This club hosts multiple outings every month during the summer. Fossil Butte National Monument NPS Public Domain Photo Places to Explore. 08-07-11 Elusive Wyoming fluorite specimens. Fossils in Sanders County, MT: 4.) You will find everything about rocks, minerals, and crystals here. They are some of the most popular rocks to tumble, and its easy to see why with their intricate banding and unique designs. Sharktooth Ridge teeth and trace fossils near Rawlins, WY: 6.) Here are 10 of the best rockhounding sites for rocks and minerals in Wyoming: If youre doing some rockhounding in Wyoming, you wont be lacking for rocks and minerals to find. Quartz crystals, chalcedony, and vein moss agate occur along outcrops of the Bridger formation in the regions north of Sweetwater County. This region is full of mica minerals, phonolite, pumice, and Wyomingite in the Leucite Hills area. Sapphires and other treasures lie north of Yellowstone. A quick jaunt down a nice dirt road brings you to the overlook, which is marked with a sign. It is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. State-By-State Rockhounding Location Guides & Maps No matter where you live in the U.S., there are likely many exciting rockhounding sites nearby. Beryl, columbite-tantalite, copper minerals, feldspar minerals, lithium minerals, magnetite, manganese minerals, and mica minerals may be found in Copper Mountain in Fremont County. If you head to Copper Mountain, you might find some specimens like beryl, feldspar, lithium, magnetite, and manganese. GreenDay hikes; can be done as overnights. 19. You are sure welcome. The Riverton Mineral and Gem Society is an organization for people of all ages and experience levels. Wyoming is home to some incredible jade specimens, mainly of the classes nephrite and jadeite. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Peridot in ant hills and arroyos near Black Rock Butte. Welcome to the Wyoming State Geological Survey Interpreting the past, providing for the future Take our Survey for a Chance to Win a Map! WSMGS Affiliated Clubs when planning your visit. Public access. The Hartville district within Platte County is said to contain some copper minerals. Interesting sedimentary features near Adobe Town, WY: 7.) Rockhound Trip report spring 2008. Devils Kitchen walk-in access near Red Gulch, Wyoming: 9.) Make a right on it. Please respect the claim owners rights and stay off active claims withoutpermission. This bundle of information includes a book, videos, and online tools. If you would like to read some of the source material for yourself I have listed them below. Im doing a fossil camping trip near the buttes to a quarry where you can pay to dig for fish fossils. The Rockhounding Wyoming guide book lists a spot just south of Cody. Johnson County is located in north-central Wyoming. here. google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; Tip: Check out my Complete Rock Tumbling Guide to make your rocks and gemstones really shine! NPS Public Domain Photo. However, Jade can be located in the Sweetwater River district, just southeast of the Wind River Mountains. These are mostly comprised of old mining prospects, washes, streams, and historically known rock and mineral collecting sites. 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. Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; This land is filled with hundreds of prospective rockhounding sites where you can find a nice variety of rocks and minerals including nephrite jade, azurite, quartz crystals, and unique varieties of agates. In general, the best places to find crystals and gemstones in Wyoming are washes and draws across the western half of the state, particularly near Kemmerer, Atlantic City, and Rock Springs. Gold can also be found in Park County, specifically the Wood River and Sunlight Basin areas. Rock Hound Etiquette 7. BTW: Check out this amazing metal sign (Amazon link) which is perfect for everyone who loves rockhounding in Wyoming! To gain permits for rockhounding in Wyoming, please check the BLM website here. Wyoming is among the top rockhounding locations in the United States. I will as usual get a BLM map and make necessary calls for sure after reading reply. The Absaroka Mountains are an excellent place to explore. , Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. You can get an individual or family club membership at a low rate. ROCK SHOWS Gem, mineral. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; The clamber down through the woods and thicket is well worth the spectacular site of the mountainous, artesian well. There is plenty of BLM and National Forest land to collect on in Wyoming which is, in general, open for public use. popular museums of interest to rockhounders, places to visit, and rockhounding sites for children and families. The best we have for GPS is cell phones. While Yellowstone makes the list for being one of the top rockhounding locations in Wyoming, unfortunately, rockhounding is not permitted there. We have listed each type of crystal in separate sections since we know how much you love them. Follow the road toward its terminus (going down toward a river) and easy, walk-in access is available. The famous Triceratops fossils are plentiful in Wyoming; however, the Knightia Fish is the official state fossil of Wyoming. If you want to find agates in Albany, they are usually found near Marshall, located in northwestern Albany. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; This area is very close to Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite. Cryptocrystalline quartz varieties like agate, jasper, chalcedony, and petrified wood are prevalent over much of the region. Sadly, it is illegal to rockhound in Yellowstone National Park, but you can do it outside the area. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=17-pa3pYy0AqN0D2Zh4cXklR9A7g&ll=39.483150381536596%2C-111.60763899999999&z=8, Rated R and 5 Stars: Septoplasty and More, Review: Green River Lakes Campground and Kayaking Green River, Wyoming, Review: Fun Overnight Hike to Powell Lakes, Wyoming, Review: Brewster, Lunch, & Shoal Lakes via Big Balls of Cowtown Trail. Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. google_color_link="000000"; The ownership and status of land can and does change frequently, making it impossible to document accurate information for every location on this page. PurpleCamping, international trips; excursions. Jades are present in Carbon County as well. I will update this to add many locations as I am able, but its one of my lower priorities. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; Is the watermelon rock you mentioned in article of the tourmaline family? The ranchers might harass you, but I just harass them back, since its public. However, that hasnt limited their successful innovation and progress. Quartz crystals are typically found everywhere north of Saratoga along Highway 130 to Walcott Junction. 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. . google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; 11 Essential Rock Tumbling Tips - Get Better Results! 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. Check out how to cut and polish petrified wood in the article below:How To Cut & Polish Petrified Wood: Follow These 3 Steps. Hi Frank. Im going to try and find a shark tooth location to surprise my husband. at Cedar Mountain. google_ad_height=600; Check out my article about how to identify a geode. The minerals listed above are among the most famous in Wyoming; however, Wyoming is full of other minerals. It is going to take me a while to get all the locations in here. During my brief exploration, I didnt have time to find the gems, but did get diverted by the thousands of exposed fossils. Proceed up canyon dirt road (12) until you reach the top plateau and it is flat. Library for the books I use when I go out rock hunting. A majority of counties in Wyoming contain numerous rocks, minerals, fossils, and gemstones. Use caution. After a little bit it will split; right goes to Superior, and left goes to Winton. 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. This publication can be downloaded directly from the WSGS google_color_link="000000"; 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. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS . So where to rockbound in Wyoming, and what can you find? Veins of banded agate and drusy quartz occur in Mississippian limestone beds a few miles northwest of Guernsey, Platte County. Geodes can also reportedly be found in gravels in the southern reaches of the Absaroka mountain range. Sign In. Agates, copper minerals, uranium minerals, and calcite-aragonite can be found throughout Park County in northwestern Wyoming. Enter your email address to subscribe to this the content of this site, some of which, we hear, is worthwhile. 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. Wyoming rockhounding map on Google maps click link below. Azurite, Barite, Chalcopyrite, Cuprite, Galena, Gold, Limonite, Malachite, Pyrite, Quartz crystals, Sphalerite, etc. was featured in the November 2012 issue of Jade State News. This will be our first time rock hounding Wyoming. Let us begin with gems. Pictures and notes on the fossils near Farson. Follow posted signage and always get permission from the landowner to collect. google_ad_width=120; Welcome to the Wyoming State Geological Survey Interpreting the past, providing for the future. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments section below. Should I be digging ? Black jade is a real prize to find. google_ad_type="text_image"; In Sweetwater County, west of Wamsutter along the old road to Baggs, the Green River Basin is plentiful in agates. 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. I'm Mike Rhea, and I'm a professional Geologist with a passion for rocks, minerals, and everything related to Geology. A lot of theseWyomingrock collecting sights have mining claims that come and go. In that case, you might want to explore the Kortes Dam area and the Sierra Madre Mountains. It should be no surprise that there are several rockhound societies in Wyoming worth checking into. 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. Here, rockhounds can find some incredible specimens, including: The Casper Mountains contain chromite, feldspar, and beryl. Here you can also find agatized and opalized wood, while agates are common a few miles west of Saratoga. High-clearance only. Gold can also be panned in Douglas Creek in the Medicine Bow Mountains of southeastern Wyoming, or the Sweetwater River and tributaries in the southern part of the Wind River Mountains. The real gems that rockhounds are eager to get their hands on in Platte County are banded agates and drusy quartz specimens. Rainbow agates are located along the Wind River near Riverton, in Fremont County. The road is really easy going, but the locals arent friendly, even by my states standards. Concretion and geodes are common in many of the sedimentary rocks in the state, but a good way of finding geodes in Wyoming is to search for the conglomerate in limestone or sandstone. Rockhounds have several excellent locations to choose from in Wyoming. Guide to Prospecting and Rock Hunting in Wyoming If youre into gemstones like amethyst, I suggest checking out Amethyst Mountain; it got its name for a reason. Thank you for sharing this! 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. Quartz crystals are relatively abundant in the feldspar pits just south of Laramie. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Wall of crystals found hiking Big Balls of Cowtown Trail. amzn_assoc_linkid = "aac5e87b1ca95eb9841c18e11fbbd48f"; Sign in to your account on ArcGIS Online. at Cedar Mountain. Down below is where you will find out where to find gold, fossils, and petrified wood in Wyoming. My little girl loves rocks now (gems and fossils both). Hi!! But sometimes you can mistake feldspar with quartz. Agate, calcite-aragonite, copper minerals, and uranium minerals are found in Park County, located in the northwestern part of Wyoming. You can also find it in the Wiggins formation of the Oligocene age near the head of Frontier Creek in the Absaroka Mountains. The relatively recent volcanic and metamorphic activity in Wyoming has given rise to many desirable and sought-after rocks and minerals, but it helps to have an idea of where to look and what to search for. 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. Fossil Mountain & Darby Wind Cave near Jackson, WY: 8.) This paper has an alternate location along the logging road. Thanks! While there may have been changes in hours of public viewing, business location and/or other I'm starting with the most popular and working my way to the more obscure. In the Casper Mountains, you can find chromite, feldspar minerals, or beryl. And if you have any tips (Ill keep your finds a secret! The pyroxene group of minerals is confined to Precambrian rocks and the Tertiary volcanic rocks of the Absaroka Mountains and Yellowstone National Park. Second edition. Despite the otherwise impressive rockhounding in Wyoming, geodes are a fairly rare occurrence in the state.