At least two sites with abundant Triassic ammonites, probably more near the mouth of Union Wash in the Inyo Mountains.
The sites occur in the Triassic Union Wash formation on the South Side of the Wash. Within the thick Triassic sequence, there are two thin zones with abundant ammonites, one near the base of the formation (paradoxically further back in and up the wash) and one in black limestone near the top of the outcrop. It might also be worth checking "Fossil Hill", an isolated outcrop just outside Union Wash on the North side.
Surface collecting is permitted
There are similar Triassic locations in the Thaynes Formation in Nevada and Utah
- "Owens Valley","Inyo","CA","In Union Wash 4 km NE of ruins of Owenyo Station IN,Inyo Mountains N of road to Cerro Gordo. Much of the exposure is within a wilderness area and is closed to collecting","Triassic","Union Wash","Diverse ammonoidea-Owenites,Xenodiscus,Anasibirites,Sturia,Lanceolites,Clypeoceras,Lecanites,others","CA0096","37.3736,-118.3764MCU","|",,,
- "Owenyo Station","Inyo","CA","In area of Union Wash-Reward Mine in se1/4s10t14sr36e in (36.7281 118.0379 Assume that site is 'Fossil Hill' Actual PLSS loc is a few hundred meters to East)","Permian","Owenyo Limestone","Euphemus","CA0097","36.7281,-118.0379, se1/4s10t14sr36e","|",
- "Union Springs-Inyo Mountains","Inyo","CA","3 km E in sw1/4s24t14sr36e (36.6952 118.0299 On S side of Union Wash)","Triassic","Union Wash","Prophingites,Danubites,Aspenites,Meekoceras,Lecanites,Inyoites,Xenaspis","CA0109","36.6952,-118.0299, sw1/4s24t14sr36e","|",
- "Union Wash","Inyo","CA","250 meters N from town Lone Pine on CA14, Rt on Lone Pine-Narrow Gauge Rd. Rt 5 km E to Lone Pine-Owenyo Rd. Left. N 8.3 km to jeep trail. Rt,2.7 km. Park. Hike down into Union Wash. Parapopanoceras beds are 1 meter black Limestone high on very steep slope","Triassic","Union Wash","?","CA0110","36.7044,-118.0347SCU","|",,,
- "Union Wash","Inyo","CA","In Inyo Mountains","Triassic","Union Wash","cephalopods(abundant)-Inyoites,Lanceolites,Pseudosageceras,Nannites,Xenaspis","CA0111","36.7044,-118.0347SCU","|",,,
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/wilderness/inyo_mountains.html
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