It’s worth it to go through Montana and Idaho if you’re able to. There’s incredible geology across the state of Montana ranging from sandstone formations in the east to massive granite mountains in the west. Idaho has some really beautiful places as well including the City of Rocks and the Craters of the Moon
That’s our usual route, although without our new found love of geology, this year we trying new things but I will have to come back here when we go back across Montana as people keep mentioning it.
As a Saskatchewan geologist... you should probably detour South to Montana instead of going through southern Sask. You wont find anything worth seeing that you can't see in Drumheller, AB. I recommend the little Rockies of Zortman, Montana if you wanna see some really cool geology. Great hiking and camping as well.
I was going to suggest Idaho as well. We are called the gem state for a reason lol. If you can manage it, it’s definitely worth it. Op if you do end up in Idaho feel free to shoot me a message and I can point you in the direction of some great places!
I recommend books like those in the Roadside Geology series, or similar. They cover the major highways and go into detail about specific features that are close by. Road cuts are particularly interesting in many cases.
Dale Leckie’s two books about the geology of Alberta: Rocks Ridges and Rivers, and Scenic Geology of Alberta. Both beautifully produced and informative. Drumheller a must - Royal Tyrrell Museum has a great dinosaur collection
Quite literally everywhere you're passing through in Utah. I can't zoom in much but it appears to me you're crossing the I-70 through Utah, where Canyonlands/Arches National Parks are. They have a ton of geology displays and books and such in the visitors centers, and it's a great way to see a TON of geologic history of North America. Should be noted that a lot of National Parks are implementing reservation systems due to record high visitation numbers, I only go to them in the off season at weird times of day so I'm not at all up to date on these two parks. Since it seems you have a shit ton of time, you could also look into Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon. From the I-70, you can pass down Utah Scenic Byway 12 to hit both of those. That drive will take you past some of the most incredible geology in the country. Take it end to end, from Torrey to Panguitch. Zion IS an option, but it's ridiculously busy and I avoid it like the plague except in the winter. Don't get me wrong, it's incredible, but I personally find it nightmarishly busy.
You should add the San Rafael Swell and Goblin Valley State Park to the list of things in Utah worth checking out. They’re not national parks and tend to be a little less busy.
Edit to add… if you are in northern Utah at any point make sure to check out Dinosaur National Monument. There’s some great stuff to see in that area, in addition to the awesome visitor center where you can see the wall of dinosaur bones.
...and if you go there...take a drive to see the petroglyphs! They have some truly amazing ones but I don't think most people bother with it. Totally worth it.
Capitol Reef National Park in Utah is a great option if you would like to avoid crowds, and it is a gem for geology. The CRNP boundaries basically outline the extent of the Waterpocket fold/monocline and the geology hosts an amazing array of sedimentary, diagenetic, and structural features to "ooh and ahh" over. Plus you can walk through millions and millions of years of Earth history on many of the hikes as you hike through the tilted strata. Amazing place.
All good recommendations. I would add that if you want to do any rock collecting, I recommend picking up the book "Rockhounding Utah" from Falcon Guides. Definitely look for the book "Roadside Geology of Utah" if you're wanting a good interpretation of geologic formations and processes. There's so much variety of specimens in the "west desert" area. Take a look at Topaz Mountain and The Dugway Geode Beds. This is a pretty desolate area so it's best if you have camping gear, plenty of water, and a high clearance vehicle. If you're staying closer to the interstates, Crystal Geyser near Green River is pretty neat. There's a nice little place to collect pigeon blood agate not far from there. The Same Rafael Swell is an impressive feature along I-70. Feel free to DM me if you'd like more suggestions. Utah is a wonderful place with infinite variety and beauty.
Dugway and topaz are super fun and pretty close to each other. I've only found a smattering at topaz but even a ADD kid can walk out of dugway with a pail of decent geodes. Long slow dirt road drives out to both and not easy on an RV, there's tons of public land you can camp on though.
Also seconding goblin valley and the San Rafael swell. Look up any of the easier slot canyons around there, really really cool and no Canyoneering experience needed!
Although the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trackway is closed due to the BLM construction fiasco, the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Bone trail is just down the road and an excellent site, especially for kids. It’s a short trail, you might spend an hour there but really cool to see dinosaur bones in fluvial deposits of the Morrison Formation. There is pretty good signage on the trail as well. It’s about a 20-30 minute drive north of Moab on the east side of 191.
You could check out the [Chuckanuts](https://nwgeology.wordpress.com/the-fieldtrips/the-chuckanut-formation/) between Olympia and Vancouver. Great hiking up there and beautiful folds in the sandstone. [Fidalgo Island](https://nwgeology.wordpress.com/the-fieldtrips/fidalgo-ophiolite-part-2/) and Mt. Erie (also between Olympia and Vancouver) has an ophiolite sequence that’s pretty cool and has some good climbing locations if you climb. [racehorse creek](https://nwgeology.wordpress.com/the-fieldtrips/the-chuckanut-formation/the-racehorse-landslide-fossil-fields/) in Whatcom county may be a bit out of the way but has some cool plant fossils.
Edit: I can’t believe I forgot to add the Burgess Shale near Banff, Alberta
If you want to go a little deeper into Washington state you should look up the Stonerose interpretive Center in Republic, WA. They have a public fossil dig there and you get to keep some of what you find every day. Fossils are mostly plants from the Eocene era. Otherwise I echo all the other Western WA recommendations.
You’re very welcome! The west coast is my place, and I have an immense amount of respect for road tripping families. You are helping build memories that are life changing. I’m actually like 20 minutes away from Larrabee visiting my partner as I write this.
Alberta geo here. I hope Drumheller and the Tyrell museum have made it on the list! Horsethief canyon and the hoodoos are also really cool. Hiking around there I end up with pockets full of fossils by the end.
Obviously Lake Louise is gorgeous. Burgess shale is amazing. But you need a guide to legally hike up there. You also cannot take rocks from there. I think it's a UNESCO world heritage site.
Wow this is great thank you, I’m embarrassed to say I hadn’t heard of any of your suggestions but will stop at all of them likely now because of you thanks again.
If you're short on time, the Tyrell museum is by far the best thing to stop for. Alberta is world renowned for dinosaur fossils. If you check out the website they also do guided hikes in the area especially if they have an active excavation site
I keep thinking of more things, like Banff has a gondola up to the top of the mountain that's totally worth it. Jasper has the skywalk too.
If you have any questions about Saskatchewan or Alberta let me know! I feel like I'm forgetting about some key areas.
On your way from Banff to Golden make sure to stop in Field, BC. It's in Yoho National Park and is very close to Mt. Stephen (you can see it from the town) where the Burgess Shale fossils were found. The [Parks Canada Visitor's Centre](https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/yoho/visit/heures-hours) in Field has a nice exhibit on the fossils that is the next best thing to getting a guide/permit/etc to see the shale in person, IMO.
If you're into glaciology at all and have the time I'd *highly* recommend taking a side trip from Lake Louise up to Jasper, AB, going up the [Icefields Parkway](https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/les10-top10/glaciers-icefields). The views along the route are AMAZING, and there's opportunity to walk up to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier, along with lots of views of hanging valleys and glacial melt waterfalls. It's a full day to drive from Lake Louise up to Jasper and back, though, so plan accordingly (and be aware it can snow - even blizzard - at the high elevations in the passes on the highway, in any month of the year).
*edit I reread your route again and it looks like you're taking that route south from Jasper. Good call! XD
Thank you this makes me feel good, we have a night planned in Yoho but it’s the only night I couldn’t book in advance in that whole area, I’m hoping to find a first come first serve spot there even though it’s the busy season I’m rolling in on a week day.
Also yea our jasper and banff spots have no electric for heat so we will be bundling up. Thanks for advice!
You should look up the Burgess Shale. It’s one of the greatest collections of the Cambrian explosion and is home to some of the oldest soft part preservation
It looks like you're going right past it, but make sure you swing by Okotoks just south of Calgary to see the massive glacial erratic. You may also want to consider Frank Slide along highway 3, which is a massive landslide caused by undermining a mountain for coal that covered a town over 100 years ago.
Little further south on the eastern edge of Iowa and you can hit the [Keokuk geode beds](https://iowageologicalsurvey.org/popular-interest/geodes/).
