Where to Find Chert in Nevada

Nevada has 6 mapped collecting spots that report chert, spread across 4 counties. The largest share sits in Esmeralda County County with 2 spots. 6 of the spots are on land mapped as publicly accessible.

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

Standout chert spots in Nevada

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

Coaldale
Esmeralda County 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. Mindat and NBMG district records help anchor the site in a named mining district, making it a better researched pick than a vague countywide agate listing.
Virgin Valley
Humboldt County 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. Its strongest geologic feature is opal replacing mid-Miocene wood, including petrified wood and rare plant material, although most precious-opal ground is claimed and any collecting has to respect mining and refuge restrictions.
Fernley Hills
Lyon County 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. It earns a place because the material is tied to a named locality close to Reno-Sparks access, while still requiring parcel and claim checks before collecting.

Best counties for chert in Nevada

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

Every chert spot we track in Nevada

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
CoaldaleVeterans Memorial Highway	Esmeralda County	Agate Chert Hyalite Opal Jasper Turquoise	38.0299, -117.8794	Public
Montezuma Peak	Esmeralda County	Chalcedony Chert Jasper Quartz Obsidian Opalized Wood	37.6626, -117.3611	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	Public
PanacaUvada Road	Lincoln County	Chalcedony Chert Flint	37.7605, -114.3674	Public
Fernley Hills	Lyon County	Agate Chert Jasper	39.5336, -119.1566	Public

Before you go

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

Chert in Nevada FAQ

Where can you find chert in Nevada?+

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

How many chert spots are mapped in Nevada?+

6 spots across 4 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 chert 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. 6 of the 6 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find chert

More minerals to hunt in Nevada

Hunt chert 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.