Keep me signed in. Sapphires and other treasures lie north of Yellowstone. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; 1.) Rockhounding Wyoming Table of Contents: About This Book ix. In that case, you might want to explore the Kortes Dam area and the Sierra Madre Mountains. Various outcrops along the road contain specimens. Buy on Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. was featured in the November 2012 issue of Jade State News. Lets dig in! Sign in to your account on ArcGIS Online. Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. If youre into gemstones like amethyst, I suggest checking out Amethyst Mountain; it got its name for a reason. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; google_ad_format="120x240_as"; Agate, calcite-aragonite, copper minerals, and uranium minerals are found in Park County, located in the northwestern part of Wyoming. On top of that, weve created a resource page to assist with answering all of your gem and mineral collecting questions. 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. Fossil Butte National Monument NPS Public Domain Photo Places to Explore. Im doing a fossil camping trip near the buttes to a quarry where you can pay to dig for fish fossils. google_ad_height=600; Guide to Prospecting and Rock Hunting in Wyoming See my details at this link. If its sapphires you fancy, you may want to check out Grizzly Creek and Sweeny Basin. If you want to find nephrite-type jades in Carbon County, which is the state mineral of Wyoming, you may want to look in the Kortes Dam area or the Sierra Madre Mountains. You can find pegmatites in the Haystack Range of Goshen County. Obsidian is abundant in Yellowstone, with the most famous location being the Obsidian Cliff, located in the northwest part of the Park. "Rockhounding Rules on BLM Public Lands" and Its water has provided food and habitat for humans and wildlife . Ill be adding to this in the coming years. . Down below is where you will find out where to find gold, fossils, and petrified wood in Wyoming. This area was explored by a South African diamond company briefly but nothing came of it. These rockhounding sights ofWyoming are mostly on public land but a good blm ownership map isrecommended allowing you to stay off private land. Forgot username? Rockhounds can find opal within the deposits associated with the parks hot springs. Rockhounding in Wyoming is a great way to get out and enjoy the states expansive landscapes and beautifully unique terrain. The majority of national parks located in the U.S. prohibit gem hunting/rockhounding. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; may be of interest to rockhounds. At the top of this small incline, make a right. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Follow posted signage and always get permission from the landowner to collect. Montana Rockhounding Location Guide & Map - Rockhound Resource These are mostly comprised of old mining prospects, washes, streams, and historically known rock and mineral collecting sites. Check out the table down below to see where these specimens of sedimentary rocks are found in Wyoming. The clamber down through the woods and thicket is well worth the spectacular site of the mountainous, artesian well. Youll learn so much and get the experience you might miss out on if you were on your own. Hello and thank you for posting this information. To get you started on prospecting, the Wyoming State Geological Survey has prepared a Places such as Fremont, Washakie, Sweetwater, Carbon, or Natrona County are where you can find jade, which is Wyomings official state gemstone. You can also find quite a few more interesting minerals like amazonite, tourmaline, and beryl in the tailings of old mines scattered across the hills and mountain ranges. Here, rockhounds can find some incredible specimens, including: The Casper Mountains contain chromite, feldspar, and beryl. Quartz crystals are typically found everywhere north of Saratoga along Highway 130 to Walcott Junction. In Wyoming, you can find sedimentary rocks such as bentonite, chert, coal, concretion-geode, conglomerate, gypsum, limestone-dolomite, oil shale, shale, taconite, or trona, among many others. If you want more locations before i get these done and a different view of theWyomingmineral collecting area check out my, ___________________________________________________, ____________________________________________________, 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. Albany County is home to some of the best rockhounding locations in Wyoming because there are various rock and mineral specimens, including: Sand Creek and the Red Buttes areas in Albany County are full of sedimentary rocks. The Lost Creek areas of this county contain many uranium minerals, while petrified wood is found northeast of Eden. Members can participate in outings, monthly meetings and be a part of a fantastic rockhounding community. Any tips would be great! Stream gravels, washes, and draws all over this region will have the potential to contain nephrite jade as well as agates and petrified wood. Azurite, Barite, Chalcopyrite, Cuprite, Galena, Gold, Limonite, Malachite, Pyrite, Quartz crystals, Sphalerite, etc. google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; Rockhounds can find all sorts of rocks and minerals, including: A look around the Wood River and Sunlight Basin areas can potentially lead to finding gold. Teepee Canyon Agates 13. Afton Canyon is one of only three places where the Mojave River flows above ground year-round in the Mojave Desert. I spent about an hour at this location, and . Speaking of Laramie, you can find in the Laramie Range amphibole, cordierite, epidote, orthoclase and plagioclase minerals, garnet, magnetite, and mica minerals, among many other materials. The higher hills to the west (the mesas and buttes) are all ultrapotassic and mafic rocks. Sadly, it is illegal to rockhound in Yellowstone National Park, but you can do it outside the area. Thats why I wrote an article about all helpful safety tips and more:PRO Tips for Beginner & Experienced Rockhounds + Safety Tips. It states that the road is very rough, and to not attempt it during a rain storm. you can access Utah rockhounding locations https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=17-pa3pYy0AqN0D2Zh4cXklR9A7g&ll=39.483150381536596%2C-111.60763899999999&z=8. That said, lab is pretty much a plagioclase feldspar. Wyoming Rockhounding Location Guide & Map - Rockhound Resource google_color_text="FFFFFF"; 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. TIP:Dont forget to follow all the safety recommendations when rockhounding because your health is always the most important. We hope you enjoy your time on our site and come back often because were always adding new dig locations and crystal collecting updates. Thank you for sharing this! This is where you will find what is legal or not in Wyoming, in regards to rockhounding, where you are allowed to rockhound, what, and how much. //-->, Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. The real gems that rockhounds are eager to get their hands on in Platte County are banded agates and drusy quartz specimens. Obsidian is abundant in the park, with the most famous location to find these beauties being the Obsidian Cliff. Fremont, Sweetwater, Washakie, Natrona, and Carbon Counties are all prime rockhound locations to find Jade. Rockhounding is incredible, but its even better when youre a member of a club or society. Welcome to the Wyoming State Geological Survey Interpreting the past, providing for the future. Make a right on it. Sharktooth Ridge teeth and trace fossils near Rawlins, WY: 6.) google_ad_type="text_image"; The entire region boasts many outcrops of bentonites, which are ash clay layers left over from ancient volcanic activity. Agatized fossil shells near Rock Springs, WY: 14. Thanks!! Agates, copper minerals, uranium minerals, and calcite-aragonite can be found throughout Park County in northwestern Wyoming. This bundle of information includes a book, videos, and online tools. Wyoming State Geological Survey ArcGIS login. My kid loved exploring it with me. To find petrified wood in Wyoming, you should go northeast of Eden, Sweetwater County, or the Wind River Formation where the Eocene age petrified wood is, 35 miles north of Medicine Bow, near the old Casper road. 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. Follow the four-wheeler track down the mountain and into the badlands below. You can buy ithere(Amazon link). The GPS coordinate I put up is right by a place called Black Rock, which is an ultrapotassic, lamproite volcaniclastic exposure. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. travel through Wyoming's basins and across its mountain ranges, you can pass over all of the geologic eras of time which produced a variety of rocks, minerals, and fossil 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. TIP: Opal is a one-of-a-kind, highly valuable gemstone. If you want to find sapphires, you may go to the Palmer Canyon in Albany, or go to Fremont, to the Grizzly Creek and Sweeny Basin. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Blue forest petrified wood near Granger, WY: 11.) Black jade can be found in Fremont County as well. However, anywhere in the area around Black Rock should be good, and maybe to the west, too, which I havent checked yet. Posted on Published: September 29, 2020- Last updated: July 26, 2022. I have tried to take care not to list locations within National Park boundaries since collecting is illegal there, but please remember that it is up to you to make sure you have permission to collect wherever you are. Use caution. (I do not live in the US right now.). Youll see a lot of shining material along the tops of the exposure, but unless you really want some trona, you can ignore it. Use caution, be respectful, and play by whatever the rules are now. google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; Wyoming State Geological Survey Carbon County is another prime rockhounding location in Wyoming. If you want to know more about rockhounding in Wyoming or you prefer paper books, I recommend buying the book Rockhounding Wyoming: A Guide to the States Best Rockhounding Sites (2nd Edition). Map of Locations 1.) Continue on the main path to Winton, Follow it. Wyoming isnt just rich in rocks and minerals; it also has gold, fossils, and petrified wood. Rockhounding Wyoming - geology.com Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution. Wyoming is home to some incredible jade specimens, mainly of the classes nephrite and jadeite. So where to rockbound in Wyoming, and what can you find? I love finding agates because you never know what sort of beautiful patterns and colors they might contain. In Johnson County, located in the north-central part of Wyoming, you can find agate. 