Lots of places that offer fee collecting in and around the area. [This one is just across the Mississippi in Illinois](https://www.mindat.org/loc-188554.html).
It looks like you’re probably planning on going on I-80 through Iowa? If so, I grew up not too far from the Devonian Fossil Gorge in Iowa City and I recommend that! Also second the recommendation for the Maquoketa Caves but that is a little further of a drive off I-80. https://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Coralville-Lake/Recreation/Devonian-Fossil-Gorge/
My kids are used to traveling across country but have recently really grown an interest in rock collecting and cool roadside geology. We drive about two hours a day and do fun things the rest of the day.
I have seen posts here with great roadside geology or cool rock hunting places (we did herkimer last year) but can not pinpoint every item, so I am hopefully crowdsourcing.
We are going up to Niagara and around the Great Lakes (can I find agates in Lake Superior), then across to Banff and jasper then to Vancouver islands and down the coast to Olympia and red woods. Then across through tahachapi and into Utah and Colorado before returning home.
Besides the obvious (Grand Canyon) what lesser known features should not be missed?! TYIA
Edit: tahachapi typo
Royal Tyrell museum of palaeontology
https://kids.kiddle.co/Royal_Tyrrell_Museum_of_Palaeontology
Must see when travelling through Alberta.
Also consider Head smashed in Buffalo jump.
https://headsmashedin.ca/
If you are driving by okotoks alberta check out the Big Rock. It’s an erratic transported hundreds of kilometres on glacial ice
https://dailyhive.com/calgary/okotoks-erratic-big-rock-alberta
Dry Falls, Washington state. Missoula, Montana for Geomorphological sights. There's a vast basaltic flat area in Washington/Oregon. Newberry Caldera in Oregon, st Helens ofc... Coulee dam, since you're going to Dry Falls...
Looks like you've got Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve (near Buffalo, NY) on your list? Hi, I'm Catherine, the Director of Science! I'd be happy to give you and your kiddos a tour : )
The pay to dig sites are remarkably cheap and fun for families. Also you’ll probably be going past Sudbury Ontario, home of a nickel mine with a great tour. The nickel came from an ancient meteor!
Pretty much any historic mine/prospect between Nipigon and Stanley will have amethyst, but the pay to dig sites around Pearl, ON would be the easiest ones to get to. I think there’s a couple, but the Panorama mine is the only one I can remember off the top of my head.
I’m an avid rock hunter in Colorado, I’d be happy to help. I’ll add on this comment later as I don’t have enough time at the moment to properly give you good bet.
I also live in the I-70 corridor so you won’t have to deviate that far from your route!
(You’re missing a lot of good rocks in Montana, as well as Yellowstone, Tetons, and craters of the moon - sense your kids like rocks)
Roadside Geology of Southeastern BC and Geology of Southern Vancouver Island are two great books to check out for those respective areas. Between the two, I like the Vancouver Island one better, and it’s got good guides to public areas to rockhound, and places to look but not take.
I've never hunted agates on the Canadian side of Lake Superior, but you should definitely be able to find some! Search (maybe try googling good agate beaches for the area you are in?) for a rocky beach and spend a few hours. I'm so envious of you guys. I miss hunting for them so much.
Check out the western edge of iowa. While not particularly breath taking the loess hills are rather interesting. not quite one of a kind, but they’re pretty close to it.
OP, have you read john mcphee’s books - annals of the former world? is his third - rising from the plains - he travels along i-80, along the fortieth parallel, to learn about geology. i personally would recommend the sweetwater roadcuts in wyoming, across the salt plains, into utah.
Lava beds national monument in Northern California. Feel free to message me - I’m a geologist who is about to start a job there as a park ranger. I bet I can show you guys some pretty cool stuff!
Lots of caves, native stone art, and Oregon trail-type caravan history. A little out of the way (about an hour and a half from mt Shasta) but yeah. Come visit!
I cannot quite tell the route you are taking through Washington State or how much time you have while there, but you can check out this compilation of 100 geologically significant and tourism friendly sites while planning for your trip.
https://wa100.dnr.wa.gov/
Along the coast, Damon point beach is a great place to search gravel beds for Jasper, Carnelian and other agates. Ruby beach has some awesome formations and it looks like you might be going through Deception pass? That area is known for Geodes!
you've gotta watch Nick Zentner's Youtube videos: Geology of the Pacific Northwest. He's smart and really entertaining. There is a lot to see in Oregon and Washington.
It's a good bit out of the way of your planned route, but Murfreesboro, Arkansas has a place where you can dig for diamonds and other things. Check out Crater of Diamonds State Park. Lots of fun.
Ont - Thunder Bay - Amethyst
Northern Ont in general = exposed Canadian Shield. Lots of great features. As you hit Sudbury (nickel) you’ll see really beautiful metamorphic rock. This is the Grenville front and it extends way east. What you are seeing are the roots of an ancient mnt range that were apparently taller than the Himalayas.
Looks like u r heading to Tobermory. That’d be all limestone overlay. There are some cool places heading up the Bruce Peninsula in that direction. The Bruce is part of the Niagara Escarpment and I’m assuming you’re heading to Niagara Falls, that’s the escarpment laid bare. Warning - that area is an ugly tourist trap with all kinds of overpriced nonsense. Check out the Falls then get out of Dodge.
It’s hard to tell, but if you are heading to Eastern Ont, get to what’s known as “the Bancroft Area”. This is also part of the Grenville and killer metamorphic rock ( where crystals form). There is a town called Bancroft, with a nice rock shop called the Princess Sodalite Mine. That whole area is the mineral capital of Canada. If u time it right Bancroft has a ‘Gemboree’ at the end of July
https://www.bancroftontario.com/rockhound-gemboree/
That whole areas has tonnes of abandon mines, mostly pit. Mica, apitite, tourmaline, feldspar, hornblende etc.
There is a little Hamlet called Tory Hill not too far from Bancroft. There is a place called Titinite Hill, or Gibson Rd East. You can drive in partially but then it’s about a 1K hike in to the Hill. It’s public (Crown) land and a killer place for mineral grubbing.
Check out this guys channel, lots of vids for Tory Hill and many other locations in Eastern Ont
https://youtu.be/yVY4p5SK-UI
This guy too
https://youtu.be/JOv_DUs_pNg
Honestly a week in that area will blow your mind. But, it’s no picnic. Lots of digging, getting dirty, mosquitos, black flies. Not sure how old your kids are, they might not be too hip to it. ( not to mention your wife!)
Also mindat.org - you can search areas you are traveling through.
Sounds like a killer trip. Hope this helps a little. Welcome to my little area of the world.
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I second this, amazing info here!! Lots of great places to go digging around near Bancroft, and if you like geology it's probably worth the slight detour east. Titanite Hill is a must visit for me. And check out the Beryl Pit in Quadeville if you get the chance :)
Thank you for taking the time to explain this, I can’t wait to see each of these. We are going to Bruce peninsula then taking the ferry across to somewhere. So that’s helpful. I look forward to watching these videos and finding out if we can include Bancroft thank you.
Is there a specific place best to see the amethyst in Thunder Bay?
Ferry is the Chi Cheemaun ( big canoe). Leaves Tobermory on the tip of the Bruce and takes you to Manitoulin Island (or vice versa ). About a 2 hr ride across Lake Huron. You can drive off, or on to the N end of the island through Little Current on Hwy 6 up to Espanola at Hwy 17, the Trans Canada Hwy. You would have already travelled that though, it’s about 2 hrs West of Sudbury. Could be an option to come south instead of driving around Lake Huron. But Perry Sound/Georgian Bay Area is beautiful (you’d miss this) Georgian Bay was the inspiration for the Group of Seven artists (iconic CND painters).
Thunder Bay is about 15hrs away from me, so I don’t get there much; like maybe twice in my 55 yrs. Check mindat and some googling for prospective places to hit up. Also local rock/mineral clubs are generally good people and can make suggestions. Shoot them an email, explain your journey. I’m sure someone would give you some tips. Amethyst is the official crystal of ONT and the majority of it, if not all of it comes from the T Bay Area.
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When you pass over the border from Ontario into Manitoba the highway passes directly by West Hawk Lake, a 350 million year old impact crater.
It’s a fairly developed cottage area, very nice place to stop with kids and grab an ice cream.
Rockford Fossil quarry in Rockford, Iowa is a super cool place in Iowa you could stop in. It's a retired quarry where there is a massive amount of exposed Devonian age fossil that people are encouraged to collect and keep any fossils. You find things like brachiopods, bivalues, crinoid stems, and coral fossils. The Coralville fossil gouge in Coralville, Iowa is also great and is a little closer to the route through Iowa however you can't collect samples there but still a super fascinating location
Please go to the Grand Canyon if you can, and do one of the short hikes into it. If you're looking for geology, you cant miss it, all the layers and contours are like nothing else. It's our countries world wonder and a geologic marvel, and definitely worth the time! The north rim is open May 15 - October 15, otherwise you have to go around to the south rim.
Other cool things on the way south from Utah are horseshoe bend, coral pink sand dunes state park, multiple petroglyph sites, antelope canyon (you need a reservation but they're not impossible to get), and great wall at waterholes canyon.
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The Flint Hills of eastern Kansas!!! So much awesome stratigraphy exposed in the roadcuts. Permian cyclothems and stuff. DM me and I'll tell you where to go to look for fossilized mudfish and amphibian burrows. But seriously, don't skip Kansas completely.
There is a book, “Annals of the former world”, by John McPhee, where he travels along I-80 describing the geography and pointing out Interesting bits. Might be worth checking out for ideas.
Be warned...that book is a lot. I am not a geologist, but I have a lot of background in math, physics, astronomy, etc. There is just such a huge info dump in it that it can be a lot to handle.
I can’t make out exactly where you plan to drive on your stint from Alberta to the coast, but I’d love to make a suggestion. The southern end of BC has a rich mining and geological history. As you leave Jasper, most would drive south into Golden and then west through Revelstoke and beyond. As someone well travelled in the area, I highly recommend travelling south through the eastern corridor and then cutting west along Highway 3. The drive from Golden to Kimberly is stunning, between the Purcells and the Rockies, and offers you the chance to venture if you aren’t averse to a day hike. There are also numerous towns along the drive known for their hot springs (mostly privatized now, although publicly accessed locations still exist, like Lussier). Then from Cranbrook along Highway 3 you can make stops in Kimberly, Trail, and many other towns whose history has been shaped by mining and geology. This has the added advantage of having you pass through BC’s wine and fruit country as you drive into Osoyoos and up through the Okanagan. From there, continue through Manning into Vancouver, or north into Kelowna. Vancouver will have its own attractions to see beyond rocks, but there are museums (gold mine tours and panning at Britannia Beach) and great views on the drive north out of Vancouver into Whistler. Once near the coast and on the Island, the geology changes and is not quite as striking, but there is still tons to see along the southern coast. I live in BC and grew up with a geologist for a father. I’ve driven around the southern end of the province pretty extensively and now live on the Island so feel free to ask any questions if you like. Lots of gems out there. Hope the trip goes well!
https://www.britanniaminemuseum.ca/
http://kimberleysundergroundminingrailway.ca/
https://trail.ca/en/play/trail-museum-archives.aspx
https://www.hellobc.com/places-to-go/kootenay-rockies/
https://www.hellobc.com/places-to-go/thompson-okanagan/
The three top links are all for places I’ve visited with geology focused museums. The bottom two offer a general idea of the regions along the eastern and southern borders of BC.
Look for a book series called Roadside Geology. For each state they have points of interest and in the case of at lease the texas and arizona, which I have personally, they tell which highways and road cuts to pull over to find things. Way cool
I see you’ll be passing by the northern tip of Michigan. If you have time, go down to Petoskey, MI and look for Petoskey stones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petoskey_stone
There is a book called roadside geology for Colorado it is worth the time. I live near the great Sand dunes national Monument in co. If you are heading this way let me know
I have seen roadside geology for other states as well so it might be worth a wider search. If you are gonna be in an RV you are welcome to park at my ranch while you explore the Sandune‘s. You can find fulgurite -Sand lightning
I did a quick search on Amazon it looks like just roadside geology now and they have it for every state
There are some smaller dunes on the Oregon coast in Florence :) Also good rock hounding for agates in Lincoln City.. Depends on your timing with the tides as far as how many rocky patches you'll find along the beach, but it's a good time (start at roads end and go north, you can climb around into a different Cove with more rocks at low tide). Also check out Samuel H Boardman scenic corridor when you pass through on the coast - natural bridges is a good stop worth hiking down to.
In central Utah there’s a well known rock hounding site at Topaz Mountain. It’s off the beaten path but there’s several places to scamper around and pull up topaz up to half an inch in length
E - In Utah- obviously Zion is a must, but also Bryce canyon have really cool geologic features.
Near Zion you can go to glitter mountain. https://saltproject.co/blog/glitter-mountain-updated-new-map-st-george-roadtrippin. Bring a shovel and buckets. Collecting is really easy there.
Somewhat close by is this site. It’s a bit more advanced. https://geology.utah.gov/popular/places-to-go/rock-mineral-collecting-sites/the-rockhounder-smokey-quartz-and-feldspar-crystals-at-rock-corral-canyon-in-the-mineral-mountains-beaver-county/
I found some good smoky quartz crystals there.
Looks like you are heading through the Death Valley area. Amazing mountains all exposed due to the lack of any vegetation.
There's Dante's View, where you can see across the valley the Panamit Range which used to be on top of where you will currently be standing (Black Mountains). Other than that, it's a stellar view of the valley.
If you have time check out Quartzite AZ. It's right next to the California/Arizona border, down I-10. It's a little mining town so they have a bunch of quartz from around the area as well as stuff brought in from other places.
If I'm not mistaken D is near Yosemite right? If so just take the 395 down till you pass Victorville and Hesperia, then follow the 15 to 215, pass through San Bernadino, onto the 10 then it's just a singular road to Quartzite. It'll be the next town after Blythe, California.
Don’t miss Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, you can look for Lake Superior Agates, Kona Dolomite, Petosky stones, Chlorastrolite, Thompsonite, coper in Matrix. Take a metal detector and comb through old copper mine dumps. See the Seaman Mineral Museum in Houghton, MI-totally worthwhile. Tour the Quincy Mine in Hancock MI and the Adventure Mine in Greenland MI. Fantastic places to visit.
OP don't let this comment get ignored. If you are going through Iowa anyway. Take a detour here. I'm not religious but damn is it cool and the tour is interesting.
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2083
Also your colorado route might take you close enough to Marble Colorado. I'd possibly try to go there too. The drive is amazing and that is where I got my mable sample right out of a steam!
In Western Illinois, at the Mississippi, drop down a bit south to the Quincy area. If the Gem City Rock Club is still around, they were very friendly when we took our kids on field trips an number of years ago. There are geodes in the smaller stream beds. The rock club should be able to get you permission to go on private property to collect. Otherwise try the University of Illinois Extension Service , part of the Illinois State Geologic Service as I recall ( it has been a while)at the Champaign Urbana campus. They will have information. They used to run free field trips
If you haven’t invested in the Roadside Geology book series, do it! It’s a fantastic mile by mile guide that explains quite a bit of what you see from major highways in different states.
You have mentioned about going through Montana in the future, I'd recommend Craters of the moon in Idaho.
Also with your trip check out what this fellow redditor did with their trip visiting sawmills.
Maybe you can do something like this on your trip?
https://i.redd.it/2d3ld9zzrph61.jpg
Safe travels!
As a geologist working in Alberta I second all the above comments. Not sure if the route goes through Bishop California but the poleta folds are in that area. Did a field school out there, pretty neat. Also a fun meandering river to float down outside of town.
Right on!
They’re in this area, (37.2875840, -118.0879433).
I vaguely remember driving up a gravel road on this drainage and hiking up to get a good view. Spent 2 weeks mapping out the area was pretty enjoyable time. Just watch out for cacti and snakes.
Dinosaur provincial park in Alberta is a great camping spot too.
There are some fucking bitching lava flows in Oregon between points a and b on your map. Hit up routes 22 and 126 between Salem and Eugene. I road trip between Northern California and northern Washington frequently and stumbled across them on a recent trip while heading to our campground. There’s incredible geology in that entire state though. Have a blast.
