McKee Creek: Geode Digging in Pike County, Illinois

Public accessBest spot2 mineralsPike County, IllinoisUpdated July 2026

Minerals reported: 2
Elevation: 570 ft
Best months: March to November

McKee Creek marks the southern reach of the west-central Illinois geode belt, where Warsaw Formation geodes wash into the creek gravels. Specimens here are typically lined with calcite and sphalerite over quartz, a slightly different suite from the Hamilton geodes to the north. The locality is documented in Illinois State Geological Survey and mindat records. Reported finds include geode, sphalerite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County: Pike County
State: Illinois
Postcode: 62340
Coordinates: 39.73806, -90.73910

Get directions View on Google Maps

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.

Access note: Collect loose geodes from the creek gravel at public road-crossing access. The surrounding land is largely private, so obtain permission before leaving the immediate right-of-way or digging. Water is lowest in late summer. Pike County, near Perry in west-central Illinois.

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 McKee Creek

37°J

42°F

53°M

65°A

75°M

84°J

88°J

86°A

80°S

68°O

54°N

41°D

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 88°F in midsummer and 37°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 18°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, PERRY 6 NW station (6 mi away).

Geology at McKee Creek

This spot sits on Tradewater Formation, mapped as shale and sandstone that formed roughly 325 to 305 million years ago. Concretions and geodes typically weather out of sedimentary beds like these, standing out as rounded, heavier-or-lighter-than-expected lumps.

Mapped unit: Tradewater Formation
Age: 325–305 Ma (Pennsylvanian)
Rock types: shale and sandstone
Elevation: 570 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.

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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.

Illinois State Geological Survey
Illinois DNR site rules
Shawnee National Forest
Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at McKee Creek

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

Nearby rockhounding spots

Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of McKee Creek.

HamiltonHancock County, Illinois · 55 mi awayAgate, Jasper, Geode
Hamilton QuarryHancock County, Illinois · 55 mi awayGeode, Pyrite, Calcite
Crystal Glen CreekHancock County, Illinois · 55 mi awayGeode, Barite, Calcite
Mississippi River (near Hamilton)Hancock County, Illinois · 56 mi awayGeode, Amethyst, Quartz
NauvooHancock County, Illinois · 63 mi awayGeode
Terre HauteHenderson County, Illinois · 65 mi awayFossil
Spillman CreekHancock County, Illinois · 65 mi awayGeode, Pyrite, Chalcedony
Tyson CreekHancock County, Illinois · 65 mi awayGeode

Across the state line from McKee Creek

McKee Creek is close enough to the Illinois border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

SavertonRalls County, Missouri · 30 mi awayPyrite
HannibalRalls County, Missouri · 32 mi awayMarcasite, Pyrite
New LondonRalls County, Missouri · 37 mi awaySilicified Conodont
La GrangeLewis County, Missouri · 45 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Jasper
Fabius RiverLewis County, Missouri · 50 mi awayGeode, Calcite, Malachite
Old MonroeLincoln County, Missouri · 56 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Garnet, Staurolite

McKee Creek FAQ

Where is McKee Creek?+

McKee Creek is in Pike County, Illinois, at 39.73806, -90.73910.

What rocks and minerals can you find at McKee Creek?+

McKee Creek is reported to produce Geode, Sphalerite.

Is collecting allowed at McKee Creek?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to McKee Creek?+

Bring a crack hammer, a chisel, safety glasses, and a bucket. Candidates are rounder and lighter than solid rock; a soil pipe cutter opens them cleaner than a flat smash.

When is the best time to visit McKee Creek?+

The most comfortable months at McKee Creek are March to November.

How do I get to McKee Creek?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 39.73806, -90.73910 in Google Maps. Some spots are remote, so check road conditions before driving out.

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