Clear chalcedony and vein moss agate occur along this countys outcrops of the Bridger Formation. 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. Follow the road toward its terminus (going down toward a river) and easy, walk-in access is available. This paper has an alternate location along the logging road. This area is very close to Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite. Most of the mining has been less than 20 feet . Ammonite-like fossils, kimberlite, etc. google_ad_format="120x600_as"; If youre into gemstones like amethyst, I suggest checking out Amethyst Mountain; it got its name for a reason. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; 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 majority of these locations are my interpretation of Robert Bestes A Location Guide for Rock Hounds in the United States. They are most commonly found in gravels and the clays lining nearby streams. This will be our first time rock hounding Wyoming. Beryl, columbite-tantalite, copper minerals, feldspar minerals, lithium minerals, magnetite, manganese minerals, and mica minerals may be found in Copper Mountain in Fremont County. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Important Disclaimer: I have not been to these locations myself, and I do not know if they are currently open for collecting. After a little bit it will split; right goes to Superior, and left goes to Winton. Its located in the southern part of the state, with Albany on its eastern side. at Cedar Mountain. Also explore the WSMGS Topic Library for articles such as Jades are present in Carbon County as well. It is the responsibility of each rockhound to obtain permission from a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property. A lot of theseWyomingrock collecting sights have mining claims that come and go. I cant tell you exactly where to go due to land-access issues. google_ad_height=240; Let me know if this is useful or if I can improve it in any way! The Sublette County Rock Hounds Club is relatively new to the scene of formal rockhound organizations. The majority of national parks located in the U.S. prohibit gem hunting/rockhounding. Thanks!! I encourage you to check them out if you are curious about the legalities of rock and mineral collecting. TOP I love finding agates because you never know what sort of beautiful patterns and colors they might contain. 05-01-11 Water line and fortification agate and calcite geodes and selenite phew!! Rockhounds have several excellent locations to choose from in Wyoming. Obsidian is plentiful in Wyoming, especially abundant in Yellowstone National Park, where the Obsidian Cliff is located in the northwest part of the Park. Continue on the main path to Winton, Follow it. Black jade can be found in Fremont County as well. As with most states, each county in Wyoming will have records of who owns each piece of property. Wyoming's Cultural Geology Guide, published by the Wyoming State Geological Survey (2015), provides an up-to-date, comprehensive list of Museums and sites that Follow the road a short distance until it splits; stop at the fork and walk up the washed-out left road for a few hundred feet. To gain permits for rockhounding in Wyoming, please check the BLM website here. If you sign up for GaiaGPS (free, takes about 2 clicks, and Ive never gotten mail from them, as its a husband+wife team that runs it), you can download the GPS data in the map to use on your phone or to import to Google Earth. Red Gulch Dino Track Site near Shell, WY: 8a.) RedLong-duration hikes, typically 5+days. However, lets talk about the 11 best places to rockhound in Wyoming. Now that weve talked about the best places for rockhounding in the state of Wyoming let us take a look at where you might find individual specimens, such as gemstones, minerals, and rocks. The famous Triceratops fossils are plentiful in Wyoming; however, the Knightia Fish is the official state fossil of Wyoming. This way I can make arrangements to make trip as enjoyable and stress free as possible. You may also find gold along with parts of the Snake River in the southern part of Jackson Hole, northwest Wyoming. They are widespread and fairly easy to find if you have a general idea of where to look. Use caution. 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. We wont be over that area probably until June but I like to plan ahead. Similar to what you explained looking for topaz in the Thomas range. Geologic mapping of the Phantom Lake quadrangle in Carbon County is available. types. amzn_assoc_linkid = "aac5e87b1ca95eb9841c18e11fbbd48f"; In fact, everywhere in the blackened areas has petrified wood on both sides of the draw. I lost service and I dont think I went to the exact location because I didnt see much there. In fact, Wyoming is home to a unique variety of agate called Turritella agate that is extremely popular with local collectors. Devils Kitchen walk-in access near Red Gulch, Wyoming: 9.) A majority of counties in Wyoming contain numerous rocks, minerals, fossils, and gemstones. Obsidian Cliff is located in the northwest region of Yellowstone. 