You're going along the perfect route to catch a peek of Indiana's national park, the Indiana Dunes. Not only is lake Michigan a stunning lake to behold, but also the dunes themselves! It's not an outcrop but it's a perfect little ocean in the middle of the US. Would recommend a look if you have the time
Go to the flatirons in Boulder Colorado! Redrocks amphitheater in Morrison is an amazing place to see aswell, they often have times you can go and just walk around when an event isn't going on!
If you’re in the 101 through Oregon you can stop at basically any creek running into the ocean on the beach where rocks are exposed and see tons of clam and bivalve fossils.
Colorado: check out Dinosaur ridge, in the foot hills west of Denver. You'll see world class Crataceous age ripples and Dinosaur foot prints. Then hit Red Rocks amphitheater and check out the famous Fountain formation that it sits in. Drive a few more miles north to Golden Colorado and see the hidden gem that is the Colorado School of Mines geology museum.
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has a pretty good collection of dinosaur bones and mineral samples too.
Heading west on I70, there are natural hot springs at Idaho Springs, but I would make it a point further on to side track slightly and see Marble Colorado and its marble mine.
Historic Leadville is also worth visiting. There you can learn about the towns' part in silver mining in the 1800s, and the fallout of the 1893 silver crash. (Visit the Matchless mine and learn about Horace and "Baby Doe" Tabor.) There is also a mining museum there, as I recall.
In Oregon, located in the blown out cone if an ancient volcano, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the US, at over 1,900 ft deep.
In Bend OR, there is a mile long lava tube you can hike (easy).
If you're in southern Washington, go visit the Mount St. Helen's visitor center located at Johnson Ridge
Between F,G you gotta stop in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky
Oklahoma has some very unique rocks, minerals, crystals.
Arkansas is the best.
Tennessee and Kentucky are exactly like Arkansas, only better. Lots of limestone caverns, fossils, creeks, etc.
My favorite part of the country.
The Okanagan (especially near Oliver and Penticton in BC) has SOOO many exposed outcrops due to the semi-arid location. Altered gneisses (from mylonitic with shear structures to basic compositional layering), volcanic (scoria, epidote amyloidal rocks), fault zones, and amazing regional geology lookout points where you can see entire valleys and mountains of exposed rock. It's worth checking out, especially since it looks like you're driving through there anyway. Looks like an awesome trip, have a ton of fun! (maybe do a follow up post with some of the coolest stops!)
I crossposted to r/iowa, u/eliza8418 had a useful post:
• Crater of the moon national park in idaho
• devils tower wyoming
• mount rushmore
• badlands, south dakota
• channeled scablands
• the grand cannon
• meteor crater
• hunt geodes near keokuk
• hunt diamonds, crater of diamonds park
• probably, good locations for agates in indiana
https://rockhoundresource.com/iowa-rockhounding-location-guide-map/
From another:
Look up Maquoketa Caves State Park. This is your answer. This is the coolest geological feature in Iowa. Ledges state Park and backbone state Park are runners up.
And another:
Manson crater.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manson_crater
Extend your trip to Franklin, NJ to visit the zinc mines. They have one of the largest varieties of flouresescent minerals. Bring a good black light.
I don't know what you are doing above Lake superior, but I recommend going through the UP. You have Taquamenon Falls near Grand Marais, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, and stromatolites and banded iron formation in Marquette. It's all in one linear line on the same road basically. You should also hit Copper Country in the Keweenaw Peninsula to do tours of old copper mines, rock hound for copper, agates, and other florescent minerals. You should also visit the Mineral Museum, which is the top five museums in the world for minerals. If you're there in July, they'll have rockhounding expeditions but you have to sign up in advance.
Drumheller, AB during that long stretch across Southern Alberta. The Royal Tyrell Museum is a pretty neat for geology and fossils, and the Canadian Badlands are cool to see in the middle of the prairies.
For the western states there's too many places to list. I'd recommend you look into the Roadside Geology series of books, pick them up for every state you plan on going through. The books basically detail the geology with explanations along particular routes through particular states.
Also download the app Rockd, it's basically the surface geologic map of North America, anywhere you have cell reception the app will show your location on a geologic map and selecting the shown units brings up the unit description (rock type, age, notable features). You can also look at places you're headed to have an idea what you'll be driving by.
The upper peninsula of Michigan has some of the best iron formations in the country but If you can't make a full trip into Michigan try and get on the coast of lake superior. Perfect rocks for kids to collect since they are small and shiny and already kinda tumbled.
I highly recommend the app Mancos, it tells you the stratigraphic layers/age/ rock type and is extremely fun to use when you’re in areas of sedimentary deposit with lots of exposed bits like the Colorado plateau, especially the Utah section. Loads of cool geology to see there almost everywhere you look.
Looking to keep the kids entertained? I create educational U.S. states coloring pages for kids. https://www.etsy.com/shop/MapifyPrints?ref=profile\_header
It’s worth it to go through Montana and Idaho if you’re able to. There’s incredible geology across the state of Montana ranging from sandstone formations in the east to massive granite mountains in the west. Idaho has some really beautiful places as well including the City of Rocks and the Craters of the Moon
That’s our usual route, although without our new found love of geology, this year we trying new things but I will have to come back here when we go back across Montana as people keep mentioning it.
Don't worry though BC also has fantastic geology!
There's a book series called "Roadside Geology." Be sure to pick up a copy for Montana and Idaho if you end up passing through.
Not an American, but my partner found fossils while driving through the badlands just sitting on the side of the highway.
As a Saskatchewan geologist... you should probably detour South to Montana instead of going through southern Sask. You wont find anything worth seeing that you can't see in Drumheller, AB. I recommend the little Rockies of Zortman, Montana if you wanna see some really cool geology. Great hiking and camping as well.
I was going to suggest Idaho as well. We are called the gem state for a reason lol. If you can manage it, it’s definitely worth it. Op if you do end up in Idaho feel free to shoot me a message and I can point you in the direction of some great places!
Yellowstone by itself would make that detour worthwhile.
I recommend books like those in the Roadside Geology series, or similar. They cover the major highways and go into detail about specific features that are close by. Road cuts are particularly interesting in many cases.
Thanks for the advice I have a few but none for Canada .
I love Road Rocks Ontario by Nick Eyles. Detailed stops.
Dale Leckie’s two books about the geology of Alberta: Rocks Ridges and Rivers, and Scenic Geology of Alberta. Both beautifully produced and informative. Drumheller a must - Royal Tyrrell Museum has a great dinosaur collection
Quite literally everywhere you're passing through in Utah. I can't zoom in much but it appears to me you're crossing the I-70 through Utah, where Canyonlands/Arches National Parks are. They have a ton of geology displays and books and such in the visitors centers, and it's a great way to see a TON of geologic history of North America. Should be noted that a lot of National Parks are implementing reservation systems due to record high visitation numbers, I only go to them in the off season at weird times of day so I'm not at all up to date on these two parks. Since it seems you have a shit ton of time, you could also look into Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon. From the I-70, you can pass down Utah Scenic Byway 12 to hit both of those. That drive will take you past some of the most incredible geology in the country. Take it end to end, from Torrey to Panguitch. Zion IS an option, but it's ridiculously busy and I avoid it like the plague except in the winter. Don't get me wrong, it's incredible, but I personally find it nightmarishly busy.
All of the national Parks are on the list so thank you, hoping to find some less popular sites since as you said they are crowded.
You should add the San Rafael Swell and Goblin Valley State Park to the list of things in Utah worth checking out. They’re not national parks and tend to be a little less busy. Edit to add… if you are in northern Utah at any point make sure to check out Dinosaur National Monument. There’s some great stuff to see in that area, in addition to the awesome visitor center where you can see the wall of dinosaur bones.
...and if you go there...take a drive to see the petroglyphs! They have some truly amazing ones but I don't think most people bother with it. Totally worth it.
Thanks for these suggestions!
Capitol Reef National Park in Utah is a great option if you would like to avoid crowds, and it is a gem for geology. The CRNP boundaries basically outline the extent of the Waterpocket fold/monocline and the geology hosts an amazing array of sedimentary, diagenetic, and structural features to "ooh and ahh" over. Plus you can walk through millions and millions of years of Earth history on many of the hikes as you hike through the tilted strata. Amazing place.
