Its an excellent society that provides education and experience to its members. Rockhounding in Wyoming never seems to let down rockhounds. If youre hoping to find agates in Albany County, check around Marshall in the northwestern region of the county. Geologic Map of Phantom Lake Quadrangle Geologic mapping of the Phantom Lake quadrangle in Carbon County is available. A number of the best locations are on private land, and while Ive gotten access from the owners, I cant list them here. 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. Rockhounds might find pegmatite within the Bighorn Range in Natrona County, while igneous rocks like pumice-pumice in the Split Rock area. 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; just get the KML file. Tip: Check out my Complete Rock Tumbling Guide to make your rocks and gemstones really shine! The locations and information contained in this article are primarily derived from academic papers, online resources, and other outside sources. Wyoming is an incredible place for rockhounds. You can probably find it just about anywhere in the area, though I had good success looking along the eastern flank of Black Rock. As with most states, each county in Wyoming will have records of who owns each piece of property. You can get an individual or family club membership at a low rate. If youre really nice and want a piece, maybe Ill send you some. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; 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. Zirkel Mesa to the west is actually remnants of exposed cinder cone volcanoes; the cinders can be found at Black Rock, too. We hope you enjoy your time on our site and come back often because were always adding new dig locations and crystal collecting updates. "Rockhounding Rules on BLM Public Lands" and google_ad_type="text_image"; google_ad_format="120x600_as"; These rockhounding sights of Wyoming are mostly on public land but a good. . Bookmarked. 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. Belemnites and other fossils near Bridger, MT: Winton petrified wood near Rock Springs, WY: Sharktooth Ridge teeth and trace fossils near Rawlins, WY: Interesting sedimentary features near Adobe Town, WY: Fossil Mountain & Darby Wind Cave near Jackson, WY: Red Gulch Dino Track Site near Shell, WY: Devils Kitchen walk-in access near Red Gulch, Wyoming: Moonshine Arch near Vernal, UT along with a dinosaur track site at Red Fleet: Blue forest petrified wood near Granger, WY: Fish fossils and some shark teeth near Farson, WY: Agatized fossil shells near Rock Springs, WY: Calcite for making lamps and also nice bots in roadside cut near Lander. This bundle of information includes a book, videos, and online tools. Monthly educational meetings are held during the autumn and winter on the second Monday of every month. Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. Objective is to get to Road 4412. YellowOvernight hikes, typically 2 nights. Tom, this is an AMAZING resource. Cracking them open reminds me of opening a Kinder-Egg with a surprise toy inside. The counties are alphabetized, and within each county the locations are . You can find them in volcanic conglomerates in the Tertiary rocks of the southern part of the Absaroka Mountains of northwest Wyoming. 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. Thank you for sharing this! Moonshine Arch near Vernal, UT along with a dinosaur track site at Red Fleet: 10.) Please take our survey about how you use and access the data we provide on our website. 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? Located east of Boysen reservoir on the south flank of the owl creeks. Ill be adding to this in the coming years. It is, simply put, the most comprehensive and easy-to-understand rock identification system youll find anywhere. Places for rockhounds to explore in Wyoming. 05-01-11 Water line and fortification agate and calcite geodes and selenite phew!! My kid loved exploring it with me. These rockhounding sights ofWyoming are mostly on public land but a good blm ownership map isrecommended allowing you to stay off private land. The majority of these locations are my interpretation of Robert Bestes A Location Guide for Rock Hounds in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Veins of banded agate and drusy quartz occur in Mississippian limestone beds a few miles northwest of Guernsey, Platte County. Second edition. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; The Riverton Mineral and Gem Society is an organization for people of all ages and experience levels. 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. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; I f you are a rockhound and don't live in Wyoming, you may want to move here! I hope my articles will be useful to you. The Owl Creek Mountains, Fremont, and Hot Spring counties also have jade. Afton Canyon is one of only three places where the Mojave River flows above ground year-round in the Mojave Desert. Agates, copper minerals, uranium minerals, and calcite-aragonite can be found throughout Park County in northwestern Wyoming. In Johnson County, located in the north-central part of Wyoming, you can find agate. The road is really easy going, but the locals arent friendly, even by my states standards. 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. After a little bit it will split; right goes to Superior, and left goes to Winton. NOTE! The Hartville district in Platte County may contain some copper minerals, while the kyanite is found 23 miles southwest of Wheatland, Platte County. Youll see a lot of shining material along the tops of the exposure, but unless you really want some trona, you can ignore it. When you look for it, it often just looks like ugly, whiteish or greyish rocks. Find out the differences between these two minerals in the article below:Feldspar vs. Quartz: Whats the Difference? 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. However, lets talk about the 11 best places to rockhound in Wyoming. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; You can purchase a Bighorn National Forest visitor map for $14 at ranger district offices in Buffalo, Greybull, and Sheridan. Rockhounds can find opal within the deposits associated with the parks hot springs. NPS Public Domain Photo. what are the host rocks associated with watermelon rock and the labradorite? I cant tell you exactly where to go due to land-access issues. Obsidian isnt listed here since we know how much rockhounds love this igneous rock, so let us talk about obsidian separately. Sign In. you can access Utah rockhounding locations https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=17-pa3pYy0AqN0D2Zh4cXklR9A7g&ll=39.483150381536596%2C-111.60763899999999&z=8. Exploring the Laramie Mountain Range can lead to finding specimens like amphibole, epidote, plagioclase minerals, garnet, magnetite, and mica. Teepee Canyon Agates 13. 