15 Best Rocks & Minerals, Are Agates Valuable rocks? GreenDay hikes; can be done as overnights. In Sweetwater County, west of Wamsutter along the old road to Baggs, the Green River Basin is plentiful in agates. Theyre excellent for novices and experts alike, not to mention the members can likely share some of the lesser-known locations. You can probably find it just about anywhere in the area, though I had good success looking along the eastern flank of Black Rock. Rockhounds have several excellent locations to choose from in Wyoming. National forest and national grassland maps are also available from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) USGS Store, which offers secure, online ordering ($5 service charge applies), along with ordering by phone . There is a limit to the number of specimens you can carry, which differs from site to site. That is partly because of about 50 percent of the states public land. 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. The state fossil Knightia-fish is located in the Green Fiver Formation of Wyoming. I hope my articles will be useful to you. //-->, Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. No rockhound excursion would be complete in Wyoming without exploring Yellowstone National Park. These gemstones are found throughout Wyoming in Albany, Carbon, Natrona, Park, Platte, and Fremont Counties. Red Gulch Dino Track Site near Shell, WY: 8a.) The 12 Best Places to See Lava (With Helpful Tips) Rockhounding Wyoming by Kenneth Graham. Wyoming is home to some incredible jade specimens, mainly of the classes nephrite and jadeite. Quartz crystals, chalcedony, and vein moss agate occur along outcrops of the Bridger formation in the regions north of Sweetwater County. Black Rock itself is ultrapotassic and in the past (and even still now), shed peridot. She said she was looking for Sand People.. However, Jade can be located in the Sweetwater River district, just southeast of the Wind River Mountains. 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. It is, simply put, the most comprehensive and easy-to-understand rock identification system youll find anywhere. The ownership and status of land can and does change frequently, making it impossible to document accurate information for every location on this page. Wyoming happens to be among the best states in the entire country for rockhounding thanks to the sheer volume of prospective collecting sites and the impressive array of rocks and minerals to be found. Turritella agates are most commonly found in southwest Wyoming, especially near the town of Granger. Additionally, you cannot progress away from Black Rock to the southGoogle Earth and maps for the area are old, but mining concerns have cordoned off the area and dug huge swaths of land away, so youll just drive for 30 minutes and get stuck. This is where the famous Yellowstone National Park is located, which stretches for more than 2 million acres. In fact, Wyoming is home to a unique variety of agate called Turritella agate that is extremely popular with local collectors. We wont be over that area probably until June but I like to plan ahead. 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. The Owl Creek Mountains, Fremont, and Hot Spring counties also have jade. The Sierra Madre Mountains are noted for their jade findings too. At the same time, some reports of meteorite findings are also standard in this region. If you have a public-lands GPS map, you can proceed up the Plumbago Canyon road to the top, where people dont go, and find some nice specimens lying on the roadside. The most commonly found and collected rocks and minerals in Wyoming are: If youve already found a rock and youre not sure what it is, I would highly recommend checking out my Practical Rock Identification System. Search for maps by using the main search field (this will search all columns and some un-displayed information such as keywords, counties and product SKU numbers). LOCATIONS FOR ROCKHOUNDING IN WYOMING Includes descriptions and maps. Located east of Boysen reservoir on the south flank of the owl creeks. Quartz crystals can also be found northeast of Buffalo and in Box Elder Canyon. Utah Rockhounding 3.0.kmz - Google My Maps Places for rockhounds to explore in Wyoming. TOP After a little bit it will split; right goes to Superior, and left goes to Winton. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; I recommend accessing the area from highway 414 to the west, turning right just above Behunin Reservoir. TIP: A great deal of petrified wood is not suitable for rock tumbling or lapidary work because it has too many faults and fractures. Check out how to cut and polish petrified wood in the article below:How To Cut & Polish Petrified Wood: Follow These 3 Steps. You can also read through my free rock identification guide and mineral identification guide which are filled with useful information and tools. That is partly because of about 50 percent of the state's public land. The Wasatch Formation is a great place to find manganese and uranium minerals. Congleton Hollow; Glass Buttes; Maury Mountain; Pigeon Springs; Skokomish River; . You can find agate, allanite, lithium minerals, magnetite, manganese minerals, uranium minerals, and bentonite. A majority of counties in Wyoming contain numerous rocks, minerals, fossils, and gemstones. Each of the included tracks will eventually have its own transcription of events. It will turn slightly left for a short, steep incline. A quick jaunt down a nice dirt road brings you to the overlook, which is marked with a sign. google_ad_height=240; I'm transcribing these hikes in my own order, but if you'd like to see one moved to the top of the review list, just let me know. You can also find it in the Wiggins formation of the Oligocene age near the head of Frontier Creek in the Absaroka Mountains. You never know what type of crystals or patterns youre going to find inside and it makes them incredibly exciting. //-->,