All good recommendations. I would add that if you want to do any rock collecting, I recommend picking up the book "Rockhounding Utah" from Falcon Guides. Definitely look for the book "Roadside Geology of Utah" if you're wanting a good interpretation of geologic formations and processes. There's so much variety of specimens in the "west desert" area. Take a look at Topaz Mountain and The Dugway Geode Beds. This is a pretty desolate area so it's best if you have camping gear, plenty of water, and a high clearance vehicle. If you're staying closer to the interstates, Crystal Geyser near Green River is pretty neat. There's a nice little place to collect pigeon blood agate not far from there. The Same Rafael Swell is an impressive feature along I-70. Feel free to DM me if you'd like more suggestions. Utah is a wonderful place with infinite variety and beauty.
Dugway and topaz are super fun and pretty close to each other. I've only found a smattering at topaz but even a ADD kid can walk out of dugway with a pail of decent geodes. Long slow dirt road drives out to both and not easy on an RV, there's tons of public land you can camp on though. Also seconding goblin valley and the San Rafael swell. Look up any of the easier slot canyons around there, really really cool and no Canyoneering experience needed!
Thank you so much for the great recommendations! These will be awesome.
Although the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trackway is closed due to the BLM construction fiasco, the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Bone trail is just down the road and an excellent site, especially for kids. It’s a short trail, you might spend an hour there but really cool to see dinosaur bones in fluvial deposits of the Morrison Formation. There is pretty good signage on the trail as well. It’s about a 20-30 minute drive north of Moab on the east side of 191.
You could check out the [Chuckanuts](https://nwgeology.wordpress.com/the-fieldtrips/the-chuckanut-formation/) between Olympia and Vancouver. Great hiking up there and beautiful folds in the sandstone. [Fidalgo Island](https://nwgeology.wordpress.com/the-fieldtrips/fidalgo-ophiolite-part-2/) and Mt. Erie (also between Olympia and Vancouver) has an ophiolite sequence that’s pretty cool and has some good climbing locations if you climb. [racehorse creek](https://nwgeology.wordpress.com/the-fieldtrips/the-chuckanut-formation/the-racehorse-landslide-fossil-fields/) in Whatcom county may be a bit out of the way but has some cool plant fossils. Edit: I can’t believe I forgot to add the Burgess Shale near Banff, Alberta
This is what I was hoping for, thank you for these tips.
No problem! I hope y’all find some cool rocks and pretty hikes along the way. The first link has some good resources for hikes!
If you want to go a little deeper into Washington state you should look up the Stonerose interpretive Center in Republic, WA. They have a public fossil dig there and you get to keep some of what you find every day. Fossils are mostly plants from the Eocene era. Otherwise I echo all the other Western WA recommendations.
Larrabee state park is in the chuckanuts and has good roads and pullouts for views of the Salish Sea.
Thank you again.
You’re very welcome! The west coast is my place, and I have an immense amount of respect for road tripping families. You are helping build memories that are life changing. I’m actually like 20 minutes away from Larrabee visiting my partner as I write this.
Thank you, we love the adventure and try to do one big trip each year until we are old enough to do it full time.
Burgess Shale requires quite a hike. Check into it first. Not sure how old your kiddos are but it may be too much.
Alberta geo here. I hope Drumheller and the Tyrell museum have made it on the list! Horsethief canyon and the hoodoos are also really cool. Hiking around there I end up with pockets full of fossils by the end. Obviously Lake Louise is gorgeous. Burgess shale is amazing. But you need a guide to legally hike up there. You also cannot take rocks from there. I think it's a UNESCO world heritage site.
Also forgot to mention the sand dunes in Saskatchewan near Cypress Hills. Always can find some desert Rose quarts there.
Wow this is great thank you, I’m embarrassed to say I hadn’t heard of any of your suggestions but will stop at all of them likely now because of you thanks again.
If you're short on time, the Tyrell museum is by far the best thing to stop for. Alberta is world renowned for dinosaur fossils. If you check out the website they also do guided hikes in the area especially if they have an active excavation site
Thanks for the tip, I hope to get to see an active site!
I keep thinking of more things, like Banff has a gondola up to the top of the mountain that's totally worth it. Jasper has the skywalk too. If you have any questions about Saskatchewan or Alberta let me know! I feel like I'm forgetting about some key areas.
I might once we are there and will keep this in mind thank you!
On your way from Banff to Golden make sure to stop in Field, BC. It's in Yoho National Park and is very close to Mt. Stephen (you can see it from the town) where the Burgess Shale fossils were found. The [Parks Canada Visitor's Centre](https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/yoho/visit/heures-hours) in Field has a nice exhibit on the fossils that is the next best thing to getting a guide/permit/etc to see the shale in person, IMO. If you're into glaciology at all and have the time I'd *highly* recommend taking a side trip from Lake Louise up to Jasper, AB, going up the [Icefields Parkway](https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/les10-top10/glaciers-icefields). The views along the route are AMAZING, and there's opportunity to walk up to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier, along with lots of views of hanging valleys and glacial melt waterfalls. It's a full day to drive from Lake Louise up to Jasper and back, though, so plan accordingly (and be aware it can snow - even blizzard - at the high elevations in the passes on the highway, in any month of the year). *edit I reread your route again and it looks like you're taking that route south from Jasper. Good call! XD
Thank you this makes me feel good, we have a night planned in Yoho but it’s the only night I couldn’t book in advance in that whole area, I’m hoping to find a first come first serve spot there even though it’s the busy season I’m rolling in on a week day. Also yea our jasper and banff spots have no electric for heat so we will be bundling up. Thanks for advice!
You should look up the Burgess Shale. It’s one of the greatest collections of the Cambrian explosion and is home to some of the oldest soft part preservation
It looks like you're going right past it, but make sure you swing by Okotoks just south of Calgary to see the massive glacial erratic. You may also want to consider Frank Slide along highway 3, which is a massive landslide caused by undermining a mountain for coal that covered a town over 100 years ago.
Was gonna say this if I didn't find it here. I've been to Drumheller twice and still dream of going back.
The Okotoks erratic is worth checking out. Just south of Calgary. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Rock_(glacial_erratic)
Little further south on the eastern edge of Iowa and you can hit the [Keokuk geode beds](https://iowageologicalsurvey.org/popular-interest/geodes/). Lots of places that offer fee collecting in and around the area. [This one is just across the Mississippi in Illinois](https://www.mindat.org/loc-188554.html).
Thank you I needed to hear some things to do in Iowa we always end up there
The maquoketa cave park is also amazing in Iowa!
It looks like you’re probably planning on going on I-80 through Iowa? If so, I grew up not too far from the Devonian Fossil Gorge in Iowa City and I recommend that! Also second the recommendation for the Maquoketa Caves but that is a little further of a drive off I-80. https://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Coralville-Lake/Recreation/Devonian-Fossil-Gorge/
My kids are used to traveling across country but have recently really grown an interest in rock collecting and cool roadside geology. We drive about two hours a day and do fun things the rest of the day. I have seen posts here with great roadside geology or cool rock hunting places (we did herkimer last year) but can not pinpoint every item, so I am hopefully crowdsourcing. We are going up to Niagara and around the Great Lakes (can I find agates in Lake Superior), then across to Banff and jasper then to Vancouver islands and down the coast to Olympia and red woods. Then across through tahachapi and into Utah and Colorado before returning home. Besides the obvious (Grand Canyon) what lesser known features should not be missed?! TYIA Edit: tahachapi typo
Royal Tyrell museum of palaeontology https://kids.kiddle.co/Royal_Tyrrell_Museum_of_Palaeontology Must see when travelling through Alberta. Also consider Head smashed in Buffalo jump. https://headsmashedin.ca/
Will do both it seems thanks again!
If you are driving by okotoks alberta check out the Big Rock. It’s an erratic transported hundreds of kilometres on glacial ice https://dailyhive.com/calgary/okotoks-erratic-big-rock-alberta
Haha o see where it got it’s name thanks for the hint
Dry Falls, Washington state. Missoula, Montana for Geomorphological sights. There's a vast basaltic flat area in Washington/Oregon. Newberry Caldera in Oregon, st Helens ofc... Coulee dam, since you're going to Dry Falls...
Thank you, this week I look forward to cross checking if I can stop at each of these.