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. Most of the collectible material in the area is in the quartz family. (DO NOT TAKE ANY FOSSILS! Clear chalcedony and vein moss agate occur along this countys outcrops of the Bridger Formation. BTW: Check out this amazing metal sign (Amazon link) which is perfect for everyone who loves rockhounding in Wyoming! BTW: Do you want to know more about rock and mineral identification? Official websites use .gov Albany County is located in the bottom easter part of Wyoming, having its border with the northern Colorado state line. Theyre excellent for novices and experts alike, not to mention the members can likely share some of the lesser-known locations. Black Rock itself is ultrapotassic and in the past (and even still now), shed peridot. Here, rockhounds can find some incredible specimens, including: The Casper Mountains contain chromite, feldspar, and beryl. However, it is legal to hound the areas surrounding this famous park. Wyoming is full of jades, mostly of the nephrite class, and the jadeite class, which sounds like something out of Star Wars. All 50 States Answered, contacting the assessor in whatever county youre inte, Gastroliths, Petrified dinosaur bones, Fossils, Gypsum, Dinosaur bones, Gastroliths, Fossils, Fossils, Ammonites, Dinosaur bones, Gastroliths, Agate, Chalcedony, Gold, Nephrite jade, Jade, Jasper, Muscovite, Quartz crystals, Agatized wood, Opalized wood, Tourmaline, Agate (banded, moss), Aventurine, Garnet, Sapphire, Agate (Sweetwater agate), Nephrite jade, Jade, Aquamarine, Beryl, Feldspar crystals, Muscovite, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Jade, Nephrite jade, Quartz crystals, Silicified wood. If you want to find sapphires in Fremont, you should go to Grizzly Creek and Sweeny Basin. 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. | Interesting sedimentary features near Adobe Town, WY: 7.) If you want to find gemstones, such as amethyst, a great place in Park County is Amethyst Mountain. I love finding agates because you never know what sort of beautiful patterns and colors they might contain. google_ad_height=240; google_ad_width=120; at Cedar Mountain. Natrona County is located in central Wyoming, and it is another excellent county when it comes to rocks or minerals. Many other varieties of agates, jasper, petrified and opalized wood are also very commonly found in gravels and washes all over the state. That said, lab is pretty much a plagioclase feldspar. ROCK SHOWS Gem, mineral. Natrona County is in central Wyoming. Select locations particularly the tailings of old mines are prime spots for specimens of minerals like azurite, malachite, beryl, tourmaline, and garnet. Azurite, Barite, Chalcopyrite, Cuprite, Galena, Gold, Limonite, Malachite, Pyrite, Quartz crystals, Sphalerite, etc. From beginners to advanced collectors, everyone will find something in Wyoming! And you can typically find them laying around, but often youll have to pry open the rocks. If youre into gemstones like amethyst, I suggest checking out Amethyst Mountain; it got its name for a reason. An official website of the United States government. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; Check out the table down below to see where these specimens of sedimentary rocks are found in Wyoming. It states that the road is very rough, and to not attempt it during a rain storm. In fact, everywhere in the blackened areas has petrified wood on both sides of the draw. 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. But where else can rockhounds explore, and what can they find? 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. To get you started on prospecting, the Wyoming State Geological Survey has prepared a 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. 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. 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. Still, if you know where to look you may be able to find one for your collection. Please take our survey about how you use and access the data we provide on our website. Garnets near Custer Rockhounding in Wyoming is a great way to get out and enjoy the states expansive landscapes and beautifully unique terrain. Make a right on it. Exposed and subsumed vertebrate fossils of what amounts to a type of ancient alligator-type creature, as well as some others, can be found here. Membership is only $15 for adults 18 and up. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Other sources include: North Carolina Rockhounding Location Guide & Map, Montana Rockhounding Location Guide & Map. We also hope to find Jade on same trip. This area was explored by a South African diamond company briefly but nothing came of it. ), let me know. 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. They are most commonly found in gravels and the clays lining nearby streams. You can probably find it just about anywhere in the area, though I had good success looking along the eastern flank of Black Rock. Tip: Not sure if the rock youve found is a geode? Zoom in for full list. The specimens found here vary from blue, and light gray, to deep colors such as violet. TIP: Geodes can form anywhere in the world, but they do not form at random. Thank you for your reply! amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "rockhoundreso-20"; If opals are something you hope to find, check around Smith Creek. RedLong-duration hikes, typically 5+days. As you 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 types. This is missing a ton of great places, but I do update it every few months with a new location or two from my past explorations. 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. Here, rockhounds can find agates. If its sapphires you fancy, you may want to check out Grizzly Creek and Sweeny Basin. The Sublette County Rock Hounds Club is relatively new to the scene of formal rockhound organizations. google_color_border="1B1B1B"; Quartz crystals can also be found northeast of Buffalo and in Box Elder Canyon. 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. A single column may be searched using the blank field at the top of each column. 2. Take our Survey for a Chance to Win a Map! 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 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 Gemstones are some of the most enjoyable specimens that rockhounds can find, but its not always easy to know where to look.