However, lets talk about the 11 best places to rockhound in Wyoming. The majority of counties in Wyoming contain numerous minerals, rocks, gemstones, and fossils. Wyoming Rockhound Locations Wyoming is among the top rockhounding locations in the United States. Pictures and notes on the fossils near Farson. A quick jaunt down a nice dirt road brings you to the overlook, which is marked with a sign. YellowOvernight hikes, typically 2 nights. I have written entire articles which cover the rockhounding laws and regulations for nearly every type of public land you can think of. Located east of Boysen reservoir on the south flank of the owl creeks. Obsidian isnt listed here since we know how much rockhounds love this igneous rock, so let us talk about obsidian separately. If you have limited time and want to have the best chance of success, you might prefer to use either of these private areas which have fees associated: Both are located near Kemmerer! This area was explored by a South African diamond company briefly but nothing came of it. TIP: Geodes can form anywhere in the world, but they do not form at random. These public lands administered by the BLM are open to everyone to take limited amounts of rock material for noncommercial purposes without charge. The Hot Park Area is near the Sierra Madre Mountains, and barite is commonly found a few miles southwest of Encampment. To get started, you can check out my recommended gear page which contains my full reviews for every Geologists favorite rock hammer and the best hiking backpack Ive ever owned. A majority of counties in Wyoming contain numerous rocks, minerals, fossils, and gemstones. Belemnites and other fossils near Bridger, MT: 4.) This article will dive deeper into the many great rockhounding sites across the state (along with maps), but Id like to highlight a few standouts here. Some areas of individual parks are legal to rockhound, but it all depends on the state. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; google_ad_format="120x240_as"; The Lost Creek areas of this county contain many uranium minerals, while petrified wood is found northeast of Eden. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below. For additional reading, Id highly recommend these books you can find on Amazon: Please remember that rock collecting locations are constantly changing. Not a member of this organization? Hi, do you have the gps coordinates for the peridot/ant hills? On top of that, weve created a resource page to assist with answering all of your gem and mineral collecting questions. I had an odd experience last year. This site is devoted to sharing my love of rocks with you. This paper has an alternate location along the logging road. 130 to Walcott Junction. Fossils in Sanders County, MT: 4.) This website also participates in Google Adsense. BTW: Check out this amazing metal sign (Amazon link) which is perfect for everyone who loves rockhounding in Wyoming! It looks as though theres something interesting around every bend within every county. Petrified wood can be found in the Amethyst Mountains area of Yellowstone as well. Thank you for your reply! The best place to find geodes in Wyoming is in Box Elder Canyon near the town of Glenrock. Let me know if this is useful or if I can improve it in any way! Albany County is in the bottom eastern portion of Wyoming and borders the northern Colorado state line. The gravels of streams and rivers like the Sweetwater and Wind Rivers are great places to search for rocks and minerals like quartz, agate, and petrified wood. The link in the heading goes to what I consider the best egress point, whereas the pin in the main map shows a better location for finding material. Albany County is located in the bottom easter part of Wyoming, having its border with the northern Colorado state line. Rockhounding in Wyoming never seems to let down rockhounds. google_color_border="1B1B1B"; I'm starting with the most popular and working my way to the more obscure. Rocks there have a different variety of lab than down below. Here are 10 of the best rockhounding sites for rocks and minerals in Wyoming: Fremont County - Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Jade Split Rock - Ruby, 'Sweetwater' Agate Sweetwater County - Agate, Quartz crystals, Chert Rock Springs - Silicified wood, Agate, Jasper Box Elder Canyon - Geodes, quartz crystals Wamsutter Agate Beds - Turritella agates The GPS map below shows how I drove, as well as the two main places I walked which had good anthills. While you cant collect rocks within those parks, the fantastically complicated and gorgeous geology found within their borders is a testament to the complex geological history of the area. There are many rockhounding clubs in Wyoming so you can most likely find one you like nearby. Below you will find maps published by the Wyoming State Geological Survey. This way I can make arrangements to make trip as enjoyable and stress free as possible. Any tips would be great! Wyoming is also noted for its abundance of discovered meteorites. lol Thanks again! ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The many mountain ranges and associated volcanic activity throughout the state have created a perfect geologic environment for the creation of many interesting gemstones that you can now find in countless locations across the region. The minerals listed above are among the most famous in Wyoming; however, Wyoming is full of other minerals. Albany is among the best rock-hounding places in Wyoming since you can find various rocks and minerals. These gemstones are found throughout Wyoming in Albany, Carbon, Natrona, Park, Platte, and Fremont Counties. Quartz crystals are abundant in the feldspar pits south of Laramie. You never know what type of crystals or patterns youre going to find inside and it makes them incredibly exciting. Wyoming is among the best rockhounding places in the U.S., and this is partly because around 50% of its lands are public! You may want to look in the Kortes Dam area or the Sierra Madre Mountains for jades. Make a right on it. That was a joke. The state fossil Knightia-fish is located in the Green Fiver Formation of Wyoming. Atlantic City, area stream gravels, draws, etc. Rockhounding Locations - Google My Maps Rockhounding Locations Rockhounding Locations Search Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More Calendar Translate Mobile Books. You can also usually get the landowners name and address by visiting the county records office. It is the responsibility of each rockhound to obtain permission from a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property. You can find plenty of minerals in Wyoming, especially in the mountains, such as Casper Mountain, Absaroka Mountain, Laramie Range, or Medicine Bow Range. The entire region boasts many outcrops of bentonites, which are ash clay layers left over from ancient volcanic activity. Rainbow agates are located along the Wind River near Riverton, in Fremont County. These public lands administered by the BLM are open to everyone to take limited amounts of rock material for noncommercial purposes without charge. amzn_assoc_linkid = "aac5e87b1ca95eb9841c18e11fbbd48f"; "Rockhounding Rules on BLM Public Lands" and The Rocky Mountain area, the Encampment district in Carbon County, Hartville district, Platte County, the Copper Mountain district, Precambrian pegmatites in Fremont and Natrona Counties, the Black Mountain, and the Copper Mountain, The Eocene Wind River formation of the Gas Hills area, Fremont and Natrona Counties, the Shirley Basin area of Carbon County, the Fall River, and Lakota sandstones in the Black Hills area of Crook County, The Casper Mountain, Natrona County, Haystack Range, Goshen County, Laramie Range, Albany, and Laramie Counties, In Albany, Fremont, Johnson, Natrona, Washakie, and Weston Counties, north of Sundance in the Warren Peaks area of Crook County, In the Laramie Range, Albany and Platte Counties, the southern part of the Medicine Bow Range, Albany and Carbon Counties, the Copper Mountain area, The western half of the Bighorn Basin, of Bighorn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie Counties, the area between Labarge and Granger, Lincoln, Sweetwater, and Uinta Counties. types. I recommend accessing the area from highway 414 to the west, turning right just above Behunin Reservoir. I would probably start by contacting the assessor in whatever county youre interested in and getting whatever contact information you can for the landowner. Master Faceter, Avid Rock Hound, World Traveler. Wyoming is among the top rockhounding locations in the United States. google_ad_height=600; TOP Manganese minerals or uranium minerals are found in the Wasatch Formation. However, Jade can be located in the Sweetwater River district, just southeast of the Wind River Mountains. If you are a rockhound and don't live in Wyoming, you may want to move here! Jade can be found in the Sweetwater River district southeast of the Wind River Mountains in Fremont County. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. In case you wondering, the official state dinosaur of Wyoming is the Triceratops dinosaur, which is primarily uncovered in the Hell Creek Formation in the Black Hills region of South Dakota or eastern Wyoming. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; Be safe, never go underground, and make sure to get permission from the landowner to search for and collect specimens. LockA locked padlock In Sweetwater County, west of Wamsutter along the old road to Baggs, the Green River Basin is plentiful in agates. Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper, Petrified wood, Silicified wood, Quartz crystals, Agate (Turritella agate), Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper, Quartz crystals, Silicified wood, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Silicified wood, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Petrified wood, Agate, Jasper, Opalized wood, Silicified wood, Silicified algae, Agate (Turritella agate), Chalcedony, Jasper, Quartz crystals, Petrified wood, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper (red, yellow), Quartzite, Agate (Turritella agate), Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper, Quartz crystals, Petrified wood, Silicified wood, Coffinite, Ilsemannite, Autunite, Pyrite, Uranophane, Uraninite, Cobaltite, Erythrite, Linnaeit, Pyrrhotite, Agate, Chalcedony, Gastroliths, Jasper, Petrified