Where to Find Chert
127 mapped chert spots across 32 regions in 2 countries. Pick a region for its local guide, or browse every spot below. Chert is reported at multiple rockhounding spots across the United States. The map below shows where collectors most often find it on legal public ground.
Every mapped chert spot
Best spotFlint RidgeLicking County, OhioPublic access · Agate, Amethyst, Carnelian +7
Best spotOmahaDouglas County, NebraskaPublic access · Banded Agate, Moss Agate, Chalcedony +5
Best spotGraves CountyGraves County, KentuckyPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +3
Best spotAlvaWoods County, OklahomaPermission required · Banded Agate, Moss Agate, Chalcedony +2
Best spotCimarron National GrasslandMorton County, KansasPublic access · Agate, Jasper, Chalcedony +2
Best spotBankhead National ForestWinston County, AlabamaPublic access · Quartz, Chert, Fossil +1
Best spotCrystal RiverCitrus County, FloridaPublic access · Calcite, Quartz, Chert +1
Best spotKansas River at LawrenceDouglas County, KansasPublic access · Lake Superior Agate, Agate, Chert +1
Best spotMandanMorton County, North DakotaPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +1
Best spotMount VernonRockcastle County, KentuckyPublic access · Chert, Jasper, Geode +1
Best spotTennessee River (Muscle Shoals)Colbert County, AlabamaPublic access · Chert, Fossil, Chalcedony +1
Best spotWayne CountyWayne County, TennesseePublic access · Chert, Agatized Fossil, Flint +1
Best spotBienville National ForestScott County, MississippiPublic access · Petrified Wood, Chalcedony, Chert
Best spotRed Mountain (Birmingham)Jefferson County, AlabamaPublic access · Hematite, Fossil, Chert
Best spotAtokaAtoka County, OklahomaPermission required · Novaculite, Chert
Best spotCottondale AreaJackson County, FloridaPublic access · Chert
Best spotSan Rafael SwellEmery County, UtahPublic access · Agatized Wood, Amethyst, Carnotite +6
Best spotVirgin ValleyHumboldt County, NevadaPermission required · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +6
Best spotKemmererLincoln County, WyomingPublic access · Turritella Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +4
Best spotChattahoochee RiverMuscogee County, GeorgiaPublic access · Chalcedony, Chert, Flint +3
Best spotBrazos River at Brazos Park EastMcLennan County, TexasPublic access · Petrified Wood, Agatized Wood, Agate +2
Best spotCoaldaleEsmeralda County, NevadaPublic access · Agate, Chert, Hyalite Opal +2
Best spotLincolnBenton County, MissouriPublic access · Chalcedony, Chert, Mozarkite +2
Best spotSuccor Creek General AreaMalheur County, OregonPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +2
Best spotLyndon B. Johnson National Grassland (Black Creek Lake)Wise County, TexasPublic access · Fossilized Oyster, Agate, Petrified Wood +1
Best spotNew Almaden Area MinesSanta Clara County, CaliforniaPublic access · Chert, Cinnabar, Apophyllite +1
Best spotYellowstone River (Billings area)Yellowstone County, MontanaPublic access · Montana Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +1
Best spotCrescent BeachClallam County, WashingtonPublic access · Agate, Chert, Jasper
Best spotFernley HillsLyon County, NevadaPublic access · Agate, Chert, Jasper
Best spotWarsawBenton County, MissouriPublic access · Agate, Chert, Mozarkite
Best spotElk River near Bee BluffMcDonald County, MissouriPublic access · Chert, Blue Chert
Two Hearted River State Forest CampgroundLuce County, MichiganFee dig · Unakite, Epidote, Chert +16
Singing Bridge Public AccessArenac County, MichiganPublic access · Petoskey Stone, Charlevoix Stone, Gneiss +14
Hidden BeachLeelanau County, MichiganPublic access · Leland Blue, Petoskey Stone, Unakite +12
Van's BeachLeelanau County, MichiganPublic access · Leland Blue, Petoskey Stone, Unakite +12
Point Betsie LighthouseBenzie County, MichiganPublic access · Petoskey Stone, Chert, Chain Coral +10
Crisp Point LighthouseLuce County, MichiganPublic access · Granite, Quartz, Chert +9
MiamiOttawa County, OklahomaCheck locally · Aragonite, Barite, Calcite +9
McClain State ParkHoughton County, MichiganPermission required · Adularia, Chalcedony, Chert +8
Muskallonge Lake State ParkLuce County, MichiganFee dig · Granite, Chert, Omar +7
