Brown’s Lake: Scheelite Rockhounding in Powell County, Montana

Updated July 2026

Brown’s Lake is a mapped rockhounding spot in Powell County, Montana. Reported finds include scheelite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Quick details

Access: Permission required
County: Powell County
State: Montana
Nearest road: Browns Lake Road
Coordinates: 46.95016, -113.01554

Geology at Brown’s Lake

This spot sits on Surficial deposits, mapped as sand and gravel that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Loose deposits like these are float-collecting ground: erosion keeps moving durable rocks and minerals into gravel bars, cutbanks, and washes.

Mapped unit: Surficial deposits
Age: 3 Ma to present (Pleistocene to Holocene)
Rock types: sand and gravel
Elevation: 4,290 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 Brown’s Lake

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 81°F in midsummer and 29°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 8°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, OVANDO 9 SSE station (5 mi away).

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

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.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

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 Brown’s Lake

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

Scheelite Encyclopedia →

Nearby rockhounding spots

Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Brown’s Lake.

Brown’s Lake FAQ

Where is Brown’s Lake?+

Brown’s Lake is in Powell County, Montana, at 46.95016, -113.01554. Nearest road: Browns Lake Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Brown’s Lake?+

Brown’s Lake is reported to produce Scheelite.

Is collecting allowed at Brown’s Lake?+

Permission required before collecting. Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Brown’s Lake?+

A rock hammer, sturdy gloves, safety glasses, and a collecting bag cover the basics here. Add a spray bottle: wet rock shows color and pattern that dry rock hides.

When is the best time to visit Brown’s Lake?+

The most comfortable months at Brown’s Lake are April to October.

How do I get to Brown’s Lake?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 46.95016, -113.01554 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Browns Lake Road.

More rockhounding in Montana

See all 106 Montana spots →

Open Brown’s Lake on the map

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