wood, Quartz crystals, Azurite, Bornite, Chalcocite, Chrysocolla, Malachite. Rockhounding Wyoming Table of Contents: About This Book ix. 5 Crucial Signs. Thanks again for this site. The GemHunter (Dan Hausel) found peridot and garnets in the area, the latter of which can also be found NNW of Cedar Mountain. If you want to find geodes in Wyoming, you should look for places with many sedimentary rocks, such as in the beds of the conglomerate, which crop out throughout the state. The Wiggins and Late Basic Breccia formations in the Absaroka Mountains of northwest Wyoming are also great for finding obsidian, but you should check the regulations before you attempt this. Black Rock itself is ultrapotassic and in the past (and even still now) shed peridot. The Hartville district within Platte County is said to contain some copper minerals. RedLong-duration hikes, typically 5+days. My kid loved exploring it with me. //-->, , Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. However, there are no charges for attending club-led outings, and you dont have to be a resident of Wyoming to join. google_color_border="1B1B1B"; However, there was some trouble with this in the recent past. Buy on Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Drive up the garbage road toward White Mountain and park near the area with the in-ground tank, then follow the trails west into the lower hills. ), let me know. Youll learn so much and get the experience you might miss out on if you were on your own. Rockhounds might find pegmatite within the Bighorn Range in Natrona County, while igneous rocks like pumice-pumice in the Split Rock area. google_color_border="1B1B1B"; The best rockhounding locations in the United States include the Oregon Beaches, Lake Superior, Crater of Diamonds State Park, Emerald Hollow Mine, Jade Cove Trail, Gold Prospecting Adventure, Fossil Butte National Monument, Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine, Spectrum Sunstone Mine, or Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine. Lots of sand. . Do NOT attempt unless dry. Cracking them open reminds me of opening a Kinder-Egg with a surprise toy inside. I am wondering what it looks like on top of canyon. The Medicine Bow Mountains contain slate, platinum-sperrylite, galena, beryl, and barite. I f you are a rockhound and don't live in Wyoming, you may want to move here! Simple Explanation, 8 Factors Why Opal is Valuable (Prices for Different Types), How To Cut & Polish Petrified Wood: Follow These 3 Steps, Recommended tools and equipment for rockhounding, Commonly found in the Paleozoic rocks, the Permian Phosporia formation, and the Mississippian Madison limestone, The northwest city of Cody and the Lovell town in Big Horn County, The Spirit Mountain Cavern, located west of Cody, along the Yellowstone Highway, The Eocene Green River Formation of southwestern Wyoming, or the town of Green River, Very common in all of the Precambrian mountain cores of Wyoming, On the west of Jay Em in Muskrat Canyon area of Goshen County, about 15 miles west of Wheatland, in the Marble Canyon area of Platte County, in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Albany and Carbon Counties, the Bighorn Mountains, near Douglas, in Converse County, and from the west flank of the Black Hills in Crook County, The Copper Mountain, Freemont County, in the Laramie Range of Albany and Converse counties, the Lewiston area of Fremont County, and the Bighorn Mountains area of Washakie County, Almost in all of the Precambrian pegmatites of Wyoming, Albany County, Carbon County, or 23 miles southwest of Wheatland, Platte County. You can find opal here, in the deposits associated with the hot springs. If you are interested in checking out the best book about rockhounding in Wyoming you can find it by clickinghere(Amazon link). I cant tell you exactly where to go due to land-access issues. Most of the gold produced in Wyoming comes from the Atlantic City-South Pass-Sweetwater district. Black jade can be found in Fremont County as well. These rockhounding sights of Wyoming are mostly on public land but a good. I mention all this as it helps explain how to find the peridot. The Wyoming State Mineral and Gem Society is an umbrella organization. BTW: Do you want to know more about rock and mineral identification? This place is located in the south part of Wyoming, and Albany County is located on its eastern side. Is the watermelon rock you mentioned in article of the tourmaline family? In Wyoming, there is a wide variety of gemstones like jade, the states official gemstone, diamonds, sapphire, ruby, opal, peridot, iolite, agate, petrified wood, and quartz crystals. An official website of the United States government. Jade can be found in the Sweetwater River district southeast of the Wind River Mountains in Fremont County. Most of the collectible material in the area is in the quartz family. Go north on 191, take a right on the dirt road (GPS should lead you there), continue on dirt road until you see a sign that is marked for Winton and Superior. As with most states, each county in Wyoming will have records of who owns each piece