For years, Matoaka has been noted for its excellent output of Choptank Formation fossils from the Miocene Epoch. Throughout the forty some years that the place has been privately owned and operated as Matoaka Beach Cabins, it has been the base for many studies regarding the fossils of the famous Calvert Cliffs, and a spot where many noted paleontologist have come to collect. The owners, who have been hunting fossils for many years, have a huge private collection of there own, and have influenced many established fossil organizations by allowing beach access to large grade school and graduate school groups. On the beach, one can walk for miles on end, combing the beach for fossils from the Miocene Epoch. Whale, Shark, Skate, Turtle, Mammal, and Mollusk material have all been recovered from Matoaka and the surrounding beaches.