This new version of the guide arranges the sites into counties and regions, with a different chapter for each county. It is the responsibility of each rockhound to obtain permission from a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property. Wyoming is home to some incredible jade specimens, mainly of the classes nephrite and jadeite. 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. google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; Ammonite-like fossils, kimberlite, etc. The specimens found here vary from blue, and light gray, to deep colors such as violet. WSMGS Affiliated Clubs when planning your visit. Ill be adding to this in the coming years. Rockhounding Site And Information Near Me (Clickable Map) - Rock Seeker Rockhounding Site And Information Near Me (Clickable Map) Must Have! Below you will find maps published by the Wyoming State Geological Survey. Rockhounds might find pegmatite within the Bighorn Range in Natrona County, while igneous rocks like pumice-pumice in the Split Rock area. Use this resource as a guide to get you started. google_color_link="000000"; ArcGIS login. Gemstones are some of the most enjoyable specimens that rockhounds can find, but its not always easy to know where to look. In the table down below, you can see what other minerals can be found in Wyoming, and their exact locations. The minerals listed above are among the most famous in Wyoming; however, Wyoming is full of other minerals. If you explore the highway cut north of Laramie, you might find meteorites. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; Youll learn so much and get the experience you might miss out on if you were on your own. In Wyoming, nearly all 18 million acres of public land are legal for gem enthusiasts to pursue their recreational activities. Sweetwater County is located in the southwestern part of Wyoming. 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. Many other varieties of agates, jasper, petrified and opalized wood are also very commonly found in gravels and washes all over the state. Also explore the WSMGS Topic Library for articles such as 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 club started in 2016 and has been growing in numbers ever since. Bula, yall! 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. For reference, Ive explored both directions in a small, Cheep Patriot [sic]. BTW: Check out this amazing metal sign (Amazon link) which is perfect for everyone who loves rockhounding in Wyoming! In the Absaroka Mountains, you may discover opal, galena, or molybdenite. This area was explored by a South African diamond company briefly but nothing came of it. Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. And of course, nephrite jade can be found in such abundance that it is Wyomings state gemstone. HOME Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. 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. This is a great resource for anyone who loves rockhounding, from beginners to experts alike! PurpleCamping, international trips; excursions. Other sources include: North Carolina Rockhounding Location Guide & Map, Montana Rockhounding Location Guide & Map. The state fossil Knightia-fish is located in the Green Fiver Formation of Wyoming. However, there are no charges for attending club-led outings, and you dont have to be a resident of Wyoming to join. Though there are many locations listed here, this list is far from exhaustive. Some areas appear to have kimberlite, though we havent used a diamond detector yet. hobby, or education. You can also find other types of agates like moss agate and Sweetwater agate, another variety that is unique to the state of Wyoming. If youre really nice and want a piece, maybe Ill send you some. LockA locked padlock Welcome to the Wyoming State Geological Survey Interpreting the past, providing for the future. 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. Is the watermelon rock you mentioned in article of the tourmaline family? Introduction 1. Its located in the southern part of the state, with Albany on its eastern side. Post navigation. , 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 majority of these locations are my interpretation of Robert Bestes A Location Guide for Rock Hounds in the United States. The majority of counties in Wyoming contain numerous minerals, rocks, gemstones, and fossils. 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. google_ad_type="text_image"; This is one of the best family-friendly rockhounding locations in the entire country, where you can spend all day searching for you own diamonds. You can find agate, allanite, lithium minerals, magnetite, manganese minerals, uranium minerals, and bentonite. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; Late Tertiary welded tuffs are known to crop out in Yellowstone, while volcanic breccia is typical here. 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. Copyright 2022 Rockhound Resource | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Greybull, area washes and draws btwn Big Horn River and Mountains, Lovell, E to Big Horn Mountains in draws and washes, Fremont County, all regional washes and draws. Members can participate in outings, monthly meetings and be a part of a fantastic rockhounding community. Agate, calcite-aragonite, copper minerals, and uranium minerals are found in Park County, located in the northwestern part of Wyoming. TOP As you tour the State of Wyoming, feel free to contact any of the Precambrian metamorphic rocks are abundant in Wyoming. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Please respect the claim owners rights and stay off active claims withoutpermission. Fossil Mountain & Darby Wind Cave near Jackson, WY: 8.) So, this saves us precious time. This bundle of information includes a book, videos, and online tools. Fort Bridger, area gravels, streams, washes, etc. The 12 Best Places to See Lava (With Helpful Tips) I f you are a rockhound and don't live in Wyoming, you may want to move here! google_ad_height=600; Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. The True Worth of Agates. However, anywhere in the area around Black Rock should be good, and maybe to the west, too, which I havent checked yet. 