of property. Hello, I am John.As a little boy, I was fascinated by stones and liked to take them home. Triceratops fossils are mostly found in the Hell Creek Formation in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, eastern Wyoming. Other sources include: North Carolina Rockhounding Location Guide & Map, Montana Rockhounding Location Guide & Map. However, that hasnt limited their successful innovation and progress. Near the Sierra Madre Mountains, in the Hot Park Area, barite is commonly found, a couple of miles southwest of Encampment. It is located in the northwestern part of Wyoming, and you can find amethyst, opals, and many other types of valuable gems and minerals. Find out the differences between these two minerals in the article below:Feldspar vs. Quartz: Whats the Difference? Feldspar vs. Quartz: Whats the Difference? google_ad_height=600; Fremont, Sweetwater, Washakie, Natrona, and Carbon Counties are all prime rockhound locations to find Jade. "Rockhounding, Prospecting, and Fossil Hunting on the Shoshone National Forest" Opal is found near Smith Creek in Carbon County, and if you want to find quartz minerals, they are located from north of Saratoga along Wyoming Highway no. In general, the best places to find agates in Wyoming are in gravels and washes, particularly in Sweetwater County, Fremont County, and along the Sweetwater and Wind Rivers. So, this saves us precious time. I enjoy collecting and tumbling rocks with my daughter and traveling the world with my wife seeing geologic wonders. In the case of petrified wood, you are only allowed to take around 25 pounds, plus one piece, each day, and you cant exceed 250 pounds of petrified wood in any calendar year without a permit. You can get an individual or family club membership at a low rate. Here you can also find agatized and opalized wood, while agates are common a few miles west of Saratoga. 17. The True Worth of Agates. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_title = "Here is some of my favorite rockhounding gear from Amazon"; Still, there may be privately owned mining claims inside those boundaries and youll need to get permission to collect on that location. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; Many other varieties of agates, jasper, petrified and opalized wood are also very commonly found in gravels and washes all over the state. Wyomings state gemstone, nephrite, can primarily be found in Fremont County, particularly in the large area centered around the towns of Lander and Atlantic City. Sharktooth Ridge teeth and trace fossils near Rawlins, WY: 6.) Rainbow agates are plentiful in the Wind River near Riverton, Fremont County. The Sublette County Rock Hounds Club is relatively new to the scene of formal rockhound organizations. From beginners to advanced collectors, everyone will find something in Wyoming! The books listed below are the best ones you can find on the internet (Amazon links): How can we talk about rockhounding in Wyoming and not mention the famous Yellowstone National Park? Thank you for sharing this! If youre unsure where to start, try looking into some of Wyomings rockhound clubs and societies. Natrona County is in central Wyoming. Tip: Not sure if the rock youve found is a geode? Welcome to Wyoming Rockhounding Adventures, 2010 Rockhounding and mineral collecting reports, 03-27-10 Wyoming rock hounding agate and jasper, 04-23-10 Schrckingerite or schroeckingerite found at lost creek, 05-22-10 Riverton rockhound club field trip, 05-30-10 Orthoclase the other white crystal, 09-04-10 Wiggins fork moss agate petrified wood, 10-09-10 Malachite and azurite in the rain copper mountain part 3, 10-23-10 Azurite and malachite copper mountain pt4, 2011 Rockhounding and mineral collecting reports, 04-10-11 Schrckingerite or schroeckingerite found at lost creek part2. TIP: A great deal of petrified wood is not suitable for rock tumbling or lapidary work because it has too many faults and fractures. The Medicine Bow Mountains are excellent places to find slate, galena, beryl, barite, and platinum-sperrylite. Anyway, follow that Jeep trail down toward the bottom, where it first starts getting pretty flat, and youll find a ton of fossils. Select locations particularly the tailings of old mines are prime spots for specimens of minerals like azurite, malachite, beryl, tourmaline, and garnet. (DO NOT TAKE ANY FOSSILS! Another good place would be the 100 miles west of Casper County, discovered by a local rockhound. The GPS coordinate I put up in the map at the top of the page is right by a place called Black Rock, which is an ultrapotassic, lamproite volcaniclastic exposure. Sublette County, located in western Wyoming, is noted for jade findings. There are a couple of metamorphic rocks that you can find in the state of Wyoming. I am uploading a couple of pictures that my friend Henri took of me hunting it with his kids. This is where the famous Yellowstone National Park is located, which stretches for more than 2 million acres. Only very minor surface mining has been done here. A single column may be searched using the blank field at the top of each column. The counties are alphabetized, and within each county the locations are .