TheTravel.com has a story about the Devonian Fossil Gorge in Coralville, IA.  If you are traveling through Iowa this summer, stop at the Devonian Fossil Gorge just outside Iowa City, IA.  There’s a place to rest and stretch your legs, have lunch, and explore the Devonian fossils uncovered by a flood back in 1993.

Just outside of Iowa City, Iowa, the Devonian Fossil Gorge is a seventh heaven for fossil lovers and families. Fascinated kids jump from rock to rock, exploring the strange textures of the sea creatures immortalized in limestone. Tadpoles and little frogs mesmerize children. For anyone passing through on I-80 or Iowa 1, this is the perfect place to stop and stretch legs, eat a picnic lunch, and explore. There are three nearby campgrounds for those who want to stay longer.

The fossils found near Coralville Lake date from the Devonian Period 375 million years ago. That’s older than the oldest dinosaurs by about 200 million years. At the time, Iowa was a sea bed filled will marine life. The fossils that visitors can see now at the Devonian Fossil Gorge offer a window back in time, but they weren’t always visible.

Geologists only discovered the treasure in 1993 when water from a devastating flood receded. Sand and soil washed away, uncovering the stones imprinted with fossils below. In 2008, the Iowa River flooded again, revealing even more ancient sea creatures.