Fort Dodge: Gypsum Rockhounding in Webster County, Iowa

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Webster County

State

Iowa

Postcode

50569

Coordinates

42.45607, -94.15919

Geology at Fort Dodge

This spot sits on ground mapped as lower Cherokee Group that formed roughly 325 to 305 million years ago. Fresh exposures, cuts, and drainages are typically the most productive places to look on ground like this.

Mapped unit

lower Cherokee Group

Age

325–305 Ma (Pennsylvanian)

Elevation

1,100 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 Fort Dodge

Best months: April to November. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 26°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 7°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, FT DODGE 5NNW station (9 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 Fort Dodge

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

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