Where to Find Petrified Wood near Des Moines, IA
11 of the mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Des Moines report petrified wood. The closest is Orient Area, about 44 miles out (56 min drive).
Petrified wood is ancient wood replaced cell by cell with silica. It concentrates where volcanic ash buried forests, and weathered pieces collect as float on desert slopes and in washes.
Every petrified wood spot within 150 miles of Des Moines
Orient AreaAdair County, Iowa · 44 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Quartz, Petrified Wood
Best spotGrundy CountyGrundy County, Missouri · 101 mi awayPublic access · Lake Superior Agate, Jasper, Fossil +1- Best spotGentry CountyGentry County, Missouri · 103 mi awayPublic access · Lake Superior Agate, Jasper, Fossil +1
- Best spotDaviess CountyDaviess County, Missouri · 114 mi awayPublic access · Lake Superior Agate, Jasper, Fossil +1
- Best spotGallatinDaviess County, Missouri · 116 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper +2
- EmmetsburgPalo Alto County, Iowa · 120 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Jasper, Petrified Wood
- Livingston CountyLivingston County, Missouri · 127 mi awayPublic access · Lake Superior Agate, Jasper, Fossil +1
- GraettingerPalo Alto County, Iowa · 127 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Jasper, Petrified Wood
Best spotLittle Nemaha RiverNemaha County, Nebraska · 141 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Moss Agate, Chalcedony +2
Best spotOmahaDouglas County, Nebraska · 144 mi awayPublic access · Banded Agate, Moss Agate, Chalcedony +5- AshlandSaunders County, Nebraska · 145 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Petrified Wood
Types of petrified wood reported near Des Moines
Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each variety.
Petrified Wood near Des Moines FAQ
Where can I find petrified wood near Des Moines?+
11 mapped spots within about 150 miles of Des Moines report petrified wood. The closest is Orient Area in Adair County, roughly 44 miles away (56 min drive). The full list with coordinates is on this page.
Can I collect petrified wood on public land near Des Moines?+
11 of the 11 spots here sit on land mapped as publicly accessible. Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed on most BLM and Forest Service land with limits set by the local field office; national parks and most state parks are closed to collecting. Confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.
How can I tell petrified wood from plain rock?+
Look for wood structure: parallel grain lines, growth rings on cut ends, and bark texture on the outside. Petrified palm shows a distinctive rod-and-dot pattern instead of rings. Plain jasper and chert show none of these, even when the color looks woody.
How far from Des Moines do I need to drive?+
The nearest petrified wood spot is about 44 miles out, and the farthest on this list is 145 miles. Most fall inside a normal weekend day-trip radius.
Keep exploring from Des Moines
Where to Find Petrified Wood near other cities
Hunt petrified wood around Des Moines with the map in your pocket
RockHoundR shows these spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, weather, and a log for your finds.
