This is a great place to hunt for natural treasures. Just be sure to put them back before you leave! Look up to the west and you will see an enormous cliff. Later on the trail you will have the chance to climb to the top of this cliff at the Scenic Overlook.

Right after a heavy rain, this creek will be full with fast-moving water. The creek bottom is lined with limestone and the rainwater is not able to sink into the ground. It rushes over the limestone rocks downstream. Never try to cross the creek if there is water in it. But on a dry day you will be able to walk into the creek and explore.

Look in the creek bed. What can you find?

Lizards? Spiders? Interesting rocks?

If you look closely you will be able to spot these small fossils. They are called exogyra, and they are the fossilized remains of oyster-like animals that lived millions of years ago. 

Most of the fossils you will find in the creek bed will be ancient marine animals.

Why? Millions of years ago Austin was covered by a shallow sea. These tiny organisms were trapped in the sediments of that sea. Over time the sediments were pressed into limestone rock and the animals were preserved as fossils in the limestone.

When sediments become pressed into limestone, they form layers called beds.

If you look closely at the walls of the cliffs lining the creek you will notice that they are made up of layers of rock stacked on top of each other.

The oldest layers are on the bottom and newer layers are stacked on top.

Where would you go to look for very old fossils - the top layers of limestone or the bottom layers?