Cimarron National Grassland: Agate & Jasper Rockhounding in Morton County, Kansas

Public accessBest spot5 mineralsMorton County, KansasUpdated July 2026

Minerals reported: 5
Elevation: 3,520 ft
Best months: September to June

Cimarron National Grassland covers about 108,000 acres in the far southwest corner of Kansas and is the largest tract of public land in the state, managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Its Ogallala caprock and Cimarron River gravels shed agate, jasper, chalcedony, chert, and petrified wood, and this is one of the few places in Kansas where casual rockhounding is expressly allowed on public ground. Point of Rocks, a fossiliferous bluff above the Cimarron River, anchors the collecting corridor. Reported finds include agate, jasper, chalcedony, chert, petrified wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County: Morton County
State: Kansas
Nearest road: Point of Rocks Road
Postcode: 67950
Coordinates: 37.10390, -101.93880

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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: Federal land open to the public. The Forest Service permits casual collecting of common rocks and minerals for personal, non-commercial use by hand; petrified wood is limited to hobby quantities. Vertebrate fossils and any worked artifacts must be left in place. Confirm current limits with the Cimarron National Grassland district office in Elkhart before 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 Cimarron National Grassland

48°J

52°F

61°M

69°A

79°M

90°J

94°J

91°A

84°S

72°O

59°N

48°D

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: September to June. Typical highs run 94°F in midsummer and 48°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 22°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ELKHART station (7 mi away).

Geology at Cimarron National Grassland

This spot sits on Alluvium, mapped as sand, silt, and clay that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Petrified wood typically travels as tough float, and worked gravels like these are exactly where weathered pieces tend to collect.

Mapped unit: Alluvium
Age: 3 Ma to present (Pleistocene to Holocene)
Rock types: sand, silt, and clay
Elevation: 3,520 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.

Today's weather

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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.

Kansas Geological Survey
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks rules
Cimarron National Grassland
Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Cimarron National Grassland

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

Across the state line from Cimarron National Grassland

Cimarron National Grassland is close enough to the Kansas border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

Carrizozo CreekCimarron County, Oklahoma · 58 mi awayRose Agate, Agatized Algae, Agatized Cyad Wood
Tri-State MarkerCimarron County, Oklahoma · 59 mi awayRose Agate
Union CountyUnion County, New Mexico · 59 mi awayPetrified Wood, Rose Agate

Cimarron National Grassland FAQ

Where is Cimarron National Grassland?+

Cimarron National Grassland is in Morton County, Kansas, at 37.10390, -101.93880. Nearest road: Point of Rocks Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Cimarron National Grassland?+

Cimarron National Grassland is reported to produce Agate, Jasper, Chalcedony, Chert, Petrified Wood.

Is collecting allowed at Cimarron National Grassland?+

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 Cimarron National Grassland?+

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 Cimarron National Grassland?+

The most comfortable months at Cimarron National Grassland are September to June.

How do I get to Cimarron National Grassland?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 37.10390, -101.93880 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Point of Rocks Road.

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