#1 Shark Tooth Dig in Summerville
One of my favorite weekend activities is digging for shark teeth and Summerville, North Carolina is a great spot. What makes discovering a shark tooth so great is that you’re the first person to lay eyes on it. Think about it, that tooth fell out of a prehistoric shark’s mouth and you found it. That’s pretty cool!
The Southeast and especially South Carolina is rich in fossils and fossilized shark teeth. Most of the teeth that you’ll take home are 10,000 years old to an astonishing 75 million years old.
This location is excellent for families, junior rockhounds, and old-timers.
Keep reading below to learn more about what to bring, types of clothing to wear, and driving directions. We even provided a direct link to the hours of operation for this location.
This is a paid dig/collector location and they offer 3 different tour packages to choose from:
- Creek Excursions
- Dry Digs
- Surface hunting
Types of Shark Teeth
While digging and surface collecting you’ll want to look for jet-black items with symmetrical shapes.
The dark grey and black colored fossils are the single biggest signal that you’ve found one. Some of the shark teeth can occasionally take on other colors or be bleached by the sun but the vast majority are black.
If you find a tooth that is white then you’ve hit the jackpot. These are the rarest because shark teeth from present times that are not very plentiful. Most collectors will never find a white tooth.
- Large fossilized shark teeth
- Small fossilized shark teeth
- Other fossilized bones and teeth
Don’t forget to look for other fossils.
If you limit yourself to just shark teeth then you’ll be passing up other fossil material. Once again you’ll be looking for dark-colored shapes with symmetry or patterns that resemble teeth or bones.
Remember to take care when handling and cleaning your fossilized shark teeth to avoid scratching the face or chipping the tooth. The mine advises slow and careful work, so use gloves for your extraction efforts if needed!
Tools and Tips For Collecting Shark Teeth
Look for dark triangular shapes mixed within the sandy soil and gravel.
A fossil collector will want to pack a variety of tools for this trip. They should have snacks and drinks in case they get thirsty or hungry, as well as packing materials for their fossils collected onsite. Don’t forget about the weather and make sure to dress appropriately.
Must-Have Tools and Accessories
- Sunscreen
- 3-gallon bucket
- 5-gallon bucket
- Newspaper for packing
- Hat or sombrero
- Small hand rake
- Small hand shovel
- Small garden tools
- Gloves
- Long pants
- Long sleeve (depends on weather)
- Boots
- Towels for drying off
- Fresh clothes (you’re going to sweat)
Make sure you follow all of their safety rules for fossil hunting and don’t forget to have fun!
Driving directions
Summerville, South Carolina
Type or copy the GPS coordinates below into your Google or Apple Maps.
GPS Coordinates
Contact Details
Hours
Call (843) 908-0227
Pricing – It depends on the package selected
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