD in road cuts on Star Route 44 Cretaceous Pierre invertebrates in large concretions. SD0074
Scenic Pennington SD NW Fossils SD0075
Scenic Pennington SD 8km S Oligocene White River mammals-Archaeotherium,Colodon,Daphoenocyon,Daphoenus,Dinictis,Elomeryx,Elotherium,Eumys,Hesperocyon,Hoplophoneus,Hyaenodon,Hypertragulus,Hyracodon,Ischyromys,Leptictis,Leptochoerus,Leptomeryx,Megalagus,Mesohippus,Merycoidodon,Mesohippus,Miniochoerus,… SD0076 Oreodon,Palaeolagus,Paradjidaumo,Poebrotherium,Scottimus
Scenic Pennington SD In area badlands Oligocene Orella Hackberry seeds (Celtis). Mammals Mesohippus. Subhyracodon,Merycoidodon SD0077
Scenic Pennington SD to South Oligocene Brule turtles-Stylemys SD0078
Wasta Pennington SD N along Elk Creek and Cheyenne River. Cretaceous Pierre Shale Fossils in Concretions SD0079
Wasta Pennington SD in road cuts on I-90 Cretaceous Pierre invertebrates in large concretions. SD0080
– Pennington,Shannon SD Oligocene Chadron|Brule mammals: Dinictis,Hoplophoneus,Hesperocyon,Hyracodon,Caenopus,Perchoerus,Leptomeryx,Leptauchenia,Poebrotherium SD0084
Cedar Draw Pennington[?] SD Oligocene White River Squamata-Rhineura SD0085
Ainsworth PL Shannon SD Oligocene Brule mammals-Leptauchenia SD0086
American Horse Creek Shannon SD 1.6km W Miocene (Arikareean) Rosebud Turtle-Geochelone SD0087
Arrow Wound Table Shannon SD Oligocene Brule Mammals-Daphoenus,Dinictis,Eutypomys,Hesperocyon,Hoplophoneus,Hyaenodon,Leptictis,Palaeolagus,Peratherium SD0088
Battle Creek Canyon Shannon SD Oligocene Brule? turtles-Stylemys SD0089
Battle Creek Draw Shannon SD Oligocene Brule mammals-Hyaenodon,Merycoidodon,Mesocyon,Mesohippus,Miniochoerus,Platyochoerus SD0090
Corral Draw Shannon SD Oligocene Brule turtles-Stylemys SD0091
Corral Draw Shannon SD White River Badlands,in Peanut Creek Member Oligocene Chadron mammals: Sinclairella SD0092
Cottonwood Creek Shannon SD On divide with Big Corral Draw Oligocene Brule birds-Paracrax SD0093
Cottonwood Pass Shannon SD Oligocene Brule Egg fragments SD0094
Cottonwood Pass (Lower Nodular Zone) Shannon SD Oligocene Upper Brule Mammal Fossils SD0095
Indian Stronghold (Protoceras Channel) Shannon SD Oligocene Upper Brule Mammal Fossils SD0096
Monroe Creek (SDSM V-6229) Shannon SD Miocene Monroe Creek Mammal Fossils SD0097
Rocky Ford Shannon SD 13km N Oligocene Brule mammals-Amphicynodon SD0098
Rocky Ford Shannon SD 9.5km SE Oligocene Chadron reptiles-Helodermoides SD0099
Rocky Ford Shannon SD N Oligocene Brule mammals-Hyaenodon SD0100
Rosebud Shannon SD Area exposures Miocene (Arikareean) Monroe Creek Mammals-Capatanka,Palaeocastor,Rhinoceras SD0101
Sheep Mountain Shannon SD At Saddle Horse Pass Oligocene Brule turtles-Stylemys SD0102
Fort Pierre Stanley SD Cretaceous Pierre Ammonites-Baculites SD0103
Sage Creek Stanley SD Cephalopods Placenticeras SD0104
Sage Creek/Ft Pierre Stanley SD Baculites SD0105
– Todd SD Miocene (Clarendon) Ash Hollow vertebrates SD0111 CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission See Ash Hollow sites at http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/rock.html for more details.
Mission Todd SD In gravels of South Fork of Little White River petrified wood SD0106
Mission Micro Locality Todd SD 8km W and roughly 5.25km S of Mission in Rosebud Indian Reservation Miocene (Clarendon) Ash Hollow vertebrates SD0107 CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission See Ash Hollow sites at http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/rock.html for more details.
Rosebud Agency Quarry Todd SD On Hwy from Crookston(NE) to Rosebud(SD) 2/3 of way up hill from Rosebud Creek Miocene (Clarendon) Ash Hollow vertebrates SD0108 CAUTION:Collecting vertebrate material in the US requires landowner or government permission See Ash Hollow sites at http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/rock.html for more details.
Rosebud Indian Reservation Todd SD Hollow Horn Bear Quarry Miocene (Clarendon) Ash Hollow bird and turtle bones SD0109 See Ash Hollow sites at http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/rock.html for more details.
St Francis Todd SD 4.8km W at Sawmill Canyon Miocene (Hemphill) Ogallala Turtles-Trionyx SD0110
Turtle Buttes Tripp SD At E end on W side of gap Oligocene-Miocene Turtle Butte Turtles-Stylemys SD0112
North Sioux City Union SD 13 km W of I-29 on SD50 in Ridge crossing road Cretaceous Greenhorn pelecypods SD0113
Yankton Yankton SD Cretaceous Niobrara Fish-Benthesikyme,Ichthyotringa,Leptotomus,Sardinius,Spaniodon SD0114
Yankton Yankton SD 4,8km W near Gavins Point Dam in quarries along N bank of Missouri River Cretaceous Pierre shells,fish,reptiles SD0115
– Ziebach SD Marine fossils from beds in Breien member of the Lower Hell Creek Formation Cretaceous Hell Creek marine mollusks SD0117
Quinn Draw Ziebach SD Oligocene Chadron turtles-Stylemys SD0116
Quinn Draw Ziebach[?] SD Oligocene White River Turtles-Trionyx SD0118
– [?] SD Cretaceous Fox Hills Sandstone Plants Ficus fruit SD0129
– [?] SD Cretaceous Lance Nodosaur – Denversaurus SD0130
– [?] SD Near Wyoming line on SD18 Cretaceous Sundance cephalopods SD0131
Badlands [?] SD in area road cuts and roadside ditches. fossils SD0119
Black Hills [?] SD area exposures Ordovician Ostracoderms (jawless fish) SD0120
Black Hills [?] SD regional white Limestone outcrops Cretaceous Madison marine invertebrates. SD0121
Black Hills [?] SD sparse fossils in 200m of limestone and dolomite Mississippian Pahasapa Brachiopods,Bryozoa,Crinoids SD0122 The black hills cover several counties in SouthWest SD
Calf Spring[?] [?] SD Eocene Chadron Mammal Reference Location SD0123 Can’t identify Calf Spring at all
Cheyenne River [?] SD W of River Oligocene Chadron Upper Alligator bones SD0124
Eagle Butte [?] SD in area outcrops Cretaceous Fox Hills Pelecypods and gastropods in concretions. SD0125 There are four Eagle Buttes in SD,Dewey Cy,Zeibach Cy,two in Jackson Cy
Fox Hills[?] [?] SD NW SD pelecypod Crassostrea SD0126 Can’t locate Fox Hills
Interior [?] SD S Petrified wood SD0127
Maple Creek[?] [?] SD Cretaceous Bearpaw Shale Mollusks — Cymella,Cephalopod,Placenticeras,Cephalopods -Baculites SD0128 Can’t identify a Maple Creek in South Dakota
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