wyoming rockhounding locations google maps

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). Geologic Map of Phantom Lake Quadrangle. Only very minor surface mining has been done here. You can find plenty of minerals in Wyoming, especially in the mountains, such as Casper Mountain, Absaroka Mountain, Laramie Range, or Medicine Bow Range. Fossils in the escarpment. The sapphire specimens found in the Canyon vary from blue and light grey to deeper colors, including violet. Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. In Wyoming, nearly all 18 million acres of public land are legal for gem enthusiasts to pursue their recreational activities. This area was explored by a South African diamond company briefly but nothing came of it. This region is full of mica minerals, phonolite, pumice, and Wyomingite in the Leucite Hills area. PDF Maps; Google Maps. On top of that, weve created a resource page to assist with answering all of your gem and mineral collecting questions. I mention all this as it helps explain how to find the peridot. Fort Bridger, area gravels, streams, washes, etc. Obsidian is abundant in the park, with the most famous location to find these beauties being the Obsidian Cliff. Teepee Canyon Agates 13. One of the most common questions rockhounds have is whether or not they are allowed to collect at a certain location. 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. Quartz crystals can also be found northeast of Buffalo and in Box Elder Canyon. 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. I'm Mike Rhea, and I'm a professional Geologist with a passion for rocks, minerals, and everything related to Geology. google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; Find out where to find minerals in Wyoming down below. popular museums of interest to rockhounders, places to visit, and rockhounding sites for children and families. Obsidian is abundant in Yellowstone, with the most famous location being the Obsidian Cliff, located in the northwest part of the Park. Fish fossils and some shark teeth near Farson, WY: 13.) The best place to find geodes in Wyoming is in Box Elder Canyon near the town of Glenrock. If youre planning on heading to the field, make sure you have all the gear youll need! Sharktooth Ridge teeth and trace fossils near Rawlins, WY: 6.) 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. Rainbow agates are plentiful in the Wind River near Riverton, Fremont County. 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. LockA locked padlock Thanks again for this site. Check out how to cut and polish petrified wood in the article below:How To Cut & Polish Petrified Wood: Follow These 3 Steps. Feldspar vs. Quartz: Whats the Difference? The entire region boasts many outcrops of bentonites, which are ash clay layers left over from ancient volcanic activity. If youre into gemstones like amethyst, I suggest checking out Amethyst Mountain; it got its name for a reason. Take our Survey for a Chance to Win a Map! This site is devoted to sharing my love of rocks with you. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; The GemHunter (Dan Hausel) found peridot and garnets in the area, the latter of which can also be found NNW of Cedar Mountain. Black Hills, South Dakota: 1. During my brief exploration, I didnt have time to find the gems, but did get diverted by the thousands of exposed fossils. The famous Triceratops fossils are plentiful in Wyoming; however, the Knightia Fish is the official state fossil of Wyoming. 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. Rockhounding Wyoming: A Guide to the State's Best Rockhounding Sites $24.95 This title will be released on July 1, 2023. Its water has provided food and habitat for humans and wildlife . Interesting sedimentary features near Adobe Town, WY: 7.) You can probably find it just about anywhere in the area, though I had good success looking along the eastern flank of Black Rock. In the Casper Mountains, you can find chromite, feldspar minerals, or beryl. Black jade can be found in Fremont County as well. Wyoming is home to Yellowstone National Park, which spans over 2 million acres. Continue on the main path to Winton, Follow it. Thanks!! The Sand Creek and Red Buttes areas of Albany County are full of sedimentary rocks. There are several excellent rockhound locations all throughout the state. . Beryl, columbite-tantalite, copper minerals, feldspar minerals, lithium minerals, magnetite, manganese minerals, and mica minerals may be found in Copper Mountain in Fremont County. 1.) I spent about an hour at this location, and . These are mostly comprised of old mining prospects, washes, streams, and historically known rock and mineral collecting sites. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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. 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. This is a great resource for anyone who loves rockhounding, from beginners to experts alike! 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. In Johnson County, located in the north-central part of Wyoming, you can find agate. Atlantic City, area stream gravels, draws, etc. Buy on Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. google_color_border="1B1B1B"; Sharktooth Ridge teeth and trace fossils near Rawlins, WY: 6.) See my Wyoming Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. Other great places to find opals are the Absaroka Mountains, which are in the area of northwest Wyoming, near Smith Creek in Carbon County, or near Lusk in Niobrara County. 