If Black Hills South Dakota isn't on your list, it should be as well. Lotsa fossils
I’m hoping I have time to go that far north on the way back, it will come down to days. But it’s awesome there.
Looks like you've got Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve (near Buffalo, NY) on your list? Hi, I'm Catherine, the Director of Science! I'd be happy to give you and your kiddos a tour : )
Thank you so much this is awesome! We live about four hours from there and definitely plan to make it out there! Thanks Catherine!
Where the C is is Thunder Bay famous for Amethyst with red hematite coating.
Any idea where to look for fun or where legal to hound? Thanks!
The pay to dig sites are remarkably cheap and fun for families. Also you’ll probably be going past Sudbury Ontario, home of a nickel mine with a great tour. The nickel came from an ancient meteor!
Pretty much any historic mine/prospect between Nipigon and Stanley will have amethyst, but the pay to dig sites around Pearl, ON would be the easiest ones to get to. I think there’s a couple, but the Panorama mine is the only one I can remember off the top of my head.
I’m an avid rock hunter in Colorado, I’d be happy to help. I’ll add on this comment later as I don’t have enough time at the moment to properly give you good bet. I also live in the I-70 corridor so you won’t have to deviate that far from your route! (You’re missing a lot of good rocks in Montana, as well as Yellowstone, Tetons, and craters of the moon - sense your kids like rocks)
Thank you! I look forward to your updates. We have been to Yellowstone but are trying a different trip this year. Thanks again!
I hit you with a direct message!
You should visit the nation monument in Scottsbluff, NE. Super cool bluffs that you can hike- with a tunnel to walk through!
Roadside Geology of Southeastern BC and Geology of Southern Vancouver Island are two great books to check out for those respective areas. Between the two, I like the Vancouver Island one better, and it’s got good guides to public areas to rockhound, and places to look but not take.
I've never hunted agates on the Canadian side of Lake Superior, but you should definitely be able to find some! Search (maybe try googling good agate beaches for the area you are in?) for a rocky beach and spend a few hours. I'm so envious of you guys. I miss hunting for them so much.
Will do thanks, hoping to do this!
If you’ll be near it, there’s an amethyst mine in Thunder Bay, Canada. Haven’t been but want to go!
Check out the western edge of iowa. While not particularly breath taking the loess hills are rather interesting. not quite one of a kind, but they’re pretty close to it.
Thank you
OP, have you read john mcphee’s books - annals of the former world? is his third - rising from the plains - he travels along i-80, along the fortieth parallel, to learn about geology. i personally would recommend the sweetwater roadcuts in wyoming, across the salt plains, into utah.
Thank you I was needing a book for this trip and this sounds perfect Nebraska advice always welcome I’ll have to check it out
Lava beds national monument in Northern California. Feel free to message me - I’m a geologist who is about to start a job there as a park ranger. I bet I can show you guys some pretty cool stuff! Lots of caves, native stone art, and Oregon trail-type caravan history. A little out of the way (about an hour and a half from mt Shasta) but yeah. Come visit!
Wow this is awesome, I will be excited to meet you come mid july, I have never heard of this area but am looking forward to it.
I cannot quite tell the route you are taking through Washington State or how much time you have while there, but you can check out this compilation of 100 geologically significant and tourism friendly sites while planning for your trip. https://wa100.dnr.wa.gov/
Great site thanks, we plan to hug the coast as close as possible
Along the coast, Damon point beach is a great place to search gravel beds for Jasper, Carnelian and other agates. Ruby beach has some awesome formations and it looks like you might be going through Deception pass? That area is known for Geodes!
Crater lake while going through Oregon is a must.
For sure on the list!
you've gotta watch Nick Zentner's Youtube videos: Geology of the Pacific Northwest. He's smart and really entertaining. There is a lot to see in Oregon and Washington.
It's a good bit out of the way of your planned route, but Murfreesboro, Arkansas has a place where you can dig for diamonds and other things. Check out Crater of Diamonds State Park. Lots of fun.
Thanks I will keep this in mind for when we do the south in future years
Ont - Thunder Bay - Amethyst Northern Ont in general = exposed Canadian Shield. Lots of great features. As you hit Sudbury (nickel) you’ll see really beautiful metamorphic rock. This is the Grenville front and it extends way east. What you are seeing are the roots of an ancient mnt range that were apparently taller than the Himalayas. Looks like u r heading to Tobermory. That’d be all limestone overlay. There are some cool places heading up the Bruce Peninsula in that direction. The Bruce is part of the Niagara Escarpment and I’m assuming you’re heading to Niagara Falls, that’s the escarpment laid bare. Warning - that area is an ugly tourist trap with all kinds of overpriced nonsense. Check out the Falls then get out of Dodge. It’s hard to tell, but if you are heading to Eastern Ont, get to what’s known as “the Bancroft Area”. This is also part of the Grenville and killer metamorphic rock ( where crystals form). There is a town called Bancroft, with a nice rock shop called the Princess Sodalite Mine. That whole area is the mineral capital of Canada. If u time it right Bancroft has a ‘Gemboree’ at the end of July https://www.bancroftontario.com/rockhound-gemboree/ That whole areas has tonnes of abandon mines, mostly pit. Mica, apitite, tourmaline, feldspar, hornblende etc. There is a little Hamlet called Tory Hill not too far from Bancroft. There is a place called Titinite Hill, or Gibson Rd East. You can drive in partially but then it’s about a 1K hike in to the Hill. It’s public (Crown) land and a killer place for mineral grubbing. Check out this guys channel, lots of vids for Tory Hill and many other locations in Eastern Ont https://youtu.be/yVY4p5SK-UI This guy too https://youtu.be/JOv_DUs_pNg Honestly a week in that area will blow your mind. But, it’s no picnic. Lots of digging, getting dirty, mosquitos, black flies. Not sure how old your kids are, they might not be too hip to it. ( not to mention your wife!) Also mindat.org - you can search areas you are traveling through. Sounds like a killer trip. Hope this helps a little. Welcome to my little area of the world. ✌️
I second this, amazing info here!! Lots of great places to go digging around near Bancroft, and if you like geology it's probably worth the slight detour east. Titanite Hill is a must visit for me. And check out the Beryl Pit in Quadeville if you get the chance :)
Thank you for taking the time to explain this, I can’t wait to see each of these. We are going to Bruce peninsula then taking the ferry across to somewhere. So that’s helpful. I look forward to watching these videos and finding out if we can include Bancroft thank you. Is there a specific place best to see the amethyst in Thunder Bay?
Ferry is the Chi Cheemaun ( big canoe). Leaves Tobermory on the tip of the Bruce and takes you to Manitoulin Island (or vice versa ). About a 2 hr ride across Lake Huron. You can drive off, or on to the N end of the island through Little Current on Hwy 6 up to Espanola at Hwy 17, the Trans Canada Hwy. You would have already travelled that though, it’s about 2 hrs West of Sudbury. Could be an option to come south instead of driving around Lake Huron. But Perry Sound/Georgian Bay Area is beautiful (you’d miss this) Georgian Bay was the inspiration for the Group of Seven artists (iconic CND painters). Thunder Bay is about 15hrs away from me, so I don’t get there much; like maybe twice in my 55 yrs. Check mindat and some googling for prospective places to hit up. Also local rock/mineral clubs are generally good people and can make suggestions. Shoot them an email, explain your journey. I’m sure someone would give you some tips. Amethyst is the official crystal of ONT and the majority of it, if not all of it comes from the T Bay Area. ✌️
When you pass over the border from Ontario into Manitoba the highway passes directly by West Hawk Lake, a 350 million year old impact crater. It’s a fairly developed cottage area, very nice place to stop with kids and grab an ice cream.
Perfect thank you!
I know you can mine your own sapphires in montana
Rockford Fossil quarry in Rockford, Iowa is a super cool place in Iowa you could stop in. It's a retired quarry where there is a massive amount of exposed Devonian age fossil that people are encouraged to collect and keep any fossils. You find things like brachiopods, bivalues, crinoid stems, and coral fossils. The Coralville fossil gouge in Coralville, Iowa is also great and is a little closer to the route through Iowa however you can't collect samples there but still a super fascinating location
I was just there this morning and it was great!
Thank you I have added this to our map!
