Virginia · James City · Conditional
York River State Park — Fossil Beach Collecting
York River State Park — Fossil Beach Collecting is a Conditional rockhounding lead in James City, Virginia. The recorded material or interest is Miocene marine fossils, shells and shark-related material. The recorded manager or evidence context is Virginia State Parks — York River State Park. A condition remains unresolved before collecting. The recorded condition is: Current retention limit confirmation required.
What is York River State Park — Fossil Beach Collecting?
York River State Park — Fossil Beach Collecting is a Conditional rockhounding lead in James City, Virginia. The recorded material or interest is Miocene marine fossils, shells and shark-related material. The recorded manager or evidence context is Virginia State Parks — York River State Park.
What rocks, minerals, fossils or collecting interests are associated with it?
The record lists Miocene marine fossils, shells and shark-related material. This description is tied to this atlas entry and should be read together with the access status below.
Can I collect at York River State Park — Fossil Beach Collecting?
Conditional. Current 2026 DCR Fossil Frenzy programs confirm active guided fossil discovery at Fossil Beach, while an older official park article stated one fossil per person could be taken. The current 2026 event page does not restate that retention limit, so current retention authority must be reconfirmed before collect-now.
A condition remains unresolved before collecting. The recorded condition is: Current retention limit confirmation required.
Where is this record located?
Navigation uses the recorded public destination or address for York River State Park — Fossil Beach Collecting. The destination is a travel reference, not a specimen-level promise or a substitute for current access rules.
Recorded destination: 9801 York River Park Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188
Who manages the place or provides the evidence context?
The recorded manager or context is Virginia State Parks — York River State Park.
What evidence supports this status?
The record was last reviewed on 2026-08-29. Evidence and management context: Virginia State Parks — York River State Park. Included for complete Virginia search/research coverage without weakening state-park, preserve, NPS, USFS, USACE, private-rights, mine/quarry, roadcut, waterway, cave, fossil-class, archaeological, hazard or closure gates. Program or rule context: YORK_RIVER_FOSSIL_FRENZY_CONTEXT.
Program or rule context: YORK_RIVER_FOSSIL_FRENZY_CONTEXT
How precise is the map marker?
Navigation uses the recorded public destination or address for York River State Park — Fossil Beach Collecting. The destination is a travel reference, not a specimen-level promise or a substitute for current access rules.
What should I verify before going?
- Current land ownership and the exact parcel or managed activity footprint.
- Posted closures, seasonal restrictions, opening hours, fees and permit requirements.
- Mining claims, mineral rights, private-property boundaries and road or trail access.
- Whether the material and collecting method you intend to use are actually allowed.
- Current safety conditions, including weather, fire, water, tides, unstable workings, traffic and other site-specific hazards.
When was this information last checked?
The recorded review date is August 29, 2026. Treat that date as the evidence snapshot used for this classification. Conditions can change after review, so field decisions should use the newest posted rules and manager information.
Is a map pin the same as collecting permission?
No. A map pin answers a navigation or geographic-context question. The status and evidence answer the permission question. Exact coordinates, public destination addresses and approximate county or regional context are deliberately kept separate so geographic precision is not confused with legal authority.