Page 1: Overview
The Peace River
Area: Southwest Florida, common access points are near Brownville and Arcadia, Florida.
Timeline: Miocene (marine 5-15 million years ago) to Pleistocene epochs (terrestrial 10,000 to 1 million years ago).
Unique for: The Peace River is regarded as one of the best sites for Pleistocene mammals in the world. The river is also very well known for fossilized shark teeth deposited much earlier in earth’s history, when Florida was covered by ocean.
The Peace River is one of the most scenic and tranquil collecting sites in the United States. During the low season, winter to late spring, you are welcomed by palm tree-lined banks active with wildlife, herons, owls, and other birds, fish, and yes, the very occasional gator. The lazy current makes for easy paddling upstream or down, and it is very easy to spend a full day exploring these waters. The fact that the river cuts through a 10+ million year old shark graveyard is why thousands of tourists and fossil collectors head to this river each year.
The trophies here are the elusive Megalodon shark teeth, a fish that grew to 50+ feet long and could have weighed as much as 40 tons. While all collectors will leave with at least a pocketful of shark teeth across a handful of species, the lucky few will take home a Megalodon tooth.
Page 2: Peace River History
The History of the Peace River and Florida fossils
Page 3: Paleo History
Page 4: The Collecting
Fossil collecting the Peace River is comparatively easy to other sites listed in this book. There are no reservations needed, or any fees to be paid. With some simple equipment, and a drive to a boat ramp, one can be well on their way to finding these earth’s treasures. It is a popular activity even for children, and makes for a great family outing. This 106-mile long stretch of river leaves many stones that have been unturned, so to speak, and even first-time collectors can encounter finds of a lifetime.
Equipment
Though a sharp eye can spot shark teeth and bone material along the banks of the river, the best use of time is to invest in a sifter, a square frame made up of short 2×4’s with a screen secured to the bottom. These can be bought from gift shops in the area.
There are several guiding services, who for a reasonable fee, will take you, family, and friends out on the river, and lead you to excellent collecting areas. They carry all the equipment you need, and it makes for an extremely memorable outing.
