Guide to Finding Fossils in the Sespe Wilderness

Geology:

The Sespe Wilderness lies within the Transverse Mountain Ranges. The USGS has information on the geological setting of the mountain range province here. More specifically, the Sespe Wilderness and Sespe Condor Sanctuary are mostly within the Topatopa Mountains and foothills. The  Topatopa Range is composed of Oligocene-Eocene age sandstones of the Juncal, Matilija, Cozy Dell, and Coldwater Formations. The uplifting of the Topatopa Mountains was chiefly caused by the San Cayetano fault, which was initiated at 1.9 Ma.

The fossils in the Sespe Wilderness are incredibly common and can be found on the trail and in the abundant boulders nearby. Marine shells can be seen exposed on the outside of eroded and smooth boulders, and on the surface of the rotated strata of the foothills.

Paleontology:

A variety of marine invertebrates are common in the area, including mussels, oysters, cephalopods, and other shelled organisms.

Other Fossil Sites Nearby:

Coal Point: link

Rincon Point: link

Ojai Trails: link

Surfer’s Knoll: link

Works Cited:

MCKAY, HANNAH. QUATERNARY STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOLOGIC EVOLUTION OF OJAI AND UPPER OJAI VALLEYS, WESTERN TRANSVERSE RANGES, CALIFORNIA. P.2011

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