Pole Creek: Geode Digging in Blaine County, Idaho

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Blaine County

State

Idaho

Nearest road

Pole Creek Road

Coordinates

43.91078, -114.74406

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

Land & collecting status

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Best time to visit Pole Creek

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 77°F in midsummer and 27°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 1°F. At about 7,330 ft, snow can block access from late fall well into spring, so check conditions outside of summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, STANLEY RS station (20 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Pole Creek

This spot sits on Surficial deposits, mapped as sand and gravel that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Geodes weather out of their host rock and collect in gravels like these, where their round shape and light heft help them stand out.

Mapped unit

Surficial deposits

Age

3 Ma to present (Quaternary)

Rock types

sand and gravel

Elevation

7,330 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Emerald Creek
• Idaho Geological Survey
• Spencer Opal Mines (fee-dig operator)
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules