Rowletts: Onyx & Petrified Wood Rockhounding in Hart County, Kentucky

Updated June 2026

Rowletts is a mapped rockhounding spot in Hart County, Kentucky. Reported finds include onyx, petrified wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Hart County
State: Kentucky
Nearest road: Charlie Dowling Road
Postcode: 42765
Coordinates: 37.25791, -85.89761

Geology at Rowletts

This spot sits on Alluvium, mapped as silt | clay | sand | gravel 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 (Quaternary)
Rock types: silt | clay | sand | gravel
Elevation: 500 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 Rowletts

Best months: February to December. Typical highs run 87°F in midsummer and 43°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 23°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MILLERSTOWN 4E station (14 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 Rowletts

Each chip 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 Rowletts.

Across the state line from Rowletts

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

Rowletts FAQ

Where is Rowletts?+

Rowletts is in Hart County, Kentucky, at 37.25791, -85.89761. Nearest road: Charlie Dowling Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Rowletts?+

Rowletts is reported to produce Onyx, Petrified Wood.

Is collecting allowed at Rowletts?+

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 Rowletts?+

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 Rowletts?+

The most comfortable months at Rowletts are February to December.

How do I get to Rowletts?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 37.25791, -85.89761 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Charlie Dowling Road.

More rockhounding in Kentucky

See all 37 Kentucky spots →

Open Rowletts on the map

Use the RockHoundR app for live land overlays, weather, geology, directions, and saved finds.