Muskingum CountyMuskingum County, OhioPublic access · Agate, Amethyst, Carnelian +7
Pilgrim Haven Natural AreaVan Buren County, MichiganPublic access · Lightning Stone, Quartz, Unakite +7
EastonNorthampton County, PennsylvaniaPublic access · Chert, Flint, Apatite +6
Old MinesWashington County, MissouriPublic access · Barite, Calcite, Galena +6
Frankfort Public Beach And PlaygroundBenzie County, MichiganCheck locally · Granite, Chert, Quartz +5
Harrisville State ParkAlcona County, MichiganFee dig · Granite, Chert, Quartz +5
Pier Cove ParkAllegan County, MichiganPublic access · Lightning Stone, Quartz, Unakite +5
Sweetwater CountySweetwater County, WyomingPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +5
Wilcox-Palmer-Shaw PreserveAntrim County, MichiganPublic access · Chert, Quartz, Granite +5
AgateGrand County, UtahPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +4
Colorado RiverGrand County, UtahPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +4
FairfieldUtah County, UtahPublic access · Chalcedony, Chert, Limonite +4
Hoeft State ParkPresque Isle County, MichiganFee dig · Puddingstone, Granite, Quartz +4
Sturgeon Point LighthouseAlcona County, MichiganFee dig · Granite, Chert, Fossil +4
WoodsideEmery County, UtahPublic access · Agate, Carnotite, Chalcedony +4
Cape Fear River and tributariesCumberland County, North CarolinaPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +3
Cumberland CountyCumberland County, North CarolinaPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +3
Elk Rapids Day ParkAntrim County, MichiganPublic access · Petoskey Stone, Charlevoix Stone, Elk Blue +3
Elk Rapids SandbarAntrim County, MichiganCheck locally · Petoskey Stone, Charlevoix Stone, Elk Blue +3
Empire BeachLeelanau County, MichiganCheck locally · Petoskey Stone, Charlevoix Stone, Unakite +3
FarsonSweetwater County, WyomingPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +3
FeastervilleBucks County, PennsylvaniaPublic access · Sunstone, Agate, Feldspar +3
Lake Superior State Forest CampgroundLuce County, MichiganFee dig · Granite, Unakite, Quartz +3
Medicine Lodge RiverBarber County, KansasPublic access · Agate, Jasper, Agatized Wood +3
Mimbres MountainsSierra County, New MexicoPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +3
Montezuma PeakEsmeralda County, NevadaCheck locally · Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper +3
Onomonee Road BeachLeelanau County, MichiganPublic access · Charlevoix Stone, Stromatolite, Stromatoporoid +3
PhiladelphiaDelaware County, PennsylvaniaPublic access · Agate, Petrified Wood, Chalcedony +3
Red DesertSweetwater County, WyomingPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +3
Rock SpringsSweetwater County, WyomingPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +3
Vermilion PointChippewa County, MichiganPublic access · Omar, Chert, Granite +3
Agate Beach ParkHoughton County, MichiganPublic access · Unakite, Chert, Quartz +2
Agate PointHumboldt County, NevadaCheck locally · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +2
All along both sides of road from Morristown to Castle Hot SpringsYavapai County, ArizonaPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +2
BroganMalheur County, OregonPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +2
Castle Butte FoothillsKern County, CaliforniaPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +2
Chattahoochee CountyChattahoochee County, GeorgiaPermission required · Chert, Quartz, Petrified Wood +2
DexterNew Madrid County, MissouriPublic access · Chert, Blue Agate, Gray Agate +2
GirtyArmstrong County, PennsylvaniaPublic access · Hematite, Magnetite, Calcite +2
Ironside and Malheur ReservoirMalheur County, OregonPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +2
NW San Juan CountySan Juan County, New MexicoPermission required · Chert, Garnet, Jasper +2
Pinellas & Hillsborough BeachesPinellas County, FloridaPublic access · Agate, Carnelian, Chalcedony +2
SE Grand CountyGrand County, UtahPermission required · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +2
Unnamed Location (Smoky Quartz & Calcite)Saline County, ArkansasPublic access · Smoky Quartz, Calcite, Chert +2
Big Blue RiverMarshall County, KansasPermission required · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +1