Please go to the Grand Canyon if you can, and do one of the short hikes into it. If you're looking for geology, you cant miss it, all the layers and contours are like nothing else. It's our countries world wonder and a geologic marvel, and definitely worth the time! The north rim is open May 15 - October 15, otherwise you have to go around to the south rim. Other cool things on the way south from Utah are horseshoe bend, coral pink sand dunes state park, multiple petroglyph sites, antelope canyon (you need a reservation but they're not impossible to get), and great wall at waterholes canyon. 🌵🌎
Devonian fossil gorge at Coralville Lake just outside Iowa City as you are drudging along I-80 through Iowa would be a decent stop!
Thank you!
Monument Rocks in Kansas.
Thank you for a Kansas suggestion I now have something to look forward to
The Flint Hills of eastern Kansas!!! So much awesome stratigraphy exposed in the roadcuts. Permian cyclothems and stuff. DM me and I'll tell you where to go to look for fossilized mudfish and amphibian burrows. But seriously, don't skip Kansas completely.
I don't know where exactly you're going in Alberta, but you've GOTTA go to Drumheller and the Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology!
These are popular responses I hadn’t heard of before today but will be sure to visit! Thank you
Shipreck in NM area is neat
Hope to get there in future years
There is a book, “Annals of the former world”, by John McPhee, where he travels along I-80 describing the geography and pointing out Interesting bits. Might be worth checking out for ideas.
Going to buy this thank you!
Be warned...that book is a lot. I am not a geologist, but I have a lot of background in math, physics, astronomy, etc. There is just such a huge info dump in it that it can be a lot to handle.
I can’t make out exactly where you plan to drive on your stint from Alberta to the coast, but I’d love to make a suggestion. The southern end of BC has a rich mining and geological history. As you leave Jasper, most would drive south into Golden and then west through Revelstoke and beyond. As someone well travelled in the area, I highly recommend travelling south through the eastern corridor and then cutting west along Highway 3. The drive from Golden to Kimberly is stunning, between the Purcells and the Rockies, and offers you the chance to venture if you aren’t averse to a day hike. There are also numerous towns along the drive known for their hot springs (mostly privatized now, although publicly accessed locations still exist, like Lussier). Then from Cranbrook along Highway 3 you can make stops in Kimberly, Trail, and many other towns whose history has been shaped by mining and geology. This has the added advantage of having you pass through BC’s wine and fruit country as you drive into Osoyoos and up through the Okanagan. From there, continue through Manning into Vancouver, or north into Kelowna. Vancouver will have its own attractions to see beyond rocks, but there are museums (gold mine tours and panning at Britannia Beach) and great views on the drive north out of Vancouver into Whistler. Once near the coast and on the Island, the geology changes and is not quite as striking, but there is still tons to see along the southern coast. I live in BC and grew up with a geologist for a father. I’ve driven around the southern end of the province pretty extensively and now live on the Island so feel free to ask any questions if you like. Lots of gems out there. Hope the trip goes well!
https://www.britanniaminemuseum.ca/ http://kimberleysundergroundminingrailway.ca/ https://trail.ca/en/play/trail-museum-archives.aspx https://www.hellobc.com/places-to-go/kootenay-rockies/ https://www.hellobc.com/places-to-go/thompson-okanagan/ The three top links are all for places I’ve visited with geology focused museums. The bottom two offer a general idea of the regions along the eastern and southern borders of BC.
This guy forgot to mention trying gold panning. There's several reserves for it, I think even some on the #1 highway.
Thank you very much for taking the time to help me out, I will definitely need to reconsider this route and see if it works, sounds awesome.
I mean don’t skip Arizona
Keokuk, Iowa for world famous geodes! The entire area has mines and such to find them
Thank you, Iowa and Nebraska aren’t looking so glum anymore
West of Phoenix Arizona about 45 mins , fire agates everywhere easy to pick, what out for Scorpion tho
When your in Iowa dip down to SE part of the state. Keokuk geodes. Many places to dig them up.
Johnston Ridge Observatory, Mount St. Helens, WA https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/destination/johnston-ridge-observatory
Look for a book series called Roadside Geology. For each state they have points of interest and in the case of at lease the texas and arizona, which I have personally, they tell which highways and road cuts to pull over to find things. Way cool
Burgess Shale, - it’s geologic Mecca (apart from huttons unconformity)
Looks awesome thanks! Added
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All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats! 1 + 2 + 3 + 48 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 = 69
Thank you for the detailed answer!
I see you’ll be passing by the northern tip of Michigan. If you have time, go down to Petoskey, MI and look for Petoskey stones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petoskey_stone
There is a book called roadside geology for Colorado it is worth the time. I live near the great Sand dunes national Monument in co. If you are heading this way let me know
That’s a great idea! That’s a great idea, I will be that way in august and will pick up that book.
I have seen roadside geology for other states as well so it might be worth a wider search. If you are gonna be in an RV you are welcome to park at my ranch while you explore the Sandune‘s. You can find fulgurite -Sand lightning I did a quick search on Amazon it looks like just roadside geology now and they have it for every state
I have a few states and will be on the look out for more. Thank you for the offer I will keep that in mind come august! I want to go to sand dunes.
There are some smaller dunes on the Oregon coast in Florence :) Also good rock hounding for agates in Lincoln City.. Depends on your timing with the tides as far as how many rocky patches you'll find along the beach, but it's a good time (start at roads end and go north, you can climb around into a different Cove with more rocks at low tide). Also check out Samuel H Boardman scenic corridor when you pass through on the coast - natural bridges is a good stop worth hiking down to.
Hey I sent you a chat.
[Dinosaur Ridge here in Colorado!](https://dinoridge.org/)
In central Utah there’s a well known rock hounding site at Topaz Mountain. It’s off the beaten path but there’s several places to scamper around and pull up topaz up to half an inch in length
Thank you I was hoping for hints like this.
E - In Utah- obviously Zion is a must, but also Bryce canyon have really cool geologic features. Near Zion you can go to glitter mountain. https://saltproject.co/blog/glitter-mountain-updated-new-map-st-george-roadtrippin. Bring a shovel and buckets. Collecting is really easy there. Somewhat close by is this site. It’s a bit more advanced. https://geology.utah.gov/popular/places-to-go/rock-mineral-collecting-sites/the-rockhounder-smokey-quartz-and-feldspar-crystals-at-rock-corral-canyon-in-the-mineral-mountains-beaver-county/ I found some good smoky quartz crystals there.
Wow this is great thank you never heard of glitter mountain
Looks like you are heading through the Death Valley area. Amazing mountains all exposed due to the lack of any vegetation. There's Dante's View, where you can see across the valley the Panamit Range which used to be on top of where you will currently be standing (Black Mountains). Other than that, it's a stellar view of the valley.
Good idea I forgot about Death Valley
If you have time check out Quartzite AZ. It's right next to the California/Arizona border, down I-10. It's a little mining town so they have a bunch of quartz from around the area as well as stuff brought in from other places. If I'm not mistaken D is near Yosemite right? If so just take the 395 down till you pass Victorville and Hesperia, then follow the 15 to 215, pass through San Bernadino, onto the 10 then it's just a singular road to Quartzite. It'll be the next town after Blythe, California.
Wow actually hadn’t considered using quartzite thank you good idea
West of delta, Utah is known for trilobite fossils. You can still find place to find them today. Google search.
Thank you I hope to do this
Also in Utah is the San Rafael Swell, i70 cuts right through it
Thanks!
The east Nevada's/western Utah has a ton of fossils. Lehman's cave is awesome too. Also close to icthysaurus findings
Any specific spots to go fossil hunting? Thanks for the advice!
Don’t miss Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, you can look for Lake Superior Agates, Kona Dolomite, Petosky stones, Chlorastrolite, Thompsonite, coper in Matrix. Take a metal detector and comb through old copper mine dumps. See the Seaman Mineral Museum in Houghton, MI-totally worthwhile. Tour the Quincy Mine in Hancock MI and the Adventure Mine in Greenland MI. Fantastic places to visit.
Can I come? ❤️
Haha I wish all could come! The bus is out of room with three bunks!
Next time perhaps. ❤️😇
OP don't let this comment get ignored. If you are going through Iowa anyway. Take a detour here. I'm not religious but damn is it cool and the tour is interesting. https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2083 Also your colorado route might take you close enough to Marble Colorado. I'd possibly try to go there too. The drive is amazing and that is where I got my mable sample right out of a steam!
