Nevada: Agate Rockhounding in Story County, Iowa

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Story County

State

Iowa

Nearest road

Lincoln Highway

Postcode

50201

Coordinates

42.00829, -93.38187

Geology at Nevada

This spot sits on ground mapped as lower Cherokee Group that formed roughly 325 to 305 million years ago. Tough silica like agate and jasper typically survives weathering and collects as float in drainages and gravel.

Mapped unit

lower Cherokee Group

Age

325–305 Ma (Pennsylvanian)

Elevation

960 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 Nevada

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 27°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 10°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, COLO station (3 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 Nevada

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

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