1.) This publication can be downloaded directly from the WSGS Simple Explanation. You can also find agatized and opalized wood specimens here. Its water has provided food and habitat for humans and wildlife . These rockhounding sights ofWyoming are mostly on public land but a good blm ownership map isrecommended allowing you to stay off private land. Members have access to the Jade State Newsletter, containing news and updates on subjects concerning geology and mineralogy. Atlantic City, area stream gravels, draws, etc. Joining up with a local rockhounding club for a group trip can often get you access to otherwise off-limits locations like privately owned mines and quarries. The Medicine Bow Mountains are excellent places to find slate, galena, beryl, barite, and platinum-sperrylite. If you want to hunt for Jade in Wyoming, you can start from the northern part of the Granite Mountains, or to the south of Crooks Countys Gap-Green Mountain. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; "Rockhounding, Prospecting, and Fossil Hunting on the Shoshone National Forest" Geodes can also reportedly be found in gravels in the southern reaches of the Absaroka mountain range. Turritella agates are most commonly found in southwest Wyoming, especially near the town of Granger. If you explore the highway cut north of Laramie, you might find meteorites. The Wasatch Formation is a great place to find manganese and uranium minerals. Wyoming isnt just rich in rocks and minerals; it also has gold, fossils, and petrified wood. The best we have for GPS is cell phones. South of Douglas in Converse County is where you will find jade as well. There is a limit to the number of specimens you can carry, which differs from site to site. Wolsey Shale yields abundant articulated trilobites (Albertella helena, Kochina gordonensis, Strotocephalus gordonensis, Ptarmigania gordonensis, and Vanuxemella contracta), as well as brachiopods (Acrothele colleni and Micromitra scuptilis) and hyoliths (Hyolithus convexus). . Volcanic type agates or chalcedony usually occur in stream gravels in the western half of the Bighorn Basin, of Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie Counties as well. Rockhounds might find pegmatite within the Bighorn Range in Natrona County, while igneous rocks like pumice-pumice in the Split Rock area. There are a couple of metamorphic rocks that you can find in the state of Wyoming. Whether you're one of the thousands who come to Wyoming each year to admire its unique geologic features or you've come to rockhound and prospect for gemstones and gold, So, this saves us precious time. Membership is only $15 for adults 18 and up. Fremont County, washes and draws in extreme SE corner, Wind River and tributaries, in gravels near Riverton, Warm Springs, area draws and hills over a large area, Rattlesnake Mountain, area N of Shoshone River, Sweetwater County, all area outcrops of Green River formation, Rock Springs, washes and draws over large area to E, Blacks Fork Creek, NE corner of Uinta County. You can probably find it just about anywhere in the area, though I had good success looking along the eastern flank of Black Rock. Interesting sedimentary features near Adobe Town, WY: 7.) Through quite a bit of research and cross-referencing of available literature, I have compiled this list of some prospective locations in Wyoming which I would recommend to people looking to do some rockhounding. Thank you for your reply! You can find many types of feldspar minerals in Goshen County, including mica minerals, and in the Muskrat Canyon area of the county, you can find the marble. Monthly educational meetings are held during the autumn and winter on the second Monday of every month. Agates, copper minerals, uranium minerals, and calcite-aragonite can be found throughout Park County in northwestern Wyoming. 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. Cancel. Note: magnetite is also present. Im doing a fossil camping trip near the buttes to a quarry where you can pay to dig for fish fossils. Lots of sand. The ant hills are basically everywhere if you get out and walk around, and your biggest issue will most likely be needing 44 to get there, and especially across the creek to the north. Though there are many locations listed here, this list is far from exhaustive. A quick jaunt down a nice dirt road brings you to the overlook, which is marked with a sign. There is of course another way to find larger pieces of peridot in the area. You can find plenty of minerals in Wyoming, especially in the mountains, such as Casper Mountain, Absaroka Mountain, Laramie Range, or Medicine Bow Range. Bookmarked. , Places to See Geologic Displays in Wyoming, Guide to Prospecting and Rock Hunting in Wyoming, "Rockhounding, Prospecting, and Fossil Hunting on the Shoshone National Forest". The best place to find geodes in Wyoming is in Box Elder Canyon near the town of Glenrock. The Hartville district within Platte County is said to contain some copper minerals. You can find pegmatites in the Haystack Range of Goshen County. Wyoming is home to Yellowstone National Park, which spans over 2 million acres. 