Rockhounding in Louisiana

Updated June 2026

17 mapped spots across 11 counties. Louisiana produces a wide range of rockhounding-grade material: see the full list of spots, minerals, and access notes below.

Where is the best rockhounding in Louisiana?

The best rockhounding in Louisiana concentrates in Vernon Parish, Grant Parish, and Livingston Parish, where mapped spots produce agate, petrified wood, and carnelian. RockHoundR lists 17 collecting spots across 11 counties, each with coordinates and land access notes.

Top minerals found in Louisiana

Counts reflect how many spots in this list mention each mineral.

Agate8
Petrified Wood3
Carnelian2
Lapearlite2
Silicified Palm Wood2
Louisiana Opal1
Opalized Wood1
Petrified Palm Wood1

Rockhounding near major Louisiana cities

Day-trip range. Each section lists the closest mapped rockhounding spots within about 150 miles of the city — most are inside a 2 to 3 hour drive.

Rockhounding near New Orleans

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6 closest spots to New Orleans, LA.

Rockhounding near Baton Rouge

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6 closest spots to Baton Rouge, LA.

Rockhounding near Shreveport

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6 closest spots to Shreveport, LA.

Neighboring states with rockhounding

Geology rarely respects state borders. These states share mapped rockhounding country with Louisiana — useful when Louisiana is the start, not the whole trip. Each card links to the closest county across the line.

Rockhounding by county in Louisiana

County pages are linked once we have at least 3 mapped spots for a focused guide with coordinates, mineral notes, and nearby spots.

Vernon Parish3 spotsTop: Louisiana Opal, Petrified Wood, Silicified Palm Wood

Every rockhounding spot in Louisiana

Sorted by county. Tap coordinates to open in Google Maps, or open RockHoundR for the full map view with land overlays and weather.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Sabine Lake Public Oyster Area	Cameron Parish	Lapearlite	29.8418, -93.8169	Public
Amite River Valley	East Baton Rouge Parish	Agate	30.6547, -90.9106	Public
East & West Feliciana ParishesOverton Ford Road	East Feliciana Parish	Agate	30.8107, -91.0401	Public
PollockBig Creek Dam Road	Grant Parish	Agate Petrified Wood	31.5296, -92.3991	Public
Rapides ParishLacour	Grant Parish	Silicified Palm Wood	31.4313, -92.6922	Public
Baton RougeMagnolia Bridge	Livingston Parish	Agate	30.5325, -90.9804	Public
Livingston ParishWest Florida Republic Parkway	Livingston Parish	Carnelian	30.4693, -90.6981	Public
Ouachita RiverRiver Road	Ouachita Parish	Agate Petrified Wood Opalized Wood	32.3028, -92.1028	Public
Toledo BendNorth Toledo Park Road	Sabine Parish	Petrified Palm Wood	31.5591, -93.7354	Permission
Bogue Chitto River	St. Tammany Parish	Agate	30.5725, -89.8351	Permission
Old Pearl River	St. Tammany Parish	Agate	30.4675, -89.7751	Public
Tangipahoa Parish	Tangipahoa Parish	Carnelian	30.6371, -90.3563	Public
Tangipahoa River & StreamsLA 16	Tangipahoa Parish	Agate	30.7249, -90.4853	Public
Lake Chien	Terrebonne Parish	Lapearlite	29.4127, -90.5044	Public
LeesvilleWerner Road	Vernon Parish	Petrified Wood	31.1840, -93.2789	Public
Leesville (opal area)South 2nd Street	Vernon Parish	Louisiana Opal	31.1430, -93.2603	Public
Vernon ParishAlexandria Highway	Vernon Parish	Silicified Palm Wood	31.2215, -93.1079	Public

Louisiana rockhounding FAQ

Is rockhounding legal in Louisiana?+

Casual hand collecting is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land in Louisiana, with daily and annual limits set by the managing field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal lands are off-limits. Always confirm rules with the local agency before a trip.

What rocks and minerals can you find in Louisiana?+

Louisiana spots in this list most commonly produce Agate, Petrified Wood, Carnelian, Lapearlite, Silicified Palm Wood. The full list across all spots is broader.

How many rockhounding sites are in Louisiana?+

RockHoundR currently lists 17 rockhounding spots in Louisiana across 11 counties. Many more exist; the app keeps your private finds saved alongside the public ones.

Can I take rocks home from Louisiana public land?+

On most BLM and Forest Service land, recreational hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed in reasonable amounts. Vertebrate fossils, archaeological items, and posted mining-claim minerals are not. Check the field office for current limits.

Map every Louisiana spot in the app

Open the RockHoundR app to see Louisiana on a real map with public land overlays, weather, geology, and your saved finds.