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). Jades are present in Carbon County as well. So pack up your stuff, since once you read this, you might want to move to Wyoming and start rockhounding! The locations and information contained in this article are primarily derived from academic papers, online resources, and other outside sources. Most of the geodes in Wyoming tend to be lined with chalcedony, and more rarely with microcrystalline quartz. 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. 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 . Wyoming State Mineral & Gem Society Most of the collectible material in the area is in the quartz family. If its sapphires you fancy, you may want to check out Grizzly Creek and Sweeny Basin. Also explore the WSMGS Topic Library for articles such as The Medicine Bow Mountains are excellent places to find slate, galena, beryl, barite, and platinum-sperrylite. Go to Albany County, since agates are commonly found near Marshall, located in northwestern Albany. I hope this will make it a bit easier to find information on my Wyoming rockhounding pages. PurpleCamping, international trips; excursions. 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. Garnets near Custer google_ad_format="120x240_as"; Anyway, follow that Jeep trail down toward the bottom, where it first starts getting pretty flat, and youll find a ton of fossils. If you want to dig for gems in Wyoming, Amethyst Mountain would be an excellent place to start. Some areas appear to have kimberlite, though we havent used a diamond detector yet. Specimens may become depleted from other collectors, the location may have been built on or altered, locality information in literature may be inaccurate, and property ownership may have changed hands. | The majority of these locations are my interpretation of Robert Bestes A Location Guide for Rock Hounds in the United States. Quartz crystals are relatively abundant in the feldspar pits just south of Laramie. Rockhound Trip report spring 2008. 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. google_ad_type="text_image"; Winton petrified wood near Rock Springs, WY: 5.) 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. See my details at this link. If youre really nice and want a piece, maybe Ill send you some. Check out my article about how to identify a geode. Some people say that they have a lot of success near the reservoir, but this hasnt been too true for my family. 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. Becoming a member of one or more clubs or societies comes with a wealth of benefits. It is going to take me a while to get all the locations in here. The Riverton Mineral and Gem Society is an organization for people of all ages and experience levels. I enjoy collecting and tumbling rocks with my daughter and traveling the world with my wife seeing geologic wonders. The Triceratops was designated as the official state dinosaur of Wyoming in 1994, while the Knightia Fish gained the status of state fossil in 1987. In the charred areas with coal youll find petrified wood. I recommend walk-in access via the Radio Creek Road starting at a pullout located here. Wyoming is perhaps most well known for its world-class National Parks like Yellowstone and Grand Teton. While Yellowstone makes the list for being one of the top rockhounding locations in Wyoming, unfortunately, rockhounding is not permitted there. Black Rock itself is ultrapotassic and in the past (and even still now), shed peridot. You can also find agates a few miles west of Saratoga, Carbon County. That is partly because of about 50 percent of the state's public land. It will turn slightly left for a short, steep incline. No, this wont make you rich. Phosphate rock is also located here. I encourage you to check them out if you are curious about the legalities of rock and mineral collecting. You can get an individual or family club membership at a low rate. Also lots of buzzworms. You can find them in volcanic conglomerates in the Tertiary rocks of the southern part of the Absaroka Mountains of northwest Wyoming. 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. These include allanite, beryl, calcite-aragonite, columbite-tantalite, cordierite, feldspar minerals such as orthoclase, plagioclase, galena, graphite, kyanite, magnetite, manganese minerals, mica minerals, uranium minerals, and varieties of quartz. It should be no surprise that there are several rockhound societies in Wyoming worth checking into. Note: stramatolites can be found in some washes at the base of the Pryors nearby. The majority of national parks located in the U.S. prohibit gem hunting/rockhounding. