Nauvoo: Geode Digging in Hancock County, Illinois

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Hancock County

State

Illinois

Nearest road

North County Road 800

Postcode

62354

Coordinates

40.52182, -91.35155

Geology at Nauvoo

This spot sits on Meppen Limestone, Fern Glen Formation, and Burlington-Keokuk Limestone, mapped as limestone that formed roughly 360 to 330 million years ago. Limestone country like this is classic geode ground: cavities in the carbonate rock can line themselves with quartz or calcite crystals.

Mapped unit

Meppen Limestone, Fern Glen Formation, and Burlington-Keokuk Limestone

Age

360–330 Ma (Mississippian)

Rock types

limestone

Elevation

560 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.

Best time to visit Nauvoo

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 85°F in midsummer and 33°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 17°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, FT MADISON station (7 mi away).

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.

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.

Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.

Found at Nauvoo

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

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