Gulfport: Jasper & Petrified Wood Rockhounding in Harrison County, Mississippi
Updated July 2026
Harrison County's Pliocene and Pleistocene Citronelle Formation and terrace gravels carry jasper, agate, chert, and petrified wood pebbles across the coastal plain behind Gulfport. These upland gravels, not the renourished beach sand, are the real source of hard collectible material near the coast. The area represents the Gulf Coast end of Mississippi's gravel-collecting country. Reported finds include jasper, petrified wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Gulfport photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Gulfport in Harrison County, Mississippi
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Harrison County
- State
- Mississippi
- Nearest road
- Robinson Road
- Postcode
- 39503
- Coordinates
- 30.47319, -89.16136
Geology at Gulfport
This spot sits on Citronelle formation, mapped as sand and gravel that formed within roughly the last 5 million years. Petrified wood typically travels as tough float, and worked gravels like these are exactly where weathered pieces tend to collect.
- Mapped unit
- Citronelle formation
- Age
- 5 Ma to present (Pliocene to Pleistocene)
- Rock types
- sand and gravel
- Elevation
- 60 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 Gulfport
Best months: September to July. Typical highs run 90°F in midsummer and 61°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 42°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, GULFPORT - BILOXI AP station (6 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 Gulfport
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 Gulfport.
Across the state line from Gulfport
Gulfport is close enough to the Mississippi border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
Gulfport FAQ
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More rockhounding in Mississippi
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