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "rockhoundreso-20"; google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; google_color_text="FFFFFF"; If you are interested in checking out the best book about rockhounding in Wyoming you can find it by clickinghere(Amazon link). Rockhounds have several excellent locations to choose from in Wyoming. We wont be over that area probably until June but I like to plan ahead. Member Clubs can be found in Casper, Big Piney, Cody, Cheyenne, Gillette, Riverton, Powell, and Torrington. Lets dig in! The ants use them for construction material. Maps showing the location of public lands in Wyoming can be obtained from In the Absaroka Mountains, you may discover opal, galena, or molybdenite. Where are the best places for rockhounding in Wyoming? The Sublette County Rock Hounds Club is relatively new to the scene of formal rockhound organizations. Select locations particularly the tailings of old mines are prime spots for specimens of minerals like azurite, malachite, beryl, tourmaline, and garnet. Check out recommended tools for rockhounding here:Recommended tools and equipment for rockhounding, What Rocks Are Good For Tumbling? To determine what type of public land a particular location is on, I would recommend starting with the Wyoming Game & Fish Departments Public Access Summary. As you google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Wyoming rockhounding map on Google maps click link below. Gemstones are some of the most enjoyable specimens that rockhounds can find, but its not always easy to know where to look. You may also find gold along with parts of the Snake River in the southern part of Jackson Hole, northwest Wyoming. While there may have been changes in hours of public viewing, business location and/or other Thank you for your reply! NOTE! Proceed up canyon dirt road (12) until you reach the top plateau and it is flat. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. From beginners to advanced collectors, everyone will find something in Wyoming! Let me know if this is useful or if I can improve it in any way! Some of the more unique specimens you may be interested in are Turritella agates and nephrite jade which can both be found in relative abundance if you look in the right places. 17. Pegmatite and sedimentary rocks such as bentonite are also found in Johnson County. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; Rockhounds might find pegmatite within the Bighorn Range in Natrona County, while igneous rocks like pumice-pumice in the Split Rock area. It will help show how non-descript the host is. Despite the otherwise impressive rockhounding in Wyoming, geodes are a fairly rare occurrence in the state. 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 best rockhounding locations in the United States include the Oregon Beaches, Lake Superior, Crater of Diamonds State Park, Emerald Hollow Mine, Jade Cove Trail, Gold Prospecting Adventure, Fossil Butte National Monument, Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine, Spectrum Sunstone Mine, or Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine. google_color_link="000000"; A lock ( Fossilized leaves near Miles City, MT: 2.) Since rockhounds are highly prize geodes, we have made a special section on where to find these sedimentary rocks in Wyoming. The Absaroka Mountains are an excellent place to explore. Post navigation. 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. 5 Crucial Signs, Gemstone & Crystal Properties (Quick Study Home), Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals (National Geographic Kids), Difference Between Real & Fake Geodes: Focus on These Signs, What Is Agate And How Do Agates Form? Do NOT attempt unless dry. google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; But where else can rockhounds explore, and what can they find? BTW: Do you want to know more about rock and mineral identification? 08-07-11 Elusive Wyoming fluorite specimens. Most of the gold produced in Wyoming comes from the Atlantic City-South Pass-Sweetwater district. This way I can make arrangements to make trip as enjoyable and stress free as possible. The pyroxene group of minerals is confined to Precambrian rocks and the Tertiary volcanic rocks of the Absaroka Mountains and Yellowstone National Park. Still, if you know where to look you may be able to find one for your collection. Tip: Check out my Complete Rock Tumbling Guide to make your rocks and gemstones really shine! 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. TIP:Feldspar minerals are very common in Wyoming. Wyoming is also noted for its abundance of discovered meteorites. Late Tertiary welded tuffs are known to crop out in Yellowstone, while volcanic breccia is typical here. Now lets look at what sedimentary rocks are found in Wyoming. Johnson County is located in north-central Wyoming. Natrona County is located in central Wyoming, and it is another excellent county when it comes to rocks or minerals. The state fossil Knightia-fish is located in the Green Fiver Formation of Wyoming. I am uploading a couple of pictures that my friend Henri took of me hunting it with his kids. Some of the most prominent metamorphic rocks in Wyoming are gneiss, marble, quartzite, schist, and slate, among many others. Is the watermelon rock you mentioned in article of the tourmaline family? Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. google_ad_height=600; Hello, I am John.As a little boy, I was fascinated by stones and liked to take them home. Their annual Mineral and Gem Show is a massive hit with members and anyone interested in the field of topics. //-->,