Where to Find Quartz in Idaho

Idaho has 10 mapped collecting spots that report quartz, spread across 8 counties. The largest share sits in Bonner County County with 2 spots. 10 of the spots are on land mapped as publicly accessible.

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

Standout quartz 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 quartz in Idaho

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

Every quartz spot we track in Idaho

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Pole CreekPole Creek Road	Blaine County	Geode Amethyst Quartz	43.9108, -114.7441	Public
Idaho CityElk Creek Road	Boise County	Quartz Garnet	43.8368, -115.8296	Public
Priest LakeReeder Bay Road	Bonner County	Quartz Feldspar	48.6301, -116.8837	Public
Upper Priest LakeNavigation Trail	Bonner County	Gold Feldspar Quartz	48.7991, -116.9155	Public
Antelope Creek areaAntelope Creek Road	Butte County	Geode Quartz Amethyst	43.6999, -113.5694	Public
Wildhorse Canyon	Custer County	Quartz	43.7654, -114.1017	Public
Grouse CreekSalmon River Trail East	Idaho County	Corundum Quartz	45.4853, -115.3408	Public
Ruby MeadowsNational Forest Road 364	Idaho County	Corundum Quartz	45.2313, -115.8820	Public
LewistonEaton Road	Nez Perce County	Agate Aquamarine Garnet Gold Quartz	46.4532, -116.9446	Public
BurkeBurke-Canyon Creek Road	Shoshone County	Quartz	47.5167, -115.8249	Public

Before you go

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

Quartz in Idaho FAQ

Where can you find quartz in Idaho?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Bonner County County, Idaho County County, and Blaine County County. Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many quartz spots are mapped in Idaho?+

10 spots across 8 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 quartz 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. 10 of the 10 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find quartz

More minerals to hunt in Idaho

Hunt quartz 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.