Where to Find Agate in Nevada

Nevada has 11 mapped collecting spots that report agate, spread across 7 counties. The largest share sits in Esmeralda County with 2 spots. 8 of the spots are on land mapped as publicly accessible.

Spot list checked against source data on April 1, 2026.

Standout agate spots in Nevada

Hand-picked from the full list below, with the reason each one earns a trip.

Coaldale
Esmeralda County
Coaldale is a useful Esmeralda County silica locality because the candidate data points to agate, chert, hyalite opal, jasper, and turquoise in a compact desert area.
Virgin Valley
Humboldt County
Virgin Valley is the United States' classic black-opal district, with USGS and Mindat both placing the opal field near the Oregon line in the Sheldon refuge country.
Fernley Hills
Lyon County
Fernley Hills is a practical western Nevada silica stop, with Mindat records documenting agate, chalcedony, opal, quartz, and zeolite minerals in the Fernley area.
Black Rock Desert
Pershing County
Black Rock Desert belongs on the list because the collecting context is an enormous BLM-managed volcanic and basin landscape rather than a single small pit.

Best counties for agate in Nevada

Ranked by the number of mapped agate spots. County links open the full rockhounding page for that county.

Every agate spot we track in Nevada

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Lahontan ReservoirKaren Road	Churchill County	Agate Chalcedony Jasper Petrified Wood	39.4476, -119.0493	Permission
CoaldaleVeterans Memorial Highway	Esmeralda County	Agate Chert Hyalite Opal Jasper Turquoise	38.0299, -117.8794	Public
Veterans Memorial HighwayVeterans Memorial Highway	Esmeralda County	Agate Petrified Wood Chalcedony	38.0251, -117.7848	Public
Agate Point	Humboldt County	Agate Chalcedony Chert Flint Jasper	41.7504, -118.3357	Public
Virgin Valley	Humboldt County	Agate Chalcedony Chert Flint Jasper Opal Silicified Lignite Opalized Wood +1 more	41.8302, -119.0002	Permission
FernleyUS 50 ALT;US 95 ALT	Lyon County	Agate	39.5315, -119.2342	Public
Fernley Hills	Lyon County	Agate Chert Jasper	39.5336, -119.1566	Public
Walker Lake	Mineral County	Agate Chalcedony Fossils Petrified Wood Turquoise	38.7849, -118.7425	Permission
Black Rock Desert	Pershing County	Opalized Wood Petrified Wood Agate Fire Opal Geode Gypsum Obsidian Tourmaline +4 more	40.8859, -119.0567	Public
GerlachOld State Route 34	Washoe County	Agate Silicified Wood	40.6650, -119.3701	Public
Sparks	Washoe County	Agate Garnet Idocrase Obsidian	39.5483, -119.6706	Public

Before you go

Read the agate identification guide so you know what a keeper looks like in the field: Agate in the encyclopedia.

Agate in Nevada FAQ

Where can you find agate in Nevada?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Esmeralda County, Humboldt County, and Lyon County. Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many agate spots are mapped in Nevada?+

11 spots across 7 counties. The RockHoundR app keeps the same spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, and your saved finds.

Is it legal to collect agate in Nevada?+

Hand collecting of common rocks and minerals in small amounts for personal use is generally allowed on BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are closed to collecting. 8 of the 11 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find agate

More minerals to hunt in Nevada

Hunt agate in Nevada with the map in your pocket

RockHoundR puts these spots on an offline map with BLM and Forest Service overlays, geology layers, and a log for your finds.

Standout agate spots in Nevada

Coaldale

Virgin Valley

Fernley Hills

Black Rock Desert