Fossil Hunting at Caesar Creek State Park, Ohio
PERMIT REQUIRED
See permit details below
Fossil collecting at Caesar Creek is allowed only in the emergency spillway and only with a free Army Corps permit from the visitor center. No tools, and keep only pieces that fit in your palm. Rules checked against primary sources in .
Key Conditions
- You need a free fossil collecting permit from the Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center (4020 N. Clarksville Road, Waynesville; (513) 897-1050) before you take anything; looking is allowed any time
- Collect only in the emergency spillway; the Corps says "collecting in any area other than the spillway is not permitted", which includes the state park around the lake
- No tools at all in the spillway, and no breaking rocks or hitting one rock against another
- Keep only fossils, or rocks containing fossils, that fit in the palm of your hand; leave larger ones and photograph, draw or rub them instead
- No collecting for commercial use, and stay off the spillway walls and the debris below them
Caesar Creek Lake Spillway (Caesar Creek State Park) · 39.4793, -84.0590
Caesar Creek Spillway at a Glance
Required, free
Permit
Corps Visitor Center
Where to get it
None allowed
Tools
Palm-sized
Size you can keep
~450 million years
Rocks' age
Caesar Creek's fossil beds exist because the Army Corps of Engineers blasted through bedrock to cut the dam's emergency spillway, exposing layers of limestone and shale full of the shells of ancient sea creatures. The Ohio Geological Survey dates southwestern Ohio's rocks of this kind to the Late Ordovician, roughly 450 million years ago. The Corps says its fossil beds are unusual in letting the public collect at all, once you have a free permit from its visitor center.
The permit doesn't change much about how you collect, because the rules are strict. No tools, no breaking or striking rocks, and nothing bigger than your palm. They also don't reach beyond the spillway: the Corps says collecting anywhere else is not permitted, and the state park around the lake runs on Ohio's park rule against removing objects of paleontological interest. Compare Ohio's beach rules at Headlands Beach State Park, where the same park code governs metal detecting, and see our PRPA guide for how fossil collecting works on other federal land.
How to Get a Fossil Permit and Collect Legally
- 1
Check the visitor center's hours
The Corps lists November–April, Tuesday–Saturday 8 a.m.–4 p.m., and May–October, Wednesday–Sunday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Older pages give different hours, so call (513) 897-1050 before you drive.
- 2
Pick up the free permit
At the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center, 4020 N. Clarksville Road, Waynesville. Ask how long it's valid; the Corps doesn't publish that.
- 3
Park in a spillway lot
Use either of the two parking areas in the emergency spillway. Parking on the road shoulder is prohibited.
- 4
Collect by hand from the spillway floor
No tools, no breaking rocks, and stay away from the walls and the debris below them. Keep only pieces that fit in your palm.
- 5
Leave the big ones
Photograph, draw or take a rubbing of anything larger, and leave it for the next visitor.
Fossil collecting in southwest Ohio: two very different rule sets
| Site | Manager | Permit | Tools | What you can keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caesar Creek Lake emergency spillway | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Free Corps permit | None | Palm-sized pieces |
| Caesar Creek State Park (rest of the park and lake shore) | Ohio DNR with the Corps | No hobby permit | — | Nothing (OAC 1501:46-3-12; Corps spillway-only rule) |
| Trammel Fossil Park, Sharonville | City of Sharonville | None, no fee | Hand tools only; no digging into the slope | A representative sample |
From the Corps' Caesar Creek Lake page, Ohio Admin. Code 1501:46-3-12 and the City of Sharonville's park page and user guide, checked October 2026.
Stay off the spillway walls
The Corps' rules are blunt: "DO NOT CLIMB THE WALLS OR THE DEBRIS BELOW THE WALLS and STAY IN FRONT OF THE 'NO CLIMBING' SIGNS!" The walls are unstable, and the loose rock at their base is exactly where people are tempted to look for fresh material. Work the spillway floor. There's also no shade and no restroom at the spillway — bring water, and use the 24-hour restrooms at the visitor center.
When to Visit
Spring (Mar–May)
GoodMild weather on an exposed, shadeless floor. The visitor center switches to its Wednesday–Sunday schedule in May.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
FairThe spillway has no shade, so go early and carry water.
Fall (Sep–Nov)
GoodCooler days and good light for spotting fossils on the rock. From November the visitor center is open Tuesday–Saturday.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
FairFewer people, but ice and wet rock make the spillway slippery. Make sure the visitor center is open before you go for a permit.
