Directions:

• Drive on I-24 to Nashville
• At the junction with I-40, take I-40 west
• At the junction with I-65 N, take I-65 north
• Proceed on I-65 to the Dickerson Pike exit
• On exiting, turn right (north) on Dickerson Pike
• Drive under Briley Parkway and turn left at the second opportunity (Doverside)
• Pull off the road on the right.

You will notice that the fossils you find here are quite different from those we found in Murfreesboro.

Spend some time collecting and identify what you find using this field guide.

What you will find:

Brachiopods:
 

Hebertella
 
 
 
 
 
 

Orthorhynchula
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Platystrophia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Rafinesquina
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bryozoans

Heterotrypa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Homotrypa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Homotrypella
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hallopora
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mollusks

Byssonychia - internal mold and cast
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Cyclonema
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Coral

Streptelasma
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Among all of the grey limestone, you will find a white rock.  This is gypsum.  Gypsum is an evaporite, which forms only under conditions of very high salinity.  These conditions occur in hot climates, in areas separated from the main sea, where evaporation makes the area very saline.  Under these conditions, Calcium Sulfate becomes supersaturated and crystalizes out of solution.

Some of the gypsum forms nodules in pockets in the sediment.  Some of it forms thin layers that can extend for long distances.