Dinosaur fossils in North Carolina
The Paleobiology Database records 23 non-avian dinosaur finds in North Carolina, from 3 genera. The oldest is Ornithomimus from the Early Campanian age, about 83.6 million years old. The youngest is Ornithomimus from the Early Campanian age, as young as about 72.2 million years. Ages are the range the database gives for the rocks, so a find can be tens of millions of years across.
- 23finds
- 3genera
- 83.6oldest, million years ago
- 72.2youngest, million years ago
It ranks 16th of 36 US states on the map by number of finds, with 0% of the finds in the United States. The most recorded dinosaurs are Ornithomimus (3), Gorgosaurus (1) and Hadrosaurus (1). The rock formation with the most finds is called Tar Heel, with 17.
Which dinosaurs were found in North Carolina?
The genera with the most finds here:
| Dinosaur | Finds |
|---|---|
| Ornithomimus | 3 |
| Gorgosaurus | 1 |
| Hadrosaurus | 1 |
Rock formations with dinosaur finds in North Carolina
| Formation | Finds |
|---|---|
| Tar Heel | 17 |
| Pekin | 1 |
Other US states to explore
- Wyoming (1,040)
- Montana (985)
- New Mexico (832)
- Utah (602)
- Colorado (484)
- Texas (448)
- North Dakota (237)
- Arizona (167)
- South Dakota (167)
- New Jersey (70)
See the sea floor where marine reptiles swam: oceanfloormap.com →
Before you go fossil hunting. A dot shows where a find was recorded, not where you may dig. Many fossil sites are on private or protected land and collecting rules differ by country. Check the rules before collecting and never dig on protected sites.