The Hot Park Area is near the Sierra Madre Mountains, and barite is commonly found a few miles southwest of Encampment. Fish fossils and some shark teeth near Farson, WY: 13.) TIP: Geodes can form anywhere in the world, but they do not form at random. Fossils in Sanders County, MT: 4.) 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. google_ad_format="120x600_as"; Wall of crystals found hiking Big Balls of Cowtown Trail. 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. Calcite for making lamps and also nice bots in roadside cut near Lander. I found this book very useful and clearly written. Hi!! In fact, Wyoming is home to a unique variety of agate called Turritella agate that is extremely popular with local collectors. On top of that, weve created a resource page to assist with answering all of your gem and mineral collecting questions. google_ad_width=120; Wyoming State Geological Survey Wyoming is perhaps most well known for its world-class National Parks like Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Black Rock itself is ultrapotassic and in the past (and even still now), shed peridot. Clear chalcedony and vein moss agate occur along this countys outcrops of the Bridger Formation. What a great reason to go rockhounding. This is where the famous Yellowstone National Park is located, which stretches for more than 2 million acres. Triceratops fossils are mostly found in the Hell Creek Formation in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, eastern Wyoming. 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. Down below is where you will find out where to find gold, fossils, and petrified wood in Wyoming. So pack up your stuff, since once you read this, you might want to move to Wyoming and start rockhounding! 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. The Rocky Mountain area, the Encampment district in Carbon County, Hartville district, Platte County, the Copper Mountain district, Precambrian pegmatites in Fremont and Natrona Counties, the Black Mountain, and the Copper Mountain, The Eocene Wind River formation of the Gas Hills area, Fremont and Natrona Counties, the Shirley Basin area of Carbon County, the Fall River, and Lakota sandstones in the Black Hills area of Crook County, The Casper Mountain, Natrona County, Haystack Range, Goshen County, Laramie Range, Albany, and Laramie Counties, In Albany, Fremont, Johnson, Natrona, Washakie, and Weston Counties, north of Sundance in the Warren Peaks area of Crook County, In the Laramie Range, Albany and Platte Counties, the southern part of the Medicine Bow Range, Albany and Carbon Counties, the Copper Mountain area, The western half of the Bighorn Basin, of Bighorn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie Counties, the area between Labarge and Granger, Lincoln, Sweetwater, and Uinta Counties. If you want to find geodes in Wyoming, you should look for places with many sedimentary rocks, such as in the beds of the conglomerate, which crop out throughout the state. Buy on Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Wyoming is home to Yellowstone National Park, which spans over 2 million acres. what are the host rocks associated with watermelon rock and the labradorite? Some areas appear to have kimberlite, though we havent used a diamond detector yet. 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. The state fossil Knightia-fish is located in the Green Fiver Formation of Wyoming. (DO NOT TAKE ANY FOSSILS! Do NOT attempt unless dry. Here, rockhounds can find agates. Use caution. Pegmatite and sedimentary rocks such as bentonite are also found in Johnson County. The majority of counties in Wyoming contain numerous minerals, rocks, gemstones, and fossils. Member Clubs can be found in Casper, Big Piney, Cody, Cheyenne, Gillette, Riverton, Powell, and Torrington. In the Casper Mountains, you can find chromite, feldspar minerals, or beryl. 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. It looks as though theres something interesting around every bend within every county. Some people say that they have a lot of success near the reservoir, but this hasnt been too true for my family. 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. I lost service and I dont think I went to the exact location because I didnt see much there. In Johnson County, located in the north-central part of Wyoming, you can find agate. Geologic mapping of the Phantom Lake quadrangle in Carbon County is available. . Should I be digging ? Belemnites and other fossils near Bridger, MT: 4.) In the table down below, you can see what other minerals can be found in Wyoming, and their exact locations. You never know what type of crystals or patterns youre going to find inside and it makes them incredibly exciting. Its water has provided food and habitat for humans and wildlife . Find out more in the article below:Difference Between Real & Fake Geodes: Focus on These Signs. 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). Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The counties are alphabetized, and within each county the locations are . You can probably find it just about anywhere in the area, though I had good success looking along the eastern flank of Black Rock. My best to you and your family. 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. The entire region boasts many outcrops of bentonites, which are ash clay layers left over from ancient volcanic activity. The higher hills to the west (the mesas and buttes) are all ultrapotassic and mafic rocks. Jade can be found in the Sweetwater River district southeast of the Wind River Mountains in Fremont County. Not a member of this organization? google_color_bg="1B1B1B"; However, that hasnt limited their successful innovation and progress. See my hikes in to this area in the early spring, middle-summer, and late summer. TOP The Rockhounding Wyoming guide book lists a spot just south of Cody. The clamber down through the woods and thicket is well worth the spectacular site of the mountainous, artesian well. Here you can also find agatized and opalized wood, while agates are common a few miles west of Saratoga. In Sweetwater County, west of Wamsutter along the old road to Baggs, the Green River Basin is plentiful in agates. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; Western Wyoming is hard to beat if youre a rockhound. 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. Feldspar vs. Quartz: Whats the Difference? Make a right on it. Exploring the Laramie Mountain Range can lead to finding specimens like amphibole, epidote, plagioclase minerals, garnet, magnetite, and mica. 