Rudist Crystal Reef on hwy 22

What you can find: The remnants of a Rudist reef, many of which have been infilled with attractive calcite crystals.

Ease of access: Right on the road

Equipment needed: Sledge hammer, chisels, rock pick

Safety considerations: None

Where, exactly?  On Hwy 22 in between Meridian and Laguna Park, near the junction with Road 219.

​In this small roadcut, you’ll find the fossilized remnants of a rudist reef. This is not terribly unusual in this part of Texas, though always fantastic to see such an important stage in biological evolution preserved.

What IS usual about this particular site is the crystallization of the rudists. Most of them are infilled with beautiful clear calcite, often forming little geodes cavities filled with crystals inside.

The rocks are quite hard; it’ll take a fair bit of work to get specimens loose (probably a sledgehammer, some chisels, and a pair of very strong arms). But if you don’t wish to put in that much effort, be sure to look along the road margins -- you might get lucky and find a nice specimen or two broken off by the road crews.