Where to Find Obsidian in the United States
15 mapped obsidian spots across 5 U.S. states. Obsidian is volcanic glass — usually black, sometimes mahogany, snowflake, or rainbow. The big U.S. localities are Glass Buttes in Oregon, Davis Creek in California, and several Idaho and Nevada areas.
Map showing where to find obsidian across the United States, with 15 mapped spots
Top states for obsidian
States ranked by number of obsidian spots in our database. States in bold link to a focused obsidian-in-state list.
Every obsidian spot we track
Sorted by state and county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.
Obsidian rockhounding FAQ
Where is the best place to find obsidian in the U.S.?+
Nevada, New Mexico, California have the highest concentrations of obsidian in this list. Each state's quality and access varies — open the linked state pages for a detailed view.
How many obsidian rockhounding spots does RockHoundR track?+
15 mapped spots across 5 states. The app keeps these on a map alongside your private finds.
Can I legally collect obsidian on public land?+
Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals like obsidian 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 obsidian in the field?+
Field identification of obsidian 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 obsidian on the map
Open RockHoundR to see these spots on a real map with public land overlays and trip-planning details.