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. If youre planning on heading to the field, make sure you have all the gear youll need! google_ad_type="text_image"; You can also find it in the Wiggins formation of the Oligocene age near the head of Frontier Creek in the Absaroka Mountains. As you can see, opals are found in many places in Wyoming, so let us dive into where to find chalcedony in Wyoming. Thats one of the reasons why you can quite a lot of fake ones for sale. Suitable for the advanced backpacker. The Sierra Madre Mountains are noted for their jade findings too. You can also usually get the landowners name and address by visiting the county records office. We are using my Subaru forester. It is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. google_ad_width=120; 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. Keep me signed in. The True Worth of Agates. Afton Canyon is one of only three places where the Mojave River flows above ground year-round in the Mojave Desert. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; If you are a rockhound and don't live in Wyoming, you may want to move here! You can find these in the Mississippian limestone beds a few miles northwest of Guernsey, Wyoming. ), let me know. Members can participate in outings, monthly meetings and be a part of a fantastic rockhounding community. If youre unsure where to start, try looking into some of Wyomings rockhound clubs and societies. Find out where to find minerals in Wyoming down below. During my brief exploration, I didnt have time to find the gems, but did get diverted by the thousands of exposed fossils. If youre hoping to find agates in Albany County, check around Marshall in the northwestern region of the county. Another good place would be the 100 miles west of Casper County, discovered by a local rockhound. 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. Ill be adding to this in the coming years. The number of potential collecting sites here makes it an excellent location for those interested not only in rocks, but also minerals that can be found within them! While much of the region is difficult to access, a large portion of the land is managed by the National Forest Service and is largely open to the public for collecting. Rockhounding Site And Information Near Me (Clickable Map) - Rock Seeker Rockhounding Site And Information Near Me (Clickable Map) Must Have! Cryptocrystalline quartz varieties like agate, jasper, chalcedony, and petrified wood are prevalent over much of the region. Some people say that they have a lot of success near the reservoir, but this hasnt been too true for my family. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; Western Wyoming is hard to beat if youre a rockhound. 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. The Lost Creek areas of this county contain many uranium minerals, while petrified wood is found northeast of Eden. I'm Mike Rhea, and I'm a professional Geologist with a passion for rocks, minerals, and everything related to Geology. The entire region boasts many outcrops of bentonites, which are ash clay layers left over from ancient volcanic activity. As you The sapphire specimens found in the Canyon vary from blue and light grey to deeper colors, including violet. The Riverton Mineral and Gem Society is an organization for people of all ages and experience levels. Enter your email address to subscribe to this the content of this site, some of which, we hear, is worthwhile. google_ad_format="120x600_as"; google_ad_height=600; The most commonly found gems and crystals in Wyoming are quartz and feldspar, but you can also find many others including garnet, tourmaline, and opal. Introduction 1. 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. google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; This is a simple guide to my website. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; Fossilized leaves near Miles City, MT: 2.) Some areas of individual parks are legal to rockhound, but it all depends on the state. LOCATIONS FOR ROCKHOUNDING IN WYOMING Includes descriptions and maps. Black Rock itself is ultrapotassic and in the past (and even still now) shed peridot. If youre looking to start collecting rocks in Wyoming, agates are a great place to start. Use this resource as a guide to get you started. Petrified wood is also found in the Early Basic Breccia of Eocene age, in the Specimen Ridge and the Amethyst Mountains area of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The ACEC encompasses approximately 41,500 acres, of which about 23,600 acres are public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Barstow Field Office. The 75 sites described in this guide take you across the red desert to the high mountain majesty of the Big Horns and Wind Rivers as well as the geologic wonders of Yellowstone National Park. Quartz crystals, chalcedony, and vein moss agate occur along outcrops of the Bridger formation in the regions north of Sweetwater County. Belemnites and other fossils near Bridger, MT: 4.) Below you will find maps published by the Wyoming State Geological Survey. 