Poricy Park

Poricy Park At A Glance...

• Todays Sunrise: ,   Sunset:  
• New Jersey Shore Region Monmouth County

• Activities:

  • Hiking
  • Jogging / Running
  • Walking

  Amenities:

  • Parking Lot(s)
  • Nature / Environmental Center

  Trails:

  • Flat / Easy
  • Walking Paths

  Park Type:

  • Historic Area
  • Municipal / City Park
  • Park (General)
  • Preserve

  Rules/Regulations:

  • Alcohol *NOT Permitted*
  • Biking *NOT Permitted*

Contact / Location

Things to See & Do

The Poricy Brook Fossil Beds are well known to fossil collectors in the Northeast in Middletown, New Jersey. The fossils are from the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era, 145 to 65 million years ago. Although the dinosaurs were at their peak, the first mammals and birds had begun to appear. Tree ferns, ginkos, and pines were being joined by flowering plants like oak, magnolia, and grass.

During the Cretaceous period, the area of Poricy Brook in New Jersey, and the rest of the Atlantic Coastal Plain was a shallow ocean. When the ocean animals died, they were buried in the bottom. While their soft parts decayed, the harder parts, like bones, teeth, and shells, were preserved. Over millions of years, the ocean level rose and fell to form different layers of deposits with the remains of different animals. The layer exposed by the cutting action of Poricy Brook is called the Navesink Formation and is approximately 72 million years old.

Please visit the Poricy Park Fossil Bed page for rules and regulations for visiting this special location on Monmouth County.

Special / Seasonal Events

The Poricy Park Conservancy organizes many events throughout the year, including:

• Group walks
• Fossil hikes
• An antique car show in May
• Colonial Christmas

Hours / Season of Operation

Since 1970, the Poricy Park Conservancy has been preserving 250 acres of open space, wildlife and their habitats, prehistoric fossil beds, and the Historic Murray Farmhouse.

Groups Associated to Poricy Park

• Poricy Park Conservancy