Winston: Lead & Silver Rockhounding in Broadwater County, Montana
- Minerals reported
- 3
- Elevation
- 5,660 ft
- Best months
- April to October
Winston is a mapped rockhounding spot in Broadwater County, Montana. Reported finds include lead, silver, zinc. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Broadwater County
- State
- Montana
- Nearest road
- Weasel Creek Road
- Coordinates
- 46.43789, -111.69807
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.
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 Winston
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 77°F in midsummer and 28°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 8°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, TOWNSEND 3SE station (15 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Geology at Winston
This spot sits on Elkhorn Mountains Volcanics, mapped as rhyolitic-to-andesitic flows and rhyolitic-to-andesitic tuffs that formed roughly 145 to 66 million years ago. Volcanic ground like this weathers into rocky slopes and float, and fresh exposures in cuts and drainages are usually the most productive places to look.
- Mapped unit
- Elkhorn Mountains Volcanics
- Age
- 145–66 Ma (Cretaceous)
- Rock types
- rhyolitic-to-andesitic flows and rhyolitic-to-andesitic tuffs
- Elevation
- 5,660 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
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The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Winston.
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.
State guidance last verified:
- BLM Montana, Recreational mineral collecting
- Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology
- Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine (fee-dig operator)
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Winston
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 Winston.
- Confederate GulchBroadwater County, Montana · 15 mi awayGold
- Elkhorn MountainJefferson County, Montana · 15 mi awayMagnetite, Hematite
- Magpie GulchLewis and Clark County, Montana · 16 mi awayGreen Sapphire
- Spokane Bar Sapphire MineLewis and Clark County, Montana · 17 mi awayGold, Sapphire
- RadersburgBroadwater County, Montana · 17 mi awayGold, Silver
- Blaze N GemsLewis and Clark County, Montana · 17 mi awaySapphire
- Wickes & ClancyJefferson County, Montana · 19 mi awayArsenopyrite, Cerussite, Gold
- CorbinJefferson County, Montana · 19 mi awayArsenopyrite, Cerussite
Winston FAQ
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More rockhounding in Montana
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Open Winston on the map
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