This collecting area contains several lithum enriched pegmatites. 17. You can buy ithere(Amazon link). Albany County is located in the bottom easter part of Wyoming, having its border with the northern Colorado state line. google_ad_format="120x240_as"; I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Winton petrified wood near Rock Springs, WY: 5.) Gold can also be found in Park County, specifically the Wood River and Sunlight Basin areas. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; Western Wyoming is hard to beat if youre a rockhound. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; 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. Pictures and notes on the fossils near Farson. Obsidian is abundant in Yellowstone, with the most famous location being the Obsidian Cliff, located in the northwest part of the Park. Rockhounds can find all sorts of rocks and minerals, including: A look around the Wood River and Sunlight Basin areas can potentially lead to finding gold. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; In that case, you might want to explore the Kortes Dam area and the Sierra Madre Mountains. Obsidian isnt listed here since we know how much rockhounds love this igneous rock, so let us talk about obsidian separately. Rockhounding Wyoming - geology.com It should be no surprise that there are several rockhound societies in Wyoming worth checking into. That was a joke. If you are a rockhound and don't live in Wyoming, you may want to move here! It looks as though theres something interesting around every bend within every county. 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, Zirkel Mesa to the west is actually remnants of exposed cinder cone volcanoes; the cinders can be found at Black Rock, too. 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. Its water has provided food and habitat for humans and wildlife . 05-01-11 Water line and fortification agate and calcite geodes and selenite phew!! You can find plenty of minerals in Wyoming, especially in the mountains, such as Casper Mountain, Absaroka Mountain, Laramie Range, or Medicine Bow Range. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. This area is very close to Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite. , 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". Public access with nice walk in. what are the host rocks associated with watermelon rock and the labradorite? Geologic Map of Phantom Lake Quadrangle. 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. If youre looking to start collecting rocks in Wyoming, agates are a great place to start. You never know what type of crystals or patterns youre going to find inside and it makes them incredibly exciting. If you want to find sapphires in Fremont, you should go to Grizzly Creek and Sweeny Basin. I have created guides for every U.S. state including thousands of rockhounding sites - and continue to add more every day. The Great Wyoming Rockhounding Page!! - Google google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; Ill be adding to this in the coming years. google_ad_height=240; The locations and information contained in this article are primarily derived from academic papers, online resources, and other outside sources. Geodes can also reportedly be found in gravels in the southern reaches of the Absaroka mountain range. 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. 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. Triceratops fossils are mostly found in the Hell Creek Formation in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, eastern Wyoming. 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. Phosphate rock is also located here. It will turn slightly left for a short, steep incline. Bookmarked. At the same time, some reports of meteorite findings are also standard in this region. Blue forest petrified wood near Granger, WY: 11.) Keep me signed in. Can You Collect Rocks in State Parks? All 50 States Answered 11 Essential Rock Tumbling Tips - Get Better Results! Rock Hound Etiquette 7. The sapphire specimens found in the Canyon vary from blue and light grey to deeper colors, including violet. Places to Expore in Wyoming | Wyoming State Mineral and Gem Society 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. I am uploading a couple of pictures that my friend Henri took of me hunting it with his kids. Check out my article about how to identify a geode. Goshen County is located in the southeastern end of Wyoming. The best we have for GPS is cell phones. Jades are present in Carbon County as well. These rockhounding sights of Wyoming are mostly on public land but a good. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Black Rock itself is ultrapotassic and in the past (and even still now), shed peridot. The best place to find geodes in Wyoming is in Box Elder Canyon near the town of Glenrock. was featured in the November 2012 issue of Jade State News. 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. 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. Congleton Hollow; Glass Buttes; Maury Mountain; Pigeon Springs; Skokomish River; . 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. This is a great resource for anyone who loves rockhounding, from beginners to experts alike! Places such as Fremont, Washakie, Sweetwater, Carbon, or Natrona County are where you can find jade, which is Wyomings official state gemstone. 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. Utah Rockhounding 3.0.kmz - Google My Maps In the Casper Mountains, you can find chromite, feldspar minerals, or beryl. The specimens found here vary from blue, and light gray, to deep colors such as violet. Some of the most prominent metamorphic rocks in Wyoming are gneiss, marble, quartzite, schist, and slate, among many others. This book is a 6" x 9" paperback with 246 pages, descriptions, maps and photos. If you explore the highway cut north of Laramie, you might find meteorites. There is plenty of BLM and National Forest land to collect on in Wyoming which is, in general, open for public use. google_ad_format="120x600_as"; google_color_link="000000"; 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. