Fossil hunting in the Altmühltal

In short: In the visitor quarries in Solnhofen, on the Blumenberg near Eichstätt and in Schamhaupten near Altmannstein, as well as at the fossil collecting site in Titting.

The Altmühltal is home to the Solnhofen limestone, which formed around 150 million years ago in a shallow Jurassic sea. The famous finds of the early bird Archaeopteryx come from this rock. In several visitor quarries you can split slabs yourself with a hammer and chisel. With a little patience you will find ammonites, small fish or plant remains. For pilgrims this makes a good rest day: Solnhofen lies on the Altmühltal Panorama Trail, Eichstätt on the Ecumenical Pilgrims' Way.

We checked all details for the 2026 season with the operators, the municipality of Solnhofen and the Altmühltal Nature Park. Times and prices change, so please check them before your visit.

The quarries at a glance

Solnhofen hobby quarry

The municipal quarry is on Hummelbergstraße in Solnhofen, about three kilometres from the Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum. On foot, a signposted path of 2.2 kilometres takes you there. Adults pay €6.00, children aged 6 to 17 pay €4.50, and the family ticket costs €13.00. The combined ticket for the quarry and the museum is €11.00 for adults, €8.00 for children and €24.00 for families. In extremely bad weather the quarry stays closed.

Finds include ammonites, coprolites, shells, crayfish, small fish, land plants and fish and reptile bones, which are usually darker than the rock. Show your finds to the operator before you leave. Anything of scientific importance stays with the municipality, and you may take the rest home. The quarry is meant for holiday and leisure visitors, so longer digs and staked claims are not allowed. There is parking, toilets and drinks at the hut, and dogs are welcome on a lead.

Fossil quarry on the Blumenberg near Eichstätt

The quarry lies above Eichstätt next to the Marienstein children's village. Enter Kinderdorfstraße 1 into your satnav. On foot you can reach it via the signposted fossil trail, a nine kilometre loop from Eichstätt Stadt station. Adults pay €8.00, children from 3 years and young people up to 18 pay €4.50. You can hire a hammer and chisel at the kiosk for €2.00 against a deposit and ID.

According to the nature park, more than 800 fossil species are known from this rock, from Archaeopteryx to dragonflies, ammonites and feather stars. You may keep your finds as long as they have no special scientific value. On site there is a kiosk, a shelter, toilets and a playground, and you are allowed to eat your own packed lunch in the beer garden. The Museum Bergér is right next door. You can read more about the town on our page Eichstätt for pilgrims.

Schamhaupten fossil quarry

In the Schambach valley near Schamhaupten, in the market town of Altmannstein, admission is free. Bring your own hammer and flat chisel, as there is no tool hire. The quarry is signposted from the village centre, and there is parking right next to it. Without a car, bus line 9221 runs from Ingolstadt to the Neustädter Straße stop, which is about one kilometre away. Boards along a fossil nature trail at the quarry explain what is hidden in the slabs. School classes and groups should register in advance.

Titting fossil collecting site

Above Titting there is an open collecting site with no admission fee. Leave the village via Emsinger Straße, turn left into “Am Galgenberg” and follow the path uphill. The tourist information office at Marktstraße 21 hires out hammers and chisels. Here you will mainly find fossilised plants and feather stars, and now and then ammonites too. You may take small finds home as a souvenir.

Mühlheim visitor quarry: closed

The Mühlheim visitor quarry near Mörnsheim still appears in many older day trip tips. According to the operator, it was only open until 3 November 2024 and has been closed for good since then. From there, Solnhofen and the Blumenberg are the nearest quarries.

Fossil museums

The Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum in Solnhofen shows finds from the Solnhofen limestone, including specimens of Archaeopteryx. In 2026 it is open daily from 30 March to 8 November, 9 am to 5 pm. There are guided tours on Wednesdays, which you book by 5 pm the day before on 09145 832030. The Jura-Museum at the Willibaldsburg in Eichstätt has had changing opening hours in recent years. Check the museum's website before your visit to see whether it is open.

Tips for fossil hunting

• Take out a whole stack of slabs and split it layer by layer instead of hitting single stones.
• Sturdy shoes, gloves and safety glasses protect you from sharp edges and splinters.
• There is hardly any shade in the quarries. Bring sun protection and enough water.
• Wrap your finds in newspaper so they survive the trip home in your rucksack.
• The quarries are closed in winter because the frost makes the slabs split too easily.

For pilgrims, a base nearby works well: you can walk from there and look for fossils on a free day. Ideas for this and everything about getting there and accommodation are on Planning a pilgrimage in the Altmühltal.