I cant thank you enough! Simple Explanation. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; There are several excellent rockhound locations all throughout the state. Near the Sierra Madre Mountains, in the Hot Park Area, barite is commonly found, a couple of miles southwest of Encampment. A lot of theseWyomingrock collecting sights have mining claims that come and go. 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. The clamber down through the woods and thicket is well worth the spectacular site of the mountainous, artesian well. If you want to find sapphires in Fremont, you should go to Grizzly Creek and Sweeny Basin. Its an excellent society that provides education and experience to its members. 5 Crucial Signs. This is a great resource for anyone who loves rockhounding, from beginners to experts alike! I mention all this as it helps explain how to find the peridot. , 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". HowtoFindRocks.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I'm starting with the most popular and working my way to the more obscure. Ill be adding to this in the coming years. , , Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. It is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. And of course, nephrite jade can be found in such abundance that it is Wyomings state gemstone. 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. 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. If you are interested in checking out the best book about rockhounding in Wyoming you can find it by clickinghere(Amazon link). Peridot in ant hills and arroyos near Black Rock Butte. These gemstones are found throughout Wyoming in Albany, Carbon, Natrona, Park, Platte, and Fremont Counties. 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. Jade can be found in the Sweetwater River district southeast of the Wind River Mountains in Fremont County. See my details at this link. Fossils in Sanders County, MT: 4.) It will turn slightly left for a short, steep incline. My kid loved exploring it with me. Proceed up canyon dirt road (12) until you reach the top plateau and it is flat. If youre looking for gemstones and crystals, Wyoming is home to quite a few that will make good additions to your collection. Quartz crystals can also be found northeast of Buffalo and in Box Elder Canyon. Note: stramatolites can be found in some washes at the base of the Pryors nearby. If youre looking to start collecting rocks in Wyoming, agates are a great place to start. I mention all this as it helps explain how to find the peridot. 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). I would probably start by contacting the assessor in whatever county youre interested in and getting whatever contact information you can for the landowner. Phosphate rock is also located here. Luckily, Wyoming is a prime spot for hunting your own crystals and gemstones. We wont be over that area probably until June but I like to plan ahead. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases with no additional costs for you. 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. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Follow the four-wheeler track down the mountain and into the badlands below. When you look for it, it often just looks like ugly, whiteish or greyish rocks. google_ad_type="text_image"; 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 enjoy collecting and tumbling rocks with my daughter and traveling the world with my wife seeing geologic wonders. 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. . TIP:Rockhounding is much easier when you use proper tools and equipment. Cracking them open reminds me of opening a Kinder-Egg with a surprise toy inside. That is partly because of about 50 percent of the states public land. There is a limit to the number of specimens you can carry, which differs from site to site. TIP: Geodes can form anywhere in the world, but they do not form at random. The best place to start is in Yellowstone National Park. Petrified wood occurs in the Specimen Ridge and Amethyst Mountain area of Yellowstone. Sharktooth Ridge teeth and trace fossils near Rawlins, WY: 6.) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Rockhounds have several excellent locations to choose from in Wyoming. Each of the included tracks will eventually have its own transcription of events. Public access with nice walk in. Fort Bridger, area gravels, streams, washes, etc. Drive up the garbage road toward White Mountain and park near the area with the in-ground tank, then follow the trails west into the lower hills. After a little bit it will split; right goes to Superior, and left goes to Winton. Atlantic City, area stream gravels, draws, etc. The Sand Creek and Red Buttes areas of Albany County are full of sedimentary rocks. google_ad_height=240; Members can participate in outings, monthly meetings and be a part of a fantastic rockhounding community. as well as detailed information that will interest any rockhound. However, lets talk about the 11 best places to rockhound in Wyoming. Fossil Butte National Monument Cancel. The best we have for GPS is cell phones. Fossilized leaves near Miles City, MT: 2.) Enter your email address to subscribe to this the content of this site, some of which, we hear, is worthwhile. Still, if you know where to look you may be able to find one for your collection. amzn_assoc_asins = "B01IEX2TEO,B0002YWWVE,B08N41884X,B00A4H4ZQ4"; If you explore the highway cut north of Laramie, you might find meteorites. This way I can make arrangements to make trip as enjoyable and stress free as possible. ), let me know. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; Monthly educational meetings are held during the autumn and winter on the second Monday of every month. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; Rocks there have a different variety of lab than down below. However, anywhere in the area around Black Rock should be good, and maybe to the west, too, which I havent checked yet. 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. Black Rock itself is ultrapotassic and in the past (and even still now), shed peridot. Natrona County is located in central Wyoming, and it is another excellent county when it comes to rocks or minerals. Rockhounding in Wyoming is a great way to discover the states diverse geology and fossilized wildlife. 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. Wyoming is among the best rockhounding places in the U.S., and this is partly because around 50% of its lands are public! was featured in the November 2012 issue of Jade State News. You can also find agatized and opalized wood specimens here. 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. Many other varieties of agates, jasper, petrified and opalized wood are also very commonly found in gravels and washes all over the state. at Cedar Mountain. If opals are something you hope to find, check around Smith Creek. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below. Teepee Canyon Agates 13. Wyoming State Mineral & Gem Society However, anywhere in the area around Black Rock should be good, and maybe to the west, too, which I havent checked yet. google_color_link="000000"; Rockhounding is recognized as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all of the 18 million acres of public land in Wyoming. Quartz crystals are relatively abundant in the feldspar pits just south of Laramie. Albany County is home to some of the best rockhounding locations in Wyoming because there are various rock and mineral specimens, including: Sand Creek and the Red Buttes areas in Albany County are full of sedimentary rocks. Precambrian metamorphic rocks are abundant in Wyoming. The Hartville district in Platte County may contain some copper minerals, while the kyanite is found 23 miles southwest of Wheatland, Platte County. Make a right on it. Exploring the Laramie Mountain Range can lead to finding specimens like amphibole, epidote, plagioclase minerals, garnet, magnetite, and mica. There are many rockhounding clubs in Wyoming so you can most likely find one you like nearby. A lock ( Check out how valuable different types of opal can be in the article below:8 Factors Why Opal is Valuable (Prices for Different Types). 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. If you have limited time and want to have the best chance of success, you might prefer to use either of these private areas which have fees associated: Both are located near Kemmerer! A locations listing here is not a guarantee of accuracy. google_ad_height=600; Anyway, follow that Jeep trail down toward the bottom, where it first starts getting pretty flat, and youll find a ton of fossils. Files WYNF-0004_rockhounding (051418).pdf (PDF / 264 KB) Publication Date The Wiggins and Late Basic Breccia formations in the Absaroka Mountains of northwest Wyoming are also great for finding obsidian, but you should check the regulations before you attempt this. We are using my Subaru forester. 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. 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? Any tips would be great! Pictures and notes on the fossils near Farson. Rock Hound Etiquette 7. We are here for any questions or concerns that might arise about your adventures in mineral collecting. Map of the area. Where are the best places for rockhounding in Wyoming? may be of interest to rockhounds. Wyoming is home to some incredible jade specimens, mainly of the classes nephrite and jadeite. 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. Only very minor surface mining has been done here. 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. Turritella agates are most commonly found in southwest Wyoming, especially near the town of Granger. 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. ArcGIS login. It states that the road is very rough, and to not attempt it during a rain storm. Meteorites have been found on a highway cut north of Laramie. 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. That was a joke. 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. Wyoming rockhounding map on Google maps click link below. google_ad_format="120x240_as"; Here, rockhounds can find agates. You can also read through my free rock identification guide and mineral identification guide which are filled with useful information and tools. Sublette County, located in western Wyoming, is noted for its jade findings, while the mineral molybdenite is found in the Wind River Mountains. Since rockhounds are highly prize geodes, we have made a special section on where to find these sedimentary rocks in Wyoming. Wyoming is home to some incredible jade specimens, mainly of the classes nephrite and jadeite. . The Hot Park Area is near the Sierra Madre Mountains, and barite is commonly found a few miles southwest of Encampment. If you want to find sapphires, you may go to the Palmer Canyon in Albany. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. //-->,