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McKee Creek: Geode Digging in Pike County, Illinois

Updated July 2026

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.

McKee Creek photos

Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.

1 photo

Town square at Griggsville in Pike County, Illinois, the nearest town to the McKee Creek geode locality

Quick details

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

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.

Best time to visit McKee Creek

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).

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 McKee Creek

Each chip 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.

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.

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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