Lowell: Geode Digging in Henry County, Iowa

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Henry County

State

Iowa

Nearest road

Shady Oak Lane

Postcode

52645

Coordinates

40.84118, -91.42014

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: Free collecting is limited to public river and creek access points along the Skunk River, staying below the ordinary high-water mark and picking loose material. The famous nearby geode farms are private pay-to-dig operations, and collecting is banned inside Geode State Park to the west, so stay on public gravel and do not cross private banks.

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 Lowell

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 85°F in midsummer and 32°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 13°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MT PLEASANT 1 SW station (12 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Lowell

This spot sits on ground mapped as Augusta Group that formed roughly 355 to 330 million years ago. Geodes typically weather free of their host rock and collect as rounded float in soils and drainages.

Mapped unit

Augusta Group

Age

355–330 Ma (Mississippian)

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.

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.

• Iowa Geological Survey
• Iowa DNR state park rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules