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Big Pine Creek: Sphalerite & Barite Rockhounding in Warren County, Indiana

Public accessBest spot6 mineralsWarren County, IndianaUpdated July 2026
Minerals reported
6
Elevation
640 ft
Best months
March to November

Big Pine Creek carves a wooded bluff-and-ravine landscape in west-central Warren County, where glaciated stream gravels mix quartz, chert, and jasper with sulfide and sulfate minerals such as sphalerite, barite, and marcasite. Its gentle banks make it an accessible creek-bed hunting ground away from the southern geode belt. The setting near the Fall Creek Gorge "Potholes" adds geological interest. Reported finds include sphalerite, barite, fossilized wood, siderite, marcasite, and more. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

State
Indiana
Nearest road
West Briscoe Road
Postcode
47993
Get directionsView 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: Big Pine Creek collecting is done from the streambed gravels; much of the surrounding land is private, so confirm access and get landowner permission before crossing fields, and keep to surface collecting. The nearby Fall Creek Gorge Nature Preserve prohibits collecting.

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 Big Pine Creek

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 84°F in midsummer and 32°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 16°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, BOSWELL 4WNW station (10 mi away).

Geology at Big Pine Creek

This spot sits on Raccoon Creek Group, mapped as shale and sandstone that formed roughly 325 to 300 million years ago. Sedimentary beds like these are the typical host for petrified and silicified wood, which weathers out as durable float on slopes and in washes.

Mapped unit
Raccoon Creek Group
Age
325–300 Ma (Pennsylvanian)
Rock types
shale and sandstone
Elevation
640 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.

Found at Big Pine 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 Big Pine Creek.

  • Parke CountyParke County, Indiana · 45 mi awayGoethite, Marcasite, Pyrite
  • LogansportCass County, Indiana · 60 mi awayApatite, Calcite, Pyrite
  • Williams CreekMarion County, Indiana · 73 mi awayAmethyst, Quartz
  • IndianapolisMarion County, Indiana · 77 mi awayMoonstone
  • Highland CreekMorgan County, Indiana · 78 mi awayBrown Sapphire
  • Morgan CountyMorgan County, Indiana · 80 mi awayQuartz, Corundum, Topaz
  • ErieWabash County, Indiana · 80 mi awayGeode
  • SpencerOwen County, Indiana · 84 mi awayBarite, Celestite, Siderite

Across the state line from Big Pine Creek

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

Big Pine Creek FAQ

Where is Big Pine Creek?+
Big Pine Creek is in Warren County, Indiana, at 40.41000, -87.34330. Nearest road: West Briscoe Road.
What rocks and minerals can you find at Big Pine Creek?+
Big Pine Creek is reported to produce Sphalerite, Barite, Fossilized Wood, Siderite, Marcasite, Pyrite.
Is collecting allowed at Big Pine 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 Big Pine Creek?+
A rock hammer, sturdy gloves, and a padded bag cover petrified wood hunting. Most pieces are surface float, so walking slopes and washes beats digging.
When is the best time to visit Big Pine Creek?+
The most comfortable months at Big Pine Creek are March to November.
How do I get to Big Pine Creek?+
Open the directions link to navigate to 40.41000, -87.34330 in Google Maps. The nearest road is West Briscoe Road.

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