11 Essential Rock Tumbling Tips - Get Better Results! A single column may be searched using the blank field at the top of each column. But where else can rockhounds explore, and what can they find? Goshen County is located in the southeastern end of Wyoming. The minerals listed above are among the most famous in Wyoming; however, Wyoming is full of other minerals. 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 . (I do not live in the US right now.). The ownership and status of land can and does change frequently, making it impossible to document accurate information for every location on this page. Moonshine Arch near Vernal, UT along with a dinosaur track site at Red Fleet: 10.) I spent about an hour at this location, and . Use caution, be respectful, and play by whatever the rules are now. The road is really easy going, but the locals arent friendly, even by my states standards. As a group, members learn so much about the local geology and spend time sharing knowledge of lapidary techniques necessary to enhance the appearance of their finds. Guide to Prospecting and Rock Hunting in Wyoming Rockhounding in Wyoming is a great way to get out and enjoy the states expansive landscapes and beautifully unique terrain. This is where the famous Yellowstone National Park is located, which stretches for more than 2 million acres. If you would like to read some of the source material for yourself I have listed them below. Do NOT attempt unless dry. 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. Petrified wood can be found in the Amethyst Mountains area of Yellowstone as well. Hi Frank. google_ad_type="text_image"; amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; google_color_border="1B1B1B"; Pegmatite and sedimentary rocks such as bentonite are also found in Johnson County. These rockhounding sights of Wyoming are mostly on public land but a good. 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. here. at Cedar Mountain. was featured in the November 2012 issue of Jade State News. 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. I enjoy collecting and tumbling rocks with my daughter and traveling the world with my wife seeing geologic wonders. If youre looking for gemstones and crystals, Wyoming is home to quite a few that will make good additions to your collection. 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. Luckily, Wyoming is a prime spot for hunting your own crystals and gemstones. Map of the area. That is partly because of about 50 percent of the state's public land. Master Faceter, Avid Rock Hound, World Traveler. Sadly, it is illegal to rockhound in Yellowstone National Park, but you can do it outside the area. I would probably start by contacting the assessor in whatever county youre interested in and getting whatever contact information you can for the landowner. Fossil Mountain & Darby Wind Cave near Jackson, WY: 8.) Anyway, follow that Jeep trail down toward the bottom, where it first starts getting pretty flat, and youll find a ton of fossils. Knightia Fish fossils are primarily uncovered in the Green River Formation of Wyoming. google_color_border="1B1B1B"; 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. In the charred areas with coal youll find petrified wood. It is going to take me a while to get all the locations in here. That is partly because of about 50 percent of the states public land. The Hartville district in Platte County may contain some copper minerals, while the kyanite is found 23 miles southwest of Wheatland, Platte County. I recommend accessing the area from highway 414 to the west, turning right just above Behunin Reservoir. Make a right on it. If you want to find sapphires in Fremont, you should go to Grizzly Creek and Sweeny Basin. google_ad_type="text_image"; Belemnites and other fossils near Bridger, MT: 3.) 44 is recommended for this ingress, but if you access it from the table to the east, 44 is required. My neighbor and i hopefully will be heading out to Wyoming if our health is good, sometime this summer. We have listed each type of crystal in separate sections since we know how much you love them. Find out how these beautiful minerals are formed and more in this article:What Is Agate And How Do Agates Form? An official website of the United States government. Check back often as I add new places. The ants use them for construction material. I recommend walk-in access via the Radio Creek Road starting at a pullout located here. The best place to rockhound in Wyoming is Fremont County where you can find nephrite jade and Turritella agates in relative abundance. NPS Public Domain Photo. If you want to find agates in Albany, they are usually found near Marshall, located in northwestern Albany. you can access Utah rockhounding locations https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=17-pa3pYy0AqN0D2Zh4cXklR9A7g&ll=39.483150381536596%2C-111.60763899999999&z=8. Public access. Here at Rockhounding Maps, we give you access and information to the best dig sites for crystals and minerals in Wyoming. You are sure welcome. You can find them in volcanic conglomerates in the Tertiary rocks of the southern part of the Absaroka Mountains of northwest Wyoming. 15 Best Rocks & Minerals, Are Agates Valuable rocks? Carbon County is another prime rockhounding location in Wyoming. Post navigation. They were easy to dig out of formation, but even more easily were found eroded perfectly on the surface. that describes some of the most common rocks and minerals to be found in Wyoming, along with general localities in the state where they might be found. We are here for any questions or concerns that might arise about your adventures in mineral collecting. Wyoming is home to Yellowstone National Park, which spans over 2 million acres. For all of my maps, you can use my maps page. Hi!! Agates also happen to be some of the most commonly collected rocks in the United States, including Wyoming. Note: stramatolites can be found in some washes at the base of the Pryors nearby. Wyoming is home to a large array of rocks and minerals that will be of interest to the collector, some of which are fairly unique to the area. Where are the best places for rockhounding in Wyoming? Only very minor surface mining has been done here. 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. Here you can find minerals, rocks, and varieties of quartz such as allanite, beryl, calcite-aragonite, columbite-tantalite, copper minerals, euxenite, galena, hematite, jade, mica minerals, monazite, opal, pyrite, agates, uranium minerals, vermiculite, gabbro, pegmatite, sedimentary rocks, taconite, and slate, among other things. It looks as though theres something interesting around every bend within every county. google_ad_format="120x240_as"; The ranchers might harass you, but I just harass them back, since its public. 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. In that case, you might want to explore the Kortes Dam area and the Sierra Madre Mountains. Near the Sierra Madre Mountains, in the Hot Park Area, barite is commonly found, a couple of miles southwest of Encampment. These public lands administered by the BLM are open to everyone to take limited amounts of rock material for noncommercial purposes without charge. However, I have compiled a list of resources here so that you may investigate and obtain permission for any locations (found here or elsewhere) for yourself. Public access with nice walk in. It is located in the northwestern part of Wyoming, and you can find amethyst, opals, and many other types of valuable gems and minerals. 17. ROCK SHOWS Gem, mineral. A lock ( google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; Modern Rockhounding and Prospecting Handbook $19.73 A must have for every serious rockhound! This new version of the guide arranges the sites into counties and regions, with a different chapter for each county. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; ), Check ant beds in this area for peridot and other little gems. Phosphate rock is also located here. Zirkel Mesa to the west is actually remnants of exposed cinder cone volcanoes; the cinders can be found at Black Rock, too. Youll learn so much and get the experience you might miss out on if you were on your own. Files WYNF-0004_rockhounding (051418).pdf (PDF / 264 KB) Publication Date Pictures and notes on the fossils near Farson. Tip: Check out my Complete Rock Tumbling Guide to make your rocks and gemstones really shine! Triceratops fossils are mostly found in the Hell Creek Formation in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, eastern Wyoming. Sign In. 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. As you tour the State of Wyoming, feel free to contact any of the And of course, nephrite jade can be found in such abundance that it is Wyomings state gemstone. I have written entire articles which cover the rockhounding laws and regulations for nearly every type of public land you can think of. . That was a joke. We also hope to find Jade on same trip. This site is devoted to sharing my love of rocks with you. The state of Wyoming is noted for its copper minerals, lithium minerals, uranium minerals, feldspar minerals, manganese minerals, mica minerals, and quartz minerals. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The club started in 2016 and has been growing in numbers ever since. Also lots of buzzworms. First of all, check the Tertiary igneous rocks in the Wood River and Sunlight Basin areas of Park County and the Black Hills area of northeastern Wyoming. The GPS coordinate I put up is right by a place called Black Rock, which is an ultrapotassic, lamproite volcaniclastic exposure. Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. "Rockhounding Rules on BLM Public Lands" and However, there are no charges for attending club-led outings, and you dont have to be a resident of Wyoming to join.