Oak Springs Trilobite Area

Pack your rock pick and have fun with 500-million-year-old fossils at Oak Springs Trilobite Area. Less than 15 miles west of Caliente, this fascinating site is laden with remains of six types of trilobites—including species considered to be the oldest on the planet.

Found along the Great Basin Highway, Oak Springs Trilobite Area offers a look at ancient life that was small in size but great in numbers. These small, hard-shelled relatives of modern crustaceans roamed the sea floor by the millions, but they met their demise when the sea dried up and fossilized them in mud. The species of trilobites found at the Oak Springs site are believed to be the oldest in Earth’s history, dating back 500 million years. The mud that trapped the trilobites has turned into shale rock, which a rock pick can easily split apart.

Getting to Oak Springs Trilobite Area

Travel west on US 93 and look for mile marker 81. Turn north toward an established parking lot where you’ll find the trailhead and informational bulletins. The road leading from Highway 93 has a large sign that shows the direction of the trilobite site.

Oak Springs Trilobite Area has a picnic table for guests to enjoy, but no public restrooms are available.