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Green Mill Run is a popular stream for collecting fossils that runs through lower Greenville, NC, right next to East Carolina University. GMR stream actually parallels and runs along side of the Green Mill Run Greenway, a 1.5 mile long walk way and bicycle path (see image below). Folks from all over visit GMR, including those fossil collectors on their way to collect at the famous Lee Creek Mine in Aurora, NC. I usually plan a visit to GMR on the day before my trip into Lee Creek.

click on the image below to learn more...

What is there to find at GMR? [click here for sample GMR fossils]

GMR contains fossils from the Cretacous through Pliocene period. I've collected each of these faunas separately in different states, so it's a bit weird pulling your screen up out of the water and seeing a Crow shark tooth sitting next to a piece of Megalodon! Some of the more common vertebrate fossils include shark teeth from Crow sharks (Squalicorax kaupi and pristodontis), Sand Tigers, Makos, Megalodon, and Tiger sharks. One of the most coveted shark teeth at GMR is the modern Great White, Carcharodon carcharias. I've also seen folks collect awesome specimens of Mosasaur and crocodile teeth as well. While screening and sifting you'll also notice lots of pieces of whale bone and other assorted unidentifiable pieces of bone.

Besides fossils at GMR, one can expect to find a whole host of other interesting "old" collectables such as indian points (arrow heads), pipe stems, old glass bottles, etc. Beware however, this stream has also acquired a few nicknames over the years including "hepatitis creek" and "sewage run". This is because, besides the fossils, you'll also see a lot of garbage at times, lots of broken glass, and you can't miss that "smell". I don't actually know anyone who has gotten sick or some weird infection from collecting in the stream, but I wouldn't expose any open cuts to that water!

How to collect at GMR:

GMR can be a fun place to collect because of the diverse nature of what you can find if your willing to put in some back breaking work. I believe the fossiliferous layers of material are located at the base of the stream, deep undercut in the banks. I've heard that at one time folks use to dig directly into these layers along the banks, but eventually wiped out most of the material that was easily accessible.The main way to collect at GMR is to sift the stream gravels. To do this you will need waders (at least hip waders; chest are recommended if there's been a lot of rain), a shovel (I use a long handled shovel so I can also use it as a walking implement), and a large box screen with 1/2 inch mesh. You can use smaller mesh sizes like 1/4", but you won't be able to go through as much stream gravel as you would if you were using the large 1/2" mesh. If you're not finding much with a 1/2" mesh, swtiching to a 1/4" mesh will increase your likelihood of finding the smaller teeth.

Where to collect at GMR???

Boy if this isn't the million dollar question! I've been asking where the best place to collect in GMR is for the last ten years! I always get a variety of answers, so I don't have a specific recommendation for this web site. I enter the stream where the paved biking/walking path crosses over the stream, and walk down stream heading away from the baseball park, with the flow of the water. Folks who have collected here successfully have recommended that you poke around the stream looking for pockets of gravel. The larger the gravel, the larger the fossils usually. As you walk down stream you will go through a narrow section of the stream where the center of the stream seems to be a carved out path about two or three feet deep. This section of the stream, about 20 yards long, is a bit difficult to walk past because you have to walk along the slippery sloping bank(s) to get past it. As you get past this section of the stream you will come to an area where there will be a small "feeder" stream on your right. You'll also see a layer of shell material on both sides of the walls of this small stream. I've never seen any teeth come out of that shell material. At this point in the stream you'll notice just up ahead is an overpass (that's E. 10th street). You can walk down and go through it until you come out the other side. It's a bit creepy walking through there, but it's usually fairly shallow. There tends to be a lot of garbage/junk piled up in each of the three overpass tunnels. Once you come out the other side you'll see some houses on your left up on the bank. The stream continues on for quite some distance. As you walk down this section of stream you'll periodically come across some gravel bars. Some will be long piles of gravel along one side of the stream, and if the water is shallow enough, there may even be gravel bars in the middle of the stream. Either way, these are ideal spots for knee crawling and looking for teeth/fossils. I also sift some of this material as well. Sometimes I find more by searching these gravel bars than I do by sifting in the stream. The farthest I've ever gone down stream past the E. 10th St. overpass is about one hundred yards. I honestly don't know how far you can go, so be careful and use your own judgement.

A "guided" tour of Green Mill Run [click here for maps & directions]

Below are a series of pictures to "walk" you through your visit to GMR.

This is the parking lot for the Elm Street Park on S. Elm Street, right next to a small youth league baseball field and tennis courts. The baseball field is to the left in front of my car. You can park here without any problems. From this parking lot, the walk down to the stream is only a hundred yards or so through the park seen below. There's a dirt path just on the other side of the cars to the right.

Walk down the dirt path seen in the picture above. Follow the path past the picnic area and gazebo on the right. Shortly after the gazebo, you'll see the paved walk way which crosses over the stream (seen below).

As you come closer to the stream you'll notice an apartment style building up ahead. I usually walk over the stream and enter it somewhere just below this bridge.

Here's the view looking downstream while standing on the bridge over the stream. This is where I usually enter the stream. The height of the stream really varies depending on how much rain has falledn recently. This is why sometimes you can get away with wearing only hip waders, while other times you might need chest waders for those occasional waist deep areas.

After walking down stream about a hundred feet or so you'll come to this narrow section which appears to have a narrow section carved out by the water. The picture above is actually a view looking back up stream. It's a bit difficult to walk along these slippery sloping banks. Some folks walk down the paved path past that apartment building and enter the stream right here at the end of this section where the rip-rap and rocks end.

At this same point in the stream, if you look down stream you'll see a pipe crossing over the stream, as well as a glimpse of the E. 10th street overpass. However, if you turn to your right at this point, you also notice a small feeder stream joing the main stream.

This is the small feeder stream. You should notice the abundant shell layer in the walls on both sides of this little stream. I've never seen any teeth or bone material sticking out, just shells!

Here's a view of the shell layer to the left side of the stream.

Here's a closer view of that shell layer.

Once you start heading down stream from the location of the feeder stream, you'll need to negotiate under this large pipe in order to get close to the overpass.

Here I am. I made it past the pipe and am now ready to investigate the dark creepy tunnels under the overpass. The tunnels are about fifty feet long, and the water in them is usually shallow (less than 10" deep).

Here's the view looking through the two tunnels on the right side of the overpass. The floors are concrete, so no worries about big holes.

When you come out the other side, you'll see some houses on the bank to your left, and another pipe crossing over the stream about fifty feet up ahead. There tends to be a lot of gravel built up in this area, so I usually look it over real carefully.

And this is why. In the picture above you'll see the crown to a Great White shark tooth! This was in some of that gravel just on the other side of the overpass.

Proceeding further downstream you'll see gravel bars here and there, and sometimes the water is shallow enough for you to see the gravel and possible teeth!

Here's a gravel bar that I came to. As you can see in the picture, I brought two box screens, one with 1/2" mesh, the other with 1/4" mesh, and both have swimming floats (aka "noodles") strapped to the sides.

Here's what the "gravel" looks like. Can you see that tooth in the middle of the screen?

Here's a close up of another Great White blade that I found on this particular trip. Altogether I found four Great Whites, a few Crow shark teeth, and an assortment of other shark teeth and bone material.

On average, I usually spend about five hours in the stream before by back gives out. I've never had as great of a collecting day that I've read about others having, finding 10, 20 or even 30 Great Whites in one day! I hope to have one of those days!

Happy Hunting :)