Rapides Parish: Silicified Palm Wood Rockhounding in Grant Parish, Louisiana

Public accessBest spot1 mineralGrant Parish, LouisianaUpdated July 2026

Mineral reported: 1
Best months: Year-round

This is the heart of Louisiana's petrified palmwood country, the silicified state fossil that weathers out of the Oligocene Catahoula Formation across Rapides and Grant parishes. Cut sections show the palm's rod-like vascular bundles as dark spots and streaks, and the same gravels yield agate and ordinary petrified wood. The surrounding Kisatchie National Forest gives rare legal walk-in access in a state that is almost entirely private land. Reported finds include silicified palm wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County: Grant Parish
State: Louisiana
Nearest road: Lacour
Postcode: 71417
Coordinates: 31.43131, -92.69223

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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: Reach the palmwood gravels through the Calcasieu and Catahoula Ranger Districts of Kisatchie National Forest, where the Forest Service allows personal, non-commercial surface collecting of common rocks and petrified wood with no mechanized digging. Collecting is not allowed in the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness or along the Saline Bayou Wild and Scenic River. On adjacent private timber and farmland, ask the landowner first.

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 Rapides Parish

56°J

60°F

67°M

74°A

81°M

87°J

89°J

89°A

85°S

76°O

65°N

58°D

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 56°F in winter to 89°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, BOYCE 3 WNW station (3 mi away).

Today's weather

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The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Rapides Parish.

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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.

Louisiana Geological Survey
Kisatchie National Forest
Louisiana State Parks rules
Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Rapides Parish

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

Silicified Palm Wood

Nearby rockhounding spots

Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Rapides Parish.

Across the state line from Rapides Parish

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

Adams CountyAdams County, Mississippi · 78 mi awayBanded Agate

Rapides Parish FAQ

Where is Rapides Parish?+

Rapides Parish is in Grant Parish, Louisiana, at 31.43131, -92.69223. Nearest road: Lacour.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Rapides Parish?+

Rapides Parish is reported to produce Silicified Palm Wood.

Is collecting allowed at Rapides Parish?+

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 Rapides Parish?+

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 Rapides Parish?+

Rapides Parish is workable year-round.

How do I get to Rapides Parish?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 31.43131, -92.69223 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Lacour.

More rockhounding in Louisiana

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