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? This place is located in the south part of Wyoming, and Albany County is located on its eastern side. Follow the dirt roads toward and past the water tower on the ridge. Bookmarked. I recommend walk-in access via the Radio Creek Road starting at a pullout located here. google_ad_format="120x240_as"; Obsidian is plentiful in Wyoming, especially abundant in Yellowstone National Park, where the Obsidian Cliff is located in the northwest part of the Park. The Absaroka Mountains are an excellent place to explore. Of special note, a very interesting surge-flow outlet for a creek is found in the V section of the road by the pullout. Membership is only $15 for adults 18 and up. Use caution, be respectful, and play by whatever the rules are now. Many other varieties of agates, jasper, petrified and opalized wood are also very commonly found in gravels and washes all over the state. Thats both an easy and challenging question since all of Wyoming is excellent for rockhounding enthusiasts. Members can expect various educational speakers and a lot of group interaction. We are using my Subaru forester. Knightia Fish fossils are primarily uncovered in the Green River Formation of Wyoming. This article will dive deeper into the many great rockhounding sites across the state (along with maps), but Id like to highlight a few standouts here. 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. as well as detailed information that will interest any rockhound. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; That is partly because of about 50 percent of the state's public land. Volcanic type agates or chalcedony usually occur in stream gravels in the western half of the Bighorn Basin, of Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie Counties as well. Rockhounding Wyoming by Kenneth Graham. 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. Is the watermelon rock you mentioned in article of the tourmaline family? Pictures and notes on the fossils near Farson. google_color_text="FFFFFF"; google_color_url="FFFFFF"; The best place to start is in Yellowstone National Park. These public lands administered by the BLM are open to everyone to take limited amounts of rock material for noncommercial purposes without charge. This is a simple guide to my website. This area was explored by a South African diamond company briefly but nothing came of it. 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. 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. The best we have for GPS is cell phones. Phosphate rock is also located here. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; Rockhounds can find opal within the deposits associated with the parks hot springs. Go to Albany County, since agates are commonly found near Marshall, located in northwestern Albany. Agatized fossil shells near Rock Springs, WY: 14. We hope you enjoy your time on our site and come back often because were always adding new dig locations and crystal collecting updates. A locations listing here is not a guarantee of accuracy. You are sure welcome. NOTE! Most of the gold produced in Wyoming comes from the Atlantic City-South Pass-Sweetwater district. We have listed each type of crystal in separate sections since we know how much you love them. Hi Frank. Wyoming is home to some incredible jade specimens, mainly of the classes nephrite and jadeite. Since rockhounds are highly prize geodes, we have made a special section on where to find these sedimentary rocks in Wyoming. Enter your email address to subscribe to this the content of this site, some of which, we hear, is worthwhile. If you want to dig for gems in Wyoming, Amethyst Mountain would be an excellent place to start. Petrified wood is also found in the Early Basic Breccia of Eocene age, in the Specimen Ridge and the Amethyst Mountains area of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. 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. The best place to rockhound in Wyoming is Fremont County where you can find nephrite jade and Turritella agates in relative abundance. Wyoming is home to a large array of rocks and minerals that will be of interest to the collector, some of which are fairly unique to the area. (Said Kimm-ur.). Rocks there have a different variety of lab than down below. Monthly educational meetings are held during the autumn and winter on the second Monday of every month. Petrified wood can be found in the Amethyst Mountains area of Yellowstone as well. Proceed up canyon dirt road (12) until you reach the top plateau and it is flat. Its located in the southern part of the state, with Albany on its eastern side. Now that you know where to find agates in Wyoming, lets see where you can find the official state gemstone of Wyoming, the famous nephrite variant of jade. Its an excellent society that provides education and experience to its members. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Youll see a lot of shining material along the tops of the exposure, but unless you really want some trona, you can ignore it. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. google_color_border="1B1B1B"; To gain permits for rockhounding in Wyoming, please check the BLM website here. at Cedar Mountain. Find out where to find minerals in Wyoming down below. Check out the table below to find where to find the more important metamorphic rocks in the state of Wyoming. //-->, , Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. High-clearance only. Beryl, columbite-tantalite, copper minerals, feldspar minerals, lithium minerals, magnetite, manganese minerals, and mica minerals may be found in Copper Mountain in Fremont County. LOCATIONS FOR ROCKHOUNDING IN WYOMING Includes descriptions and maps. google_ad_height=600; I am wondering what it looks like on top of canyon. They are most commonly found in gravels and the clays lining nearby streams. You can also find agates a few miles west of Saratoga, Carbon County. Wyoming Rockhound Locations Wyoming is among the top rockhounding locations in the United States. Gator Girl Rocks provides useful information about Let me know if this is useful or if I can improve it in any way! 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. here. popular museums of interest to rockhounders, places to visit, and rockhounding sites for children and families. Pictures and notes on the fossils near Farson. If youre looking to start collecting rocks in Wyoming, agates are a great place to start. Rock Hound Etiquette 7. I'm Mike Rhea, and I'm a professional Geologist with a passion for rocks, minerals, and everything related to Geology. I am in Farson WY and went to check out the fish fossil/shark tooth location listed. A quick jaunt down a nice dirt road brings you to the overlook, which is marked with a sign. You can probably find it just about anywhere in the area, though I had good success looking along the eastern flank of Black Rock. Map of the area. You can find pegmatites in the Haystack Range of Goshen County. That said, lab is pretty much a plagioclase feldspar. Rockhounding Wyoming: A Guide to the State's Best Rockhounding Sites $24.95 This title will be released on July 1, 2023. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Wyoming is full of jades, mostly of the nephrite class, and the jadeite class, which sounds like something out of Star Wars. The ants use them for construction material. Cryptocrystalline quartz varieties like agate, jasper, chalcedony, and petrified wood are prevalent over much of the region. Thanks again for this site. An official website of the United States government. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Wyoming State Geological Survey That is partly because of about 50 percent of the states public land. 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.
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