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; google_ad_width=120; Rockhounding Locations in WY, MT; UT. (Rough Draft, 05/02/2021 Revision) If youre unsure where to start, try looking into some of Wyomings rockhound clubs and societies. If you are interested in checking out the best book about rockhounding in Wyoming you can find it by clickinghere(Amazon link). 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. Sharktooth Ridge teeth and trace fossils near Rawlins, WY: 6.) Youll learn so much and get the experience you might miss out on if you were on your own. Still, if you know where to look you may be able to find one for your collection. It is going to take me a while to get all the locations in here. 2. Find out more in the article below:Difference Between Real & Fake Geodes: Focus on These Signs. Sublette County, located in western Wyoming, is noted for its jade findings, while the mineral molybdenite is found in the Wind River Mountains. Agate, calcite-aragonite, copper minerals, and uranium minerals are found in Park County, located in the northwestern part of Wyoming. Rockhounding Near Me: Best Locations State-by-State (Map) It is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. or Forgot password? However, that hasnt limited their successful innovation and progress. Thats why I wrote an article about all helpful safety tips and more:PRO Tips for Beginner & Experienced Rockhounds + Safety Tips. Gator Girl Rocks provides useful information about Welcome to Wyoming Rockhounding Adventures, 2010 Rockhounding and mineral collecting reports, 03-27-10 Wyoming rock hounding agate and jasper, 04-23-10 Schrckingerite or schroeckingerite found at lost creek, 05-22-10 Riverton rockhound club field trip, 05-30-10 Orthoclase the other white crystal, 09-04-10 Wiggins fork moss agate petrified wood, 10-09-10 Malachite and azurite in the rain copper mountain part 3, 10-23-10 Azurite and malachite copper mountain pt4, 2011 Rockhounding and mineral collecting reports, 04-10-11 Schrckingerite or schroeckingerite found at lost creek part2. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; A relatively large area between Labarge and Granger, Lincoln, Sweetwater, and Uinta Counties also contains chalcedony. Rockhounding Locations in WY, MT; UT. The 12 Best Places to See Lava (With Helpful Tips) Rockhounding Locations - Google My Maps This is a simple guide to my website. This place is located in the south part of Wyoming, and Albany County is located on its eastern side. Simple Explanation. You can also find other types of agates like moss agate and Sweetwater agate, another variety that is unique to the state of Wyoming. Montana Rockhounding Location Guide & Map - Rockhound Resource Rockhounds have several excellent locations to choose from in Wyoming. As with most states, each county in Wyoming will have records of who owns each piece of property. Peridot in ant hills and arroyos near Black Rock Butte. However, there are no charges for attending club-led outings, and you dont have to be a resident of Wyoming to join. They were easy to dig out of formation, but even more easily were found eroded perfectly on the surface. Interesting sedimentary features near Adobe Town, WY: 7.) If you want to find gemstones, such as amethyst, a great place in Park County is Amethyst Mountain. Places for rockhounds to explore in Wyoming. Tom, this is an AMAZING resource. Wyoming State Geological Survey Anyway, follow that Jeep trail down toward the bottom, where it first starts getting pretty flat, and youll find a ton of fossils. You can find agate, allanite, lithium minerals, magnetite, manganese minerals, uranium minerals, and bentonite. Go to Albany County, since agates are commonly found near Marshall, located in northwestern Albany. 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. 5 Crucial Signs. On top of that, weve created a resource page to assist with answering all of your gem and mineral collecting questions. After a little bit it will split; right goes to Superior, and left goes to Winton. 44 is recommended for this ingress, but if you access it from the table to the east, 44 is required. Thats both an easy and challenging question since all of Wyoming is excellent for rockhounding enthusiasts. types. From beginners to advanced collectors, everyone will find something in Wyoming! The real gems that rockhounds are eager to get their hands on in Platte County are banded agates and drusy quartz specimens. It is located in the northwestern part of Wyoming, and you can find amethyst, opals, and many other types of valuable gems and minerals. The club started in 2016 and has been growing in numbers ever since. You can find them in volcanic conglomerates in the Tertiary rocks of the southern part of the Absaroka Mountains of northwest Wyoming. WSMGS Affiliated Clubs when planning your visit. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; Most of the collectible material in the area is in the quartz family. 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. If youre looking for individual hiking tracks (rather than single-point GPS data), please see my GaiaGPS page, which is hosted off-site, and is free. Peridot in ant hills and arroyos near Black Rock Butte. 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. Is the watermelon rock you mentioned in article of the tourmaline family? Interesting sedimentary features near Adobe Town, WY: 7.) Check back often as I add new places. The prominent minerals found in Wyoming are agates quite a variety of them, jades, opals, chalcedony, and other varieties of quartz crystals, among others. TIP: Opal is a one-of-a-kind, highly valuable gemstone. This new version of the guide arranges the sites into counties and regions, with a different chapter for each county. The higher hills to the west (the mesas and buttes) are all ultrapotassic and mafic rocks. Follow the four-wheeler track down the mountain and into the badlands below. You will find everything about rocks, minerals, and crystals here. