Holly Springs National Forest: Petrified Wood Rockhounding in Marshall County, Mississippi
- Mineral reported
- 1
- Elevation
- 340 ft
- Best months
- September to June
Holly Springs National Forest sits on Eocene Wilcox and Claiborne sands and reworked upland gravels that carry silicified and petrified wood, Mississippi's official state stone. The dense, silica-replaced wood concentrates in creek gravels and eroded gullies where lighter sediment has washed away. It is one of the few places in the state where petrified wood can be collected on public land under clear federal rules. Reported finds include petrified wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Marshall County
- State
- Mississippi
- Coordinates
- 34.70795, -89.32995
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: On National Forest System land, casual collecting of common rocks, minerals, petrified wood, and invertebrate fossils is allowed for personal, non-commercial use with hand tools. No selling, no mechanized digging, and vertebrate fossils are protected under federal law. Avoid developed recreation areas and any posted or leased tracts.
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 Holly Springs National Forest
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: September to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 50°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 30°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, HOLLY SPRINGS 4 N station (10 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Geology at Holly Springs National Forest
This spot sits on Tallahatta formation and Neshoba sand, mapped as claystone and clay that formed roughly 56 to 34 million years ago. Petrified wood typically travels as tough float, and worked gravels like these are exactly where weathered pieces tend to collect.
- Mapped unit
- Tallahatta formation and Neshoba sand
- Age
- 56–34 Ma (Eocene)
- Rock types
- claystone and clay
- Elevation
- 340 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
Is today a good day to go?
The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Holly Springs National Forest.
Get the appSources & 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.
- Mississippi Office of Geology
- National Forests in Mississippi
- Mississippi State Parks rules
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Holly Springs National Forest
Each name 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 Holly Springs National Forest.
- Twentymile CreekPrentiss County, Mississippi · 41 mi awayFossil, Petrified Wood
- PadenTishomingo County, Mississippi · 59 mi awayAmber
- Tombigbee RiverItawamba County, Mississippi · 63 mi awayShark Tooth
- Mississippi RiverTunica County, Mississippi · 64 mi awayAgate, Fossil
- LukaTishomingo County, Mississippi · 64 mi awayRed Ocher, Yellow Ocher
Across the state line from Holly Springs National Forest
Holly Springs National Forest 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.
- MemphisTipton County, Tennessee · 65 mi awayLake Superior Agate, Agatized Fossil
- Coffee BluffHardin County, Tennessee · 71 mi awayAmber
Holly Springs National Forest FAQ
Where is Holly Springs National Forest?+
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More rockhounding in Mississippi
See all 14 Mississippi spots →
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