Where to Find Coal in the United States
1 mapped coal spots across 1 U.S. states. Coal is reported at multiple rockhounding spots across the United States. The map below shows where collectors most often find it on legal public ground.
Learn about coal: properties & identification →Map showing where to find coal across the United States, with 1 mapped spots
Top states for coal
States ranked by number of coal spots in our database. States in bold link to a focused coal-in-state list.
Every coal spot we track
Sorted by state and county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.
| Spot | County | Minerals | Coordinates | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fromberg | Carbon County |
| 45.3930, -108.9316 | Public |
Coal rockhounding FAQ
Where is the best place to find coal in the U.S.?+
Montana have the highest concentrations of coal in this list. Each state's quality and access varies — open the linked state pages for a detailed view.
How many coal rockhounding spots does RockHoundR track?+
1 mapped spots across 1 states. The app keeps these on a map alongside your private finds.
Can I legally collect coal on public land?+
Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals like coal 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. Always check with the managing agency before a trip.
How do I identify coal in the field?+
Field identification of coal 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.
Hunt coal on the map
Open RockHoundR to see these spots on a real map with public land overlays and trip-planning details.
