Where to Find Garnet in Idaho

Idaho has 8 mapped collecting spots that report garnet, spread across 7 counties. The largest share sits in Shoshone County 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 garnet spots in Idaho

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

Idaho City
Boise County County
Idaho City anchors the Boise Basin, one of Idaho's best-documented historic placer-gold regions. USGS publications identify the basin northeast of Boise as a major dredging and placer area, and nearby Grimes Pass district records add quartz and gold mineral context for modern, land-status-aware panning and prospecting.

Best counties for garnet in Idaho

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

Every garnet spot we track in Idaho

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
CuprumForest Road 106	Adams County	Garnet Epidote	45.1030, -116.6730	Public
Idaho CityElk Creek Road	Boise County	Quartz Garnet	43.8368, -115.8296	Public
Pack RiverUpper Pack River Road	Boundary County	Garnet Feldspar Mica	48.5113, -116.5776	Public
RigginsUS 95	Idaho County	Garnet	45.4652, -116.3079	Public
Boulder Creek	Latah County	Garnet	46.7327, -116.4173	Public
LewistonEaton Road	Nez Perce County	Agate Aquamarine Garnet Gold Quartz	46.4532, -116.9446	Public
Deadwood Gulch	Shoshone County	Garnet Gold	47.5376, -116.1510	Public
Emerald and Ruby CreeksNational Forest Development Road 447	Shoshone County	Garnet	47.0653, -116.3263	Public

Garnet in Idaho FAQ

Where can you find garnet in Idaho?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Shoshone County County, Adams County County, and Boise County County. Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many garnet spots are mapped in Idaho?+

8 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 garnet in Idaho?+

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 8 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find garnet

More minerals to hunt in Idaho

Hunt garnet in Idaho 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.