Fossil & Prairie Center, Rockford IA

Awesome park with great trails and information signs to learn about the fossils! There's a cool little museum in the information center that has some fun things for kids. Trails are all fairly easy with plenty of fossils to see. Park is easy to access also.

This is such a fun area to explore. We started in the Center (open 1-4 pm), which has some interesting displays. I'm thankful the staff member offered us buckets, because it hadn't occurred to me to bring any. Then we headed to the old quarry to look for fossils. The paths are steep, but my 6 year-old twin boys did ok navigating their way up and down. I wouldn't try it with kids any younger though. I was surprised by how easy it was to find fossils. They seemed to be everywhere we looked. Don't forget water and sunscreen. We got very hot and thirsty visiting in July. Our entire family enjoyed visiting and we're looking forward to another visit.

My husband and I walked the area for a couple of hours. The fossils are everywhere. We had a blast! Make sure you take some water with you in the summer, it was hot down in some areas, directly in the sun. I want to go back badly. It was so fun! We are yet to visit the center, but that is on our to do list. Highly recommended! Take a bucket!

My wife and I drove two hours to get here and on the way home we agreed it was worth it. We found lots of quarter sized fossils of seashells and some horn corals.
We are in our 60's, and in typical American condition for our age and we were able to navigate through the place. We brought our dog, a bucket, a few small rockhound tools and some water bottles.
The mud can be unexpected, in some places it looks dry on top, but is deep soft mud underneath.
Where the fossils are is an old quarry, and looks like it. It has been strip mined in places, in other places there are piles of abandoned brick. It is not a "pretty nature hike" for the most part. But the chance to bring home seashell fossils is outstanding.
Depending upon where you park you will either have a long walk to get into the fossil area, or steep unstable hill to climb down and up.
Depending upon recent weather, the shells may be easily exposed or you may need to sift through some pebbles and stones. The day we were there I had better luck sitting on the ground at the base of a hill and sifting through the stones. Next time I go I will bring something like a life preserver chair cushion to kneel or sit on, but I'm getting old. I will also bring a change of shoes and socks for the ride home. I might also bring less in the way of tools next time.
Notice I said next time, this is a place you can visit more than once.
Keep all the shoes well tied, as the sucking mud can pull off loose shoes. Someday there will be fossilized shoes found here.

This was a great experience, fossils were everywhere and it was so exciting to find something more substantial. I, personally, wouldn't take a kiddo under five or an adult that isn't agile. There is a lot of climbing and walking involved and the climbing isn't super easy! You CAN just walk across the top and enjoy yourself. There's a nice picnic area too

Wonderful nature site. Fossils are all over the place. Some of the site is rather steep and potentially slippery. Bring old clothes and shoes that you don't mind getting filthy if you want to explore. Bring water. Sunscreen. Found a couple hundred fossils in less than an hour and a half. Unfortunately, left them and my water bottle sitting next to my locked car while helping the family get ready to go and when I returned my fossil collection was gone. Bummer. Hope whoever took them appreciates the fossils and not just the shovel and tools in the bag. Will have to return someday.

It just happen to be, to darn COLD on my visit. Moisture was still available in the dirt to grab as many FOSSILS as I wanted. Every one should visit. City its located in, should not be confused with Rockford, IL

This is our third time coming and we have never been disappointed at the amount of fossils you find here. We found some amazing pieces of fossil colonial corals, crinoid stems, tons of brachiopods (seashells), horn corals, fossil snails, and branching coral pieces. My husband taught fossils for science olympiad and we even brought his fossil class here once. If you like fossils, Rockford has some of the best preserved early Devonian (roughly 372 - 382 million years ago) brachiopods in the U. S. It's free and you get to keep everything you find. We had a great time!

Nice trails for a walk with unique scenery. Take something to dig with you and a bag to carry any fossil treasures you find.

My boyfriend and I just went there today I’m pushing 50 he is pushing 60 and we had no trouble walking the trails we found tons of fossils. We plan on going back with grandchildren and have a blast with them! This is really the place to go if you want to find fossils we found tons of shells, and tubes! Sure wish we would’ve had them with us today! Be sure to take something with you to carry your findings as we did not plan for the trip and had nothing with us but a grocery bag luckily that was left in the car from previous shopping trip.

Great place to bring any age kids for a day of hiking through the old quarry to find sea fossils and around the prairie looking for bugs, turtles, frogs and snakes! Pack a lunch, there's a small picnic area to sit and eat as well.

This is one of my favorite places to visit. It’s absolutely beautiful and offers so many different activities and sights.

Bathrooms and eating shelter are open! Loved the hiking and you can fish at the pond! Kids 14 and 6 loved it!

It was amazing. It was my first time here, 8/30/2020. I am a big rock collector but now this maybe my new favorite place to collect treasures. I had just gotten here. Maybe 10 mins. I forgot something in my backpack so i went to the parking lot. I noticed a gal getting out of her car so i striked up a coversation. When she turned to talk i recognized her. She was an old neighbor and also a great friend of mine. We figured it had been 25 plus years since i saw her. Oh my gosh. What are the chances this happing. It was the best next 2 hours. Walking the trails and just catching up. We will both be back again. Thank you

Beautiful place to hike, find fossils (they are LITERALLY EVERYWHERE), family time, fishing, scenic views, etc. There are drop offs so you need to watch smaller children. Ours had a Great time. Very clean. There are signs to guide you & also a museum (it wasn't open due to Covid) We had an Amazing time here!

Awesome place to visit, nice amenities, and fossils abound, and even some fish in the ponds if you're willing to make the trek to the bottom of the pit. Bring plenty of water and something to put your fossils in, otherwise you'll get really thirsty and your pants will get very heavy!