Where to Find Petrified Wood near Great Falls, MT
7 of the mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Great Falls report petrified wood. The closest is Vaughn, about 12 miles out (16 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 Great Falls
VaughnCascade County, Montana · 12 mi awayPublic access · Silicified Wood- LivingstonPark County, Montana · 130 mi awayPublic access · Agatized Wood
- Jefferson RiverMadison County, Montana · 134 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper +1
- Yellowstone RiverPark County, Montana · 134 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Montana Agate, Moss Agate +2
- Yellowstone River - Pelican Fishing AccessSweet Grass County, Montana · 141 mi awayPublic access · Montana Moss Agate, Petrified Wood, Jasper +1
- Mount BlackmoreGallatin County, Montana · 143 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Hyalite Opal +1
- Yellowstone River - Bratten Fishing AccessSweet Grass County, Montana · 147 mi awayPublic access · Montana Moss Agate, Petrified Wood, Jasper +1
Types of petrified wood reported near Great Falls
Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each variety.
Petrified Wood near Great Falls FAQ
Where can I find petrified wood near Great Falls?+
7 mapped spots within about 150 miles of Great Falls report petrified wood. The closest is Vaughn in Cascade County, roughly 12 miles away (16 min drive). The full list with coordinates is on this page.
Can I collect petrified wood on public land near Great Falls?+
7 of the 7 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 Great Falls do I need to drive?+
The nearest petrified wood spot is about 12 miles out, and the farthest on this list is 147 miles. Most fall inside a normal weekend day-trip radius.
Keep exploring from Great Falls
Where to Find Petrified Wood near other cities
Hunt petrified wood around Great Falls 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.