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "rockhoundreso-20"; Bula, yall! Guide to Prospecting and Rock Hunting in Wyoming Thank you for your reply! 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. 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. 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? The majority of national parks located in the U.S. prohibit gem hunting/rockhounding. Rainbow agates have been found along the Wind River near Riverton. I f you are a rockhound and don't live in Wyoming, you may want to move here! Near the Sierra Madre Mountains, in the Hot Park Area, barite is commonly found, a couple of miles southwest of Encampment. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; 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. My little girl loves rocks now (gems and fossils both). But where else can rockhounds explore, and what can they find? 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. BTW: Check out this amazing metal sign (Amazon link) which is perfect for everyone who loves rockhounding in Wyoming! Rainbow agates are plentiful in the Wind River near Riverton, Fremont County. Google Maps google_ad_width=120; Winton petrified wood near Rock Springs, WY: 5.) We hope you enjoy your time on our site and come back often because were always adding new dig locations and crystal collecting updates. Fossils in the escarpment. WYOMING ROCKS AND MINERALS Description of the types of rocks and minerals found in wyoming. 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. However, lets talk about the 11 best places to rockhound in Wyoming. Fremont, Sweetwater, Washakie, Natrona, and Carbon Counties are all prime rockhound locations to find Jade. 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. //-->, Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. I am wondering what it looks like on top of canyon. Some areas appear to have kimberlite, though we havent used a diamond detector yet. TIP:Rockhounding is much easier when you use proper tools and equipment. To this general information we might add: The article Places to See Geologic Displays in Wyoming Member Clubs can be found in Casper, Big Piney, Cody, Cheyenne, Gillette, Riverton, Powell, and Torrington. Quartz crystals are relatively abundant in the feldspar pits just south of Laramie. Agates, copper minerals, uranium minerals, and calcite-aragonite can be found throughout Park County in northwestern Wyoming. Everyone enjoys the prospect of finding their very own geodes out in the wild, and its easy to see why. Exploring the Laramie Mountain Range can lead to finding specimens like amphibole, epidote, plagioclase minerals, garnet, magnetite, and mica. Rockhounding Wyoming by Kenneth Graham. A single column may be searched using the blank field at the top of each column. LOCATIONS FOR ROCKHOUNDING IN WYOMING Includes descriptions and maps. Here you can also find agatized and opalized wood, while agates are common a few miles west of Saratoga. In Wyoming, there is a wide variety of gemstones like jade, the states official gemstone, diamonds, sapphire, ruby, opal, peridot, iolite, agate, petrified wood, and quartz crystals. Black Hills, South Dakota: 1. We have listed each type of crystal in separate sections since we know how much you love them. The Sand Creek and Red Buttes areas of Albany County are full of sedimentary rocks. Fish fossils and some shark teeth near Farson, WY: 13.) Wyoming isnt just rich in rocks and minerals; it also has gold, fossils, and petrified wood. The Medicine Bow Mountains contain slate, platinum-sperrylite, galena, beryl, and barite. google_ad_format="120x240_as"; You are sure welcome. Veins of banded agate and drusy quartz occur in Mississippian limestone beds a few miles northwest of Guernsey, Platte County. 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. Cody 59ers Rock Club was established in 1959 to help promote and share knowledge surrounding rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils through field trips. I hope this will make it a bit easier to find information on my Wyoming rockhounding pages. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; See my Wyoming Rockhounding Location Guide for more places to rockhound. Gemstones are some of the most enjoyable specimens that rockhounds can find, but its not always easy to know where to look. Turritella agates are most commonly found in southwest Wyoming, especially near the town of Granger. Let me know if this is useful or if I can improve it in any way! 08-07-11 Elusive Wyoming fluorite specimens. google_ad_type="text_image"; Geology of WyomingCompile digital bedrock and surficial geologic maps at 1:100,000 scale for the state in order to revise the 1:500,000 scale geologic map of Wyoming and surficial geologic map of Wyoming. Similar to what you explained looking for topaz in the Thomas range. lol Thanks again! This website also participates in Google Adsense. Hello and thank you for posting this information. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; Forgot username? I will as usual get a BLM map and make necessary calls for sure after reading reply. Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution. Most of the gold produced in Wyoming comes from the Atlantic City-South Pass-Sweetwater district. These gemstones are found throughout Wyoming in Albany, Carbon, Natrona, Park, Platte, and Fremont Counties. 19. But sometimes you can mistake feldspar with quartz. To get you started on prospecting, the Wyoming State Geological Survey has prepared a Introduction 1. If you want to find sapphires, you may go to the Palmer Canyon in Albany, or go to Fremont, to the Grizzly Creek and Sweeny Basin. Moonshine Arch near Vernal, UT along with a dinosaur track site at Red Fleet: 10.) Continue on the main path to Winton, Follow it. Each of the included tracks will eventually have its own transcription of events.