Hike-in Required
No
Open Year-round
Yes
ADA accessible
No
Guided tours
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

The Oak Springs Trilobite Area is located just off Highway 93 near Caliente, Nevada. This area is well worth a stop if traveling through, as you may just find some Trilobite fossil remains. At the trailhead you’ll also find a few picnic tables and a vault toilet, as well as some informative signs.

So what is a Trilobite? A Trilobite was an inveterate animal that lived in the sea (this area was once an ocean) with a shell, jointed legs, and antennae. You can find the fossil remains of six different types of Trilobites in the tan-colored shale at this site. Finding a whole specimen is rare, finding just the head is more common.

A short (1/4 mile) trail leads to the best search area. You are free to keep any fossils you find for personal collection, but Trilobite fossils may not be bartered or sold.

Be sure to reads the informative signs when you reach the trailhead for more information.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

None

Pros

Short hike leading to area where you can search for Trilobites.

Pets allowed

Allowed with Restrictions

Features

Vault toilet
Family friendly
Geologically significant
Big vistas
Picnic tables

Location

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