Dallas Paleontological Society field trip to Lequire, Oklahoma 12/14/24
The location is a road cut near Lequire, Oklahoma. Specific directions will be emailed to trip registrants.
We will be collecting fossils from a Carboniferous, Pennsylavniann age, Desmonesian stage in the Krebs geological group, the Savannah formation.
There are a variety of plant fossils including, but not limited to Calamites, Cordaties, Lepidodendrales, Artesia, Annularia, , Asterophylites, Sphenophyllum and a variety of seeds and spore ferns including Macroneuropteris, Lobatopteris, Sphenopteris, Cyclopterid, Odontopterid, Laveineopteris, Alethopteris, Neuropteris and others. Seeds, cones and other reproductive structures can be found
There are also some nice geological sedimentary structures, load casts, tool marks and ichnofossils including Kouphichnium, a horseshoe crab trace.
Signups will be available online on the Dallas Paleontological Society website Monday, December 2nd, 2024 at noon on a first-come basis. There are 30 spots available to current Dallas Paleontological Society Members only.
Registrants will need to print out a hold harmless form and sign it and present it upon arrival at the site.
Participation is limited to ages 12 years old and up due to the risk of rock slides. Each child must have their own hold harmless form signed by their parents if under 18 years of age.
The difficulty of this site is 7 to 10 out of a 1 - 10 scale with 10 being the most difficult. Difficulty is based on the steepness of the site as well as it being largely loose shale and rocks. It can be difficult to keep your footing. So you must be agile on your feet for this site. I have had at least 1 person each year leave soon after arriving due to not being able to traverse the steep terrain. Steepness varies, but the grade begins at about 40 degrees and goes up. The site is also usually wet and muddy this time of year so wear warm footwear that is water resistant and has good traction.
A small hammer and chisel, collection bag and newspaper to wrap specimens in would be helpful.
The collecting site is easy to access, along a remote country road. So there are no facilities or bathrooms nearby, unless you count the bushes.
For those who wish to drive up the night before Stigler, Oklahoma is the closest town with lodging. It is about 15 minutes away from the site. McAlester and Eufaula are both about 45 minutes away.
DPS
The DPS is a group of professional and amateur paleontologists that want to exchange information, interact, and continue their education in paleontology. We meet once a month on the second Wednesday evening of the month at Brookhaven College, Building H.