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. Gold can also be found in Park County, specifically the Wood River and Sunlight Basin areas. 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. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "aac5e87b1ca95eb9841c18e11fbbd48f"; I cant tell you exactly where to go due to land-access issues. Feldspar vs. Quartz: Whats the Difference? Cryptocrystalline quartz varieties like agate, jasper, chalcedony, and petrified wood are prevalent over much of the region. 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. Only very minor surface mining has been done here. Ammonite-like fossils, kimberlite, etc. . So where to rockbound in Wyoming, and what can you find? 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. I lost service and I dont think I went to the exact location because I didnt see much there. That was a joke. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Agates also happen to be some of the most commonly collected rocks in the United States, including Wyoming. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases with no additional costs for you. Proceed up canyon dirt road (12) until you reach the top plateau and it is flat. So pack up your stuff, since once you read this, you might want to move to Wyoming and start rockhounding! (Said Kimm-ur.). The Sublette County Rock Hounds Club is relatively new to the scene of formal rockhound organizations. (Rough Draft, 05/02/2021 Revision), Hiking and Adventure Map (Work in Progress). If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below. Most of the geodes in Wyoming tend to be lined with chalcedony, and more rarely with microcrystalline quartz. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; 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. Knightia Fish fossils are primarily uncovered in the Green River Formation of Wyoming. But sometimes you can mistake feldspar with quartz. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "rockhoundreso-20"; See my Wyoming Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. 17. You can buy ithere(Amazon link). TIP:Agates are one of the most popular minerals among rockhounds in the United States. A relatively large area between Labarge and Granger, Lincoln, Sweetwater, and Uinta Counties also contains chalcedony. If you are interested in checking out the best book about rockhounding in Wyoming you can find it by clickinghere(Amazon link). Objective is to get to Road 4412. Rockhounding Locations in WY, MT; UT. Sublette County, located in western Wyoming, is noted for jade findings. 1.) You can also find agates a few miles west of Saratoga, Carbon County. ), let me know. I will as usual get a BLM map and make necessary calls for sure after reading reply. In the Casper Mountains, you can find chromite, feldspar minerals, or beryl. Sharktooth Ridge teeth and trace fossils near Rawlins, WY: 6.) The higher hills to the west (the mesas and buttes) are all ultrapotassic and mafic rocks. 15. Rockhounding in Wyoming is a great way to discover the states diverse geology and fossilized wildlife. Peridot in ant hills and arroyos near Black Rock Butte. Meteorites have been found on a highway cut north of Laramie. Monthly educational meetings are held during the autumn and winter on the second Monday of every month. As for what you should be looking for, the following link provides better examples than I have (since Im on my phone). And if you have any tips (Ill keep your finds a secret! Wyoming Rockhound Locations Wyoming is among the top rockhounding locations in the United States. As you can see, opals are found in many places in Wyoming, so let us dive into where to find chalcedony in Wyoming. Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution. The ants use them for construction material. What a great reason to go rockhounding. If you want to know more about rockhounding in Wyoming or you prefer paper books, I recommend buying the book Rockhounding Wyoming: A Guide to the States Best Rockhounding Sites (2nd Edition). google_ad_type="text_image"; 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. Some people say that they have a lot of success near the reservoir, but this hasnt been too true for my family. If opals are something you hope to find, check around Smith Creek. 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. Rockhounding in Wyoming never seems to let down rockhounds. I'm starting with the most popular and working my way to the more obscure. 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. google_color_link="000000"; On top of that, weve created a resource page to assist with answering all of your gem and mineral collecting questions. Rainbow agates are plentiful in the Wind River near Riverton, Fremont County. A quick jaunt down a nice dirt road brings you to the overlook, which is marked with a sign. A single column may be searched using the blank field at the top of each column. The Sierra Madre Mountains are noted for their jade findings too. Turritella agates are most commonly found in southwest Wyoming, especially near the town of Granger. Some icons at default view contain 5+ hikes when zoomed in. The entire region boasts many outcrops of bentonites, which are ash clay layers left over from ancient volcanic activity. Wall of crystals found hiking Big Balls of Cowtown Trail. 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. The Bridger Formation in areas north of Wamsutter, Sweetwater County, and in an area north and east of Farson, Sweetwater, and Sublette counties, the western half of the Bighorn Basin of Bighorn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie Counties, or the Steamboat Mountain in the Leucite Hills. 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. Go to Albany County, since agates are commonly found near Marshall, located in northwestern Albany. Gator Girl Rocks provides useful information about It looks as though theres something interesting around every bend within every county. 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 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, 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).