BuffaloHarper County, OklahomaCheck locally · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +1
Clearwater RiverNez Perce County, IdahoPublic access · Agate, Jasper, Chert +1
Elephant ButteSierra County, New MexicoPermission required · Agate, Chert, Chalcedony +1
General Area (Luna County)Luna County, New MexicoPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +1
New CreekMineral County, West VirginiaPublic access · Calcite, Chert, Hematite +1
Nun's CoveSevier County, TennesseePublic access · Calcite, Chert, Barite +1
Pedernal ParkRio Arriba County, New MexicoPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +1
Peterson ParkLeelanau County, MichiganPublic access · Petoskey Stone, Chert, Unakite +1
SummervilleChattooga County, GeorgiaPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +1
Turquoise Hill and surrounding areaSanta Fe County, New MexicoPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +1
Warm SpringsMeriwether County, GeorgiaPublic access · Agate, Chert, Jasper +1
Chipley AreaWashington County, FloridaPublic access · Calcite, Chalk, Chert
FranklinPendleton County, West VirginiaPublic access · Chert, Smoky Quartz, Quartz
GreenfieldDade County, MissouriPublic access · Agate, Chert, Petrified Wood
Harry's HarbourNewfoundland and LabradorCheck locally · Jasper, Epidote, Chert
Kakabeka Falls Provincial ParkThunder Bay District, OntarioCheck locally · Fossil, Stromatolite, Chert
La Madera (dumortierite area)Rio Arriba County, New MexicoPublic access · Dumortierite, Specularite, Chert
LawrenceburgLawrence County, TennesseePublic access · Chert, Chalcedony, Geode
Niquette BayChittenden County, VermontPermission required · Agate, Chert, Jasper
PanacaLincoln County, NevadaPublic access · Chalcedony, Chert, Flint
QueetsJefferson County, WashingtonPermission required · Agate, Chert, Jasper
Sol Duc RiverClallam County, WashingtonPublic access · Agate, Chert, Jasper
WatersideBedford County, PennsylvaniaPublic access · Calcite, Chalcedony, Chert
Alachua County QuarriesAlachua County, FloridaPublic access · Chert, Fossilized Ivory
AllentownLehigh County, PennsylvaniaPublic access · Jasper, Chert
Bradford CountyCitrus County, FloridaPublic access · Chert, Fossilized Ivory
ClaysburgBlair County, PennsylvaniaPublic access · Chert, Quartz
Coyote PointSan Mateo County, CaliforniaPublic access · Chert, Jasper
Finnegan RidgeMadison County, MontanaPermission required · Chert, Jasper
HermitageHickory County, MissouriPublic access · Chalcedony, Chert
Hinton CreekSan Saba County, TexasPublic access · Chalcedony, Chert
Jackson County AreaJackson County, FloridaPublic access · Fossil, Chert
Marion County QuarriesMarion County, FloridaPublic access · Chert, Fossilized Ivory
Mount PleasantHenry County, IowaPublic access · Chert, Geode
MurfreesboroRutherford County, TennesseePublic access · Chert, Agate
Red OakMontgomery County, IowaPublic access · Chert, Protozoa Agate
Sumter County QuarriesSumter County, FloridaPublic access · Chert, Fossilized Ivory
Washington County AreaWashington County, FloridaPublic access · Chert, Flint
Bartlett WashGrand County, UtahPublic access · Chert
Bartlett WashGrand County, UtahPublic access · Chert
DerrySierra County, New MexicoPublic access · Chert
Meerschaum area surfacesGrant County, New MexicoPermission required · Chert
Top regions for chert
United States
125 spots · 30 regionsCanada
2 spots · 2 regionsChert rockhounding FAQ
Where is the best place to find chert?+
Michigan, Florida, New Mexico have the highest concentrations of chert in this list. Quality and access vary by area, so open the linked region pages for a detailed view.
How many chert rockhounding spots does RockHoundR track?+
127 mapped spots across 32 regions in 2 countries. The app keeps these on a map alongside your private finds.
Can I legally collect chert on public land?+
In the U.S., casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals like chert is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Rules differ by country and region, so always check with the managing agency before a trip.
How do I identify chert in the field?+
Field identification of chert comes down to color, hardness, fracture, and luster. The RockHoundR app links to geology details for each spot to help narrow down what you might be picking up.
