Come take a closer look at the sea cliffs at New Brighton State Beach. The rocks forming these dramatic cliffs are part of the Purisima Formation, which is exposed along the California Coast from Point Reyes to southern Santa Cruz County. We will discuss the formation of marine sedimentary rocks, examine the Purisima Formation fossils at New Brighton Beach, discuss the processes responsible for preserving fossils, and learn about the ancient seafloor environment in which these fossils are preserved! You are guaranteed to see fossils of ancient clams, snails, and whales.
Any and all questions are welcome during the tour‚ we hope to have a discussion which is interesting and informative to all. No prior knowledge is necessary or assumed.
Meet at the beach parking lot. Please be prepared to get your feet wet and your hands dirty. Although we will see lots of cool rocks and fossils, collection in State Parks and Beaches is prohibited.
Tour is free, but there is a $10 fee for parking/park entrance.
Restrictions: This tour is appropriate for all ages, though we will be walking around and over some large slippery rocks on the beach. The tour will start about an hour before low tide, so the tide will be falling, but be prepared to get your feet wet. Collecting of rocks and fossils at New Brighton State Beach is is NOT permitted.
RSVP: Please RSVP to Noel Heim at naheim@stanford.edu. We want to keep the group under 30 people, but because the park has an entrance fee, we don't want to have to turn people away after they show up.