Who Sets the Rules Here
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The dam, the emergency spillway and the project land: removing paleontological resources needs the District Commander's written permission (36 CFR 327.14(a)), which the free fossil permit provides for the spillway
- StateOhio DNR Division of Parks and Watercraft — Caesar Creek State Park
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
The state park the Corps and ODNR manage cooperatively around the lake: no removing objects of paleontological interest without the chief's permit (OAC 1501:46-3-12)
Permits & Licenses
| Permit | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Army Corps fossil collecting permit | Yes | Issued at the Corps' Caesar Creek Lake Visitor Center, 4020 N. Clarksville Road, Waynesville. It covers the emergency spillway only. The Corps doesn't publish how long a permit lasts; ask when you pick it up. Visitor center hours (2026): November–April, Tuesday–Saturday 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; May–October, Wednesday–Sunday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Call ahead, since older Corps pages list different hours. |
| Collecting anywhere else at the lake or in the state park | No | No permit route for hobbyists. The Corps limits collecting to the spillway, and Ohio's park rule bars removing objects of paleontological interest without the division chief's permit. |
Time & Seasonal Restrictions
- Spillway only: "Collecting in any area other than the spillway is not permitted" (Corps)
- No tools of any kind in the spillway; no breaking rocks or hitting one rock against another
- Palm-sized only: keep fossils or fossil-bearing rocks that fit in the palm of your hand, and leave larger specimens
- No commercial collecting
- Don't climb the spillway walls or the debris below them, and stay in front of the "No Climbing" signs; the walls are unstable
- Park only in the two spillway parking areas; parking on the road shoulder is prohibited
Equipment Notes
- Your hands and eyes: tools aren't allowed, so pick up only loose pieces from the spillway floor
- A small bag or egg carton for palm-sized finds
- Drinking water and sun protection — the spillway has no shade and no restrooms
- A phone or sketchbook to record larger specimens you have to leave
What People Find Here
- Brachiopods and bryozoans — by far the most common fossils in the spillway, according to the Corps
- Crinoid stem pieces and gastropods
- Horn corals and cephalopods, which the Corps lists among the hardest to find
- Trilobites — rare here; the genus Isotelus has been Ohio's official invertebrate fossil since 1985 (Ohio Geological Survey)
Penalties for Violations
← Scroll to see all columns
| Violation | Statute | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Removing fossils from Corps project land without permission, or collecting outside the spillway | 36 CFR 327.14(a), 327.25(a) | Fine of up to $5,000 and/or up to 6 months in jail; each day can be a separate violation (36 CFR 327.1(g)) |
| Removing an object of paleontological interest from Ohio state park land without the chief's permit | OAC 1501:46-3-12; ORC 1546.99 | Fine of $10 to $100 |
Etiquette & Leave No Trace
- Pick up your permit first, even if you only plan to look and then change your mind
- Leave the big slabs for the next visitor — the Corps' rule is designed so the spillway stays worth visiting
- Don't stack or move rocks to get at what's underneath; that's close to the "hitting" the rules ban
- Keep kids away from the walls and the rockfall at their base
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to collect fossils at Caesar Creek?
Yes. Collecting is prohibited without the Corps of Engineers' permission, and that permission is a free fossil collecting permit from the Caesar Creek Lake Visitor Center, 4020 N. Clarksville Road, Waynesville. You can look at fossils in the spillway at any time without one.
How much does the Caesar Creek fossil permit cost?
Nothing. The Corps describes it as a free fossil collecting permit, issued at the visitor center.
Can I bring a hammer or chisel?
No. The Corps' rules say no tools are allowed in the spillway, and you can't break rocks or hit one rock against another. Collect only loose pieces you can pick up by hand.
How big a fossil can I keep?
Anything that fits in the palm of your hand, whether a loose fossil or a rock with fossils in it. Larger specimens stay in the spillway; you're welcome to photograph, draw or take rubbings of them.
Can I collect fossils elsewhere in Caesar Creek State Park, like along the lake shore?
No. The Corps limits collecting to the emergency spillway, and Ohio's state park rule bars removing objects of paleontological interest without a permit from the division chief (OAC 1501:46-3-12).
Is there anywhere in Ohio I can collect fossils without a permit?
Yes. Trammel Fossil Park in Sharonville, a city park, is free, open dawn to dusk, and the city says visitors may keep what they find. Its user guide asks you to take only a representative sample, not to dig into the slope, and to use hand tools only.
New to This? Start Here
Disclaimer
Information is provided for general guidance only. Regulations change frequently. Always verify current rules with the official jurisdiction before relying on this information for legal decisions. Permitted Pursuits is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Report an error.
Sources
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — Caesar Creek Lake (recreation: fossil collecting rules, visitor center)(accessed 2026-10-14)
- 36 CFR 327.14 — Public property (eCFR)(accessed 2026-10-14)
- 36 CFR 327.25 — Violations of rules and regulations (eCFR)(accessed 2026-10-14)
- Ohio Admin. Code 1501:46-3-12 — Objects of paleontological, archaeological or historical interest (Cornell LII)(accessed 2026-10-14)
- Ohio Revised Code 1546.99 — Penalty(accessed 2026-10-14)
- Ohio Geological Survey — GeoFacts No. 6: Ohio's State Fossil and Ordovician rocks (2023)(accessed 2026-10-14)
- City of Sharonville — Trammel Fossil Park(accessed 2026-10-14)
- City of Sharonville — Trammel Park User Guide(accessed 2026-10-14)
Last verified: · Last updated: