I will as usual get a BLM map and make necessary calls for sure after reading reply. 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. I cant tell you exactly where to go due to land-access issues. The GPS coordinate I put up is right by a place called Black Rock, which is an ultrapotassic, lamproite volcaniclastic exposure. If youre really nice and want a piece, maybe Ill send you some. 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. 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 . Atlantic City, area stream gravels, draws, etc. Use caution. If you explore the highway cut north of Laramie, you might find meteorites. You can purchase a Bighorn National Forest visitor map for $14 at ranger district offices in Buffalo, Greybull, and Sheridan. 11 Essential Rock Tumbling Tips - Get Better Results! The minerals listed above are among the most famous in Wyoming; however, Wyoming is full of other minerals. 08-07-11 Elusive Wyoming fluorite specimens. Do NOT attempt unless dry. I have created guides for every U.S. state including thousands of rockhounding sites - and continue to add more every day. | Fort Bridger, area gravels, streams, washes, etc. The majority of national parks located in the U.S. prohibit gem hunting/rockhounding. 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. 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. 08-13-11 A very hot day to rockhound with cool marcasite, 09-03-11 Crystal park quartz crystals and bread, 10-15-11 Another world class pseudomorph deposit, 2012 Denver gem and mineral show report fall, 2013 Denver gem and mineral show report fall, 2013 Rockhounding and mineral collecting reports, 04-06-13 Shirley basin agates and calcite, 04-13-13 red feather quartz crystals and a surprise mineral, 2014 Denver gem and mineral show report fall, Denver Coliseum Mineral Fossil and Gem Show, International Gem Jewelry Show denver 2014, Denver gem and mineral show 2010 report fall, Denver mineral show report 2010 fall part 2, Denver mineral show report 2010 fall part 3, Denver mineral show report 2010 fall part 4, Denver mineral show report 2010 fall part 5, Photo report Denver gem mineral rockhounding show 2011, Denver gem and mineral show report 2010 spring, Denver gem and mineral show report 2011 spring, Links to other Rock show reports Tucson , Denver, Blue Forest Wyoming petrified wood location, Copper Mountain Pegmatite District Wyoming. 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. Im out of the US as I update this revision, so I dont have photos of the really good specimensgo figure. Proceed up canyon dirt road (12) until you reach the top plateau and it is flat. Black Rock itself is ultrapotassic and in the past (and even still now), shed peridot. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; Western Wyoming is hard to beat if youre a rockhound. 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. The higher hills to the west (the mesas and buttes) are all ultrapotassic and mafic rocks. Tom, this is an AMAZING resource. The Sand Creek and Red Buttes areas of Albany County are full of sedimentary rocks. This area was explored by a South African diamond company briefly but nothing came of it. So where to rockbound in Wyoming, and what can you find? amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Members can participate in outings, monthly meetings and be a part of a fantastic rockhounding community. In order to really find the good stuff in the main area, go on sunny day with a spray bottle, a rock hammer, chisel, and a 4-lb/10-lb sledge hammer. Everyone enjoys the prospect of finding their very own geodes out in the wild, and its easy to see why. Rainbow agates have been found along the Wind River near Riverton. Public access with nice walk in. The Sierra Madre Mountains are noted for their jade findings too. Luckily, Wyoming is a prime spot for hunting your own crystals and gemstones. 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. Thanks! google_color_text="FFFFFF"; google_color_link="000000"; Members have access to the Jade State Newsletter, containing news and updates on subjects concerning geology and mineralogy. You can also usually get the landowners name and address by visiting the county records office. Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. This way I can make arrangements to make trip as enjoyable and stress free as possible. 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 Sweetwater County is located in the southwestern part of Wyoming. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; Other sources include: North Carolina Rockhounding Location Guide & Map, Montana Rockhounding Location Guide & Map. ), let me know. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my hikes in to this area in the early spring, middle-summer, and late summer. Second edition. Winton petrified wood near Rock Springs, WY: 5.) The state fossil Knightia-fish is located in the Green Fiver Formation of Wyoming. Kemmerer, all washes and draws over a large area, Owl Creek, in placers SE of Washakie Needles, Lander, area surface over a very large region, Laramie Mountains, draws and washes of eastern slopes, Seminoe Reservoir, all area draws and washes, Saratoga, area draws and washes N to Walcott, Poison Spider Creek, area washes and draws, Check out my article about how to identify a geode, Rockhounding on Public Land: Laws and Regulations, Can You Collect Rocks in State Parks? My neighbor and i hopefully will be heading out to Wyoming if our health is good, sometime this summer. google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; If youre hoping to find agates in Albany County, check around Marshall in the northwestern region of the county. google_color_border="1B1B1B"; Hi Frank. This is a simple guide to my website. Only very minor surface mining has been done here. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. (DO NOT TAKE ANY FOSSILS! Is the watermelon rock you mentioned in article of the tourmaline family? Wall of crystals found hiking Big Balls of Cowtown Trail. Places such as Fremont, Washakie, Sweetwater, Carbon, or Natrona County are where you can find jade, which is Wyomings official state gemstone. To gain permits for rockhounding in Wyoming, please check the BLM website here. circumstances since the article was originally published in 1989, it remains a valuable guide for anyone seeking additional resources in the pursuit of their interests, . amzn_assoc_asins = "B01IEX2TEO,B0002YWWVE,B08N41884X,B00A4H4ZQ4"; If you would like to read some of the source material for yourself I have listed them below. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; google_ad_width=120; I am uploading a couple of pictures that my friend Henri took of me hunting it with his kids. Welcome to the Wyoming State Geological Survey Interpreting the past, providing for the future. I keep a good GPS on me so that they cant fuss me out too much, because they can and do fence in public land and claim its private. Palmer Canyon is the place to be if you want to find sapphire. Posted on Published: September 29, 2020- Last updated: July 26, 2022. Membership is only $15 for adults 18 and up. 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. I hope my articles will be useful to you. I found this book very useful and clearly written. These rockhounding sights ofWyoming are mostly on public land but a good blm ownership map isrecommended allowing you to stay off private land. Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. What a great reason to go rockhounding. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; The Hot Park Area is near the Sierra Madre Mountains, and barite is commonly found a few miles southwest of Encampment. Belemnites and other fossils near Bridger, MT: 4.) I am wondering what it looks like on top of canyon. google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; Secure .gov websites use HTTPS However, lets talk about the 11 best places to rockhound in Wyoming. If opals are something you hope to find, check around Smith Creek. There is nothing quite like uncovering a quartz crystal with a perfect termination or finding a beautiful agate that has been waiting in a river bank for you to come along and take it home. Also explore the WSMGS Topic Library for articles such as TIP:Feldspar minerals are very common in Wyoming. I am in Farson WY and went to check out the fish fossil/shark tooth location listed. If you want to dig for gems in Wyoming, Amethyst Mountain would be an excellent place to start. Geologic Map of Phantom Lake Quadrangle Geologic mapping of the Phantom Lake quadrangle in Carbon County is available. This area is very close to Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite. It is, simply put, the most comprehensive and easy-to-understand rock identification system youll find anywhere. The Hartville district in Platte County may contain some copper minerals, while the kyanite is found 23 miles southwest of Wheatland, Platte County. Cody 59ers Rock Club was established in 1959 to help promote and share knowledge surrounding rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils through field trips. Tip: Check out my Complete Rock Tumbling Guide to make your rocks and gemstones really shine! I will update this to add many locations as I am able, but its one of my lower priorities. Teepee Canyon Agates 13. Here are 10 of the best rockhounding sites for rocks and minerals in Montana: Crystal Park - Amethyst, Quartz crystals Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine - Sapphire Jefferson River - Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper American Bar - Sapphire, Garnet, Kyanite Yellowstone River, Custer County - Moss Agate Pryor Mountains - Agate, Geodes, Fossils The Medicine Bow Mountains contain slate, platinum-sperrylite, galena, beryl, and barite. Down below is where you will find out where to find gold, fossils, and petrified wood in Wyoming. The best place to rockhound in Wyoming is Fremont County where you can find nephrite jade and Turritella agates in relative abundance. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; Wyoming is perhaps most well known for its world-class National Parks like Yellowstone and Grand Teton. (Rough Draft, 05/02/2021 Revision), Hiking and Adventure Map (Work in Progress). Now lets look at what sedimentary rocks are found in Wyoming. Find out how these beautiful minerals are formed and more in this article:What Is Agate And How Do Agates Form? Go to Albany County, since agates are commonly found near Marshall, located in northwestern Albany. 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. Let me know if this is useful or if I can improve it in any way! If you head to Copper Mountain, you might find some specimens like beryl, feldspar, lithium, magnetite, and manganese. Gemstones are some of the most enjoyable specimens that rockhounds can find, but its not always easy to know where to look. Pegmatite and sedimentary rocks such as bentonite are also found in Johnson County. google_color_border="1B1B1B"; The club started in 2016 and has been growing in numbers ever since. 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. Use caution, be respectful, and play by whatever the rules are now. 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. Quartz crystals are typically found everywhere north of Saratoga along Highway 130 to Walcott Junction. They are widespread and fairly easy to find if you have a general idea of where to look.