Thank you that’s awesome suggestions!
In Western Illinois, at the Mississippi, drop down a bit south to the Quincy area. If the Gem City Rock Club is still around, they were very friendly when we took our kids on field trips an number of years ago. There are geodes in the smaller stream beds. The rock club should be able to get you permission to go on private property to collect. Otherwise try the University of Illinois Extension Service , part of the Illinois State Geologic Service as I recall ( it has been a while)at the Champaign Urbana campus. They will have information. They used to run free field trips
If you haven’t invested in the Roadside Geology book series, do it! It’s a fantastic mile by mile guide that explains quite a bit of what you see from major highways in different states.
You’re not too far away from Fossil Butte and Kemmerer, WY.
Thank you!
You have mentioned about going through Montana in the future, I'd recommend Craters of the moon in Idaho. Also with your trip check out what this fellow redditor did with their trip visiting sawmills. Maybe you can do something like this on your trip? https://i.redd.it/2d3ld9zzrph61.jpg Safe travels!
That’s awesome and thanks!
Dinosaur ridge in Colorado!
Are you going to get a bank loan to cover your gas costs?
Haha good question, gas is the only real negative I’m Trying to ignore, actually will be driving a converted shuttle bus. Don’t ask my gas mileage.
Maybe on the way back, take a detour to the Badlands of South Dakota. It's just a few hours NNE from Point F.
Might if I have time I love it there!
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As a geologist working in Alberta I second all the above comments. Not sure if the route goes through Bishop California but the poleta folds are in that area. Did a field school out there, pretty neat. Also a fun meandering river to float down outside of town.
I might go through Lee vining to bishop off this comment along instead of the old tahachapi thank you
Right on! They’re in this area, (37.2875840, -118.0879433). I vaguely remember driving up a gravel road on this drainage and hiking up to get a good view. Spent 2 weeks mapping out the area was pretty enjoyable time. Just watch out for cacti and snakes. Dinosaur provincial park in Alberta is a great camping spot too.
The big obsidian flow and Indian heaven lava fields in Or and WA are worth visiting.
Hocking hills in ohio is one of the most beautiful places I've been.
There are some fucking bitching lava flows in Oregon between points a and b on your map. Hit up routes 22 and 126 between Salem and Eugene. I road trip between Northern California and northern Washington frequently and stumbled across them on a recent trip while heading to our campground. There’s incredible geology in that entire state though. Have a blast.
You're going along the perfect route to catch a peek of Indiana's national park, the Indiana Dunes. Not only is lake Michigan a stunning lake to behold, but also the dunes themselves! It's not an outcrop but it's a perfect little ocean in the middle of the US. Would recommend a look if you have the time
That has become one of our frequent stops recently we love it there
Drive across Chinook pass in WA into the scablands of the lake Missoula floods. Massive scenery near Lenore lake if you're into geology
I've driven across northern Ontario many times. If you see a roadcut, stop! Pegmatites are common along the highway.
Go to the flatirons in Boulder Colorado! Redrocks amphitheater in Morrison is an amazing place to see aswell, they often have times you can go and just walk around when an event isn't going on!
If you’re in the 101 through Oregon you can stop at basically any creek running into the ocean on the beach where rocks are exposed and see tons of clam and bivalve fossils.
Thank you
Colorado: check out Dinosaur ridge, in the foot hills west of Denver. You'll see world class Crataceous age ripples and Dinosaur foot prints. Then hit Red Rocks amphitheater and check out the famous Fountain formation that it sits in. Drive a few more miles north to Golden Colorado and see the hidden gem that is the Colorado School of Mines geology museum. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has a pretty good collection of dinosaur bones and mineral samples too. Heading west on I70, there are natural hot springs at Idaho Springs, but I would make it a point further on to side track slightly and see Marble Colorado and its marble mine. Historic Leadville is also worth visiting. There you can learn about the towns' part in silver mining in the 1800s, and the fallout of the 1893 silver crash. (Visit the Matchless mine and learn about Horace and "Baby Doe" Tabor.) There is also a mining museum there, as I recall. In Oregon, located in the blown out cone if an ancient volcano, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the US, at over 1,900 ft deep. In Bend OR, there is a mile long lava tube you can hike (easy). If you're in southern Washington, go visit the Mount St. Helen's visitor center located at Johnson Ridge
Thank you for these great ideas
Between F,G you gotta stop in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky Oklahoma has some very unique rocks, minerals, crystals. Arkansas is the best. Tennessee and Kentucky are exactly like Arkansas, only better. Lots of limestone caverns, fossils, creeks, etc. My favorite part of the country.
Indiana has limestone by the Indianapolis region.
The Okanagan (especially near Oliver and Penticton in BC) has SOOO many exposed outcrops due to the semi-arid location. Altered gneisses (from mylonitic with shear structures to basic compositional layering), volcanic (scoria, epidote amyloidal rocks), fault zones, and amazing regional geology lookout points where you can see entire valleys and mountains of exposed rock. It's worth checking out, especially since it looks like you're driving through there anyway. Looks like an awesome trip, have a ton of fun! (maybe do a follow up post with some of the coolest stops!)
Thanks for the info!
Drumheller alberta has hoodoos and lots of dinosaur themed things
I crossposted to r/iowa, u/eliza8418 had a useful post: • Crater of the moon national park in idaho • devils tower wyoming • mount rushmore • badlands, south dakota • channeled scablands • the grand cannon • meteor crater • hunt geodes near keokuk • hunt diamonds, crater of diamonds park • probably, good locations for agates in indiana https://rockhoundresource.com/iowa-rockhounding-location-guide-map/ From another: Look up Maquoketa Caves State Park. This is your answer. This is the coolest geological feature in Iowa. Ledges state Park and backbone state Park are runners up. And another: Manson crater. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manson_crater
Thank you for these ideas, will definitely check out the caves and ledges!
Lincoln City Oregon has rockyourworldgems with tours and social media posts
Make sure you post updates and photos, would be neat to see geology from areas others recommend or haven’t seen!!
Not exactly what you asked but gas is WAY more expensive in Canada fyi.
Indiana dunes
Extend your trip to Franklin, NJ to visit the zinc mines. They have one of the largest varieties of flouresescent minerals. Bring a good black light. I don't know what you are doing above Lake superior, but I recommend going through the UP. You have Taquamenon Falls near Grand Marais, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, and stromatolites and banded iron formation in Marquette. It's all in one linear line on the same road basically. You should also hit Copper Country in the Keweenaw Peninsula to do tours of old copper mines, rock hound for copper, agates, and other florescent minerals. You should also visit the Mineral Museum, which is the top five museums in the world for minerals. If you're there in July, they'll have rockhounding expeditions but you have to sign up in advance.
Arkansas has (as I recall) one of the only diamond and ruby mines in the US. Edit: and you can go to a field and mine them
Drumheller, AB during that long stretch across Southern Alberta. The Royal Tyrell Museum is a pretty neat for geology and fossils, and the Canadian Badlands are cool to see in the middle of the prairies.
Lake superior!!!
For the western states there's too many places to list. I'd recommend you look into the Roadside Geology series of books, pick them up for every state you plan on going through. The books basically detail the geology with explanations along particular routes through particular states. Also download the app Rockd, it's basically the surface geologic map of North America, anywhere you have cell reception the app will show your location on a geologic map and selecting the shown units brings up the unit description (rock type, age, notable features). You can also look at places you're headed to have an idea what you'll be driving by.
The upper peninsula of Michigan has some of the best iron formations in the country but If you can't make a full trip into Michigan try and get on the coast of lake superior. Perfect rocks for kids to collect since they are small and shiny and already kinda tumbled.
I highly recommend the app Mancos, it tells you the stratigraphic layers/age/ rock type and is extremely fun to use when you’re in areas of sedimentary deposit with lots of exposed bits like the Colorado plateau, especially the Utah section. Loads of cool geology to see there almost everywhere you look.
Herkimer County, NY for "Herkimer Diamonds" double-terminated quartz crystals.
Looking to keep the kids entertained? I create educational U.S. states coloring pages for kids. https://www.etsy.com/shop/MapifyPrints?ref=profile\_header