Green River Formation is fossil-rich area of geological interest
Join Geologists of JH tonight for guest speaker event
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — One of the most prolific fossil-rich areas in the country can be found just a short drive south from Jackson Hole. The Green River Formation is one of the best-known fossil deposits in the U.S. It was deposited in a group of lakes in Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah during the tropical middle of the Eocene Epoch, about 50 million years ago.
The best-known fossils from the Green River Formation are the fishes, of which countless examples have been collected over the past 150 years or so.
Fossils here were discovered even before the railroad came through in the late 1860s although railroad cuts exposed the first major deposits of fossil fish. Scientific and amateur collections started before the turn of the century and continue today.
Thousands of fossil fishes are collected every summer from the commercial quarries in southwestern Wyoming. But there are more than fishes found here, including many species of Eocene birds and other animals.
Join the Geologists of Jackson Hole as they host an informative evening with JP Cavigelli, of the Tate Geological Museum in Casper. The talk will be a survey of paleontology of the Green River Formation.
The Green River Formation: a paleontological overview will take place Tuesday, July 19, 6pm, at the Teton County Library Ordway Auditorium. Or join virtually via Zoom, or join manually:
Meeting ID: 455 565 1818
Passcode: 576063
