Where to Find Petrified Wood near Moab, UT
14 of the mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Moab report petrified wood. The closest is Colorado River, about 3 miles out (3 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 Moab
Colorado RiverGrand County, Utah · 3 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +4
SE Grand CountyGrand County, Utah · 5 mi awayPermission required · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +2- Thompson SpringsGrand County, Utah · 18 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Agatized Clam, Jasper +5
- Poison StripGrand County, Utah · 19 mi awayCheck locally · Carnotite, Agate, Petrified Wood +1
- Thompson SpringsGrand County, Utah · 22 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Agatized Clam, Anhydrite +5
- AgateGrand County, Utah · 35 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Chert +4
Best spotSan Rafael SwellEmery County, Utah · 58 mi awayPublic access · Agatized Wood, Amethyst, Carnotite +6- WoodsideEmery County, Utah · 61 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Carnotite, Chalcedony +4
- Best spotHanksvilleWayne County, Utah · 65 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Jasper, Petrified Wood
- HanksvilleWayne County, Utah · 68 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Jasper, Petrified Wood
- Castle DaleEmery County, Utah · 85 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Agatized Dinosaur Bone, Petrified Wood
- Sweet Water CanyonUintah County, Utah · 88 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper +1
- Circle CliffsGarfield County, Utah · 94 mi awayPermission required · Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper +2
- NW San Juan CountySan Juan County, New Mexico · 134 mi awayPermission required · Chert, Garnet, Jasper +2
Types of petrified wood reported near Moab
Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each variety.
Petrified Wood near Moab FAQ
Where can I find petrified wood near Moab?+
14 mapped spots within about 150 miles of Moab report petrified wood. The closest is Colorado River in Grand County, roughly 3 miles away (3 min drive). The full list with coordinates is on this page.
Can I collect petrified wood on public land near Moab?+
10 of the 14 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 Moab do I need to drive?+
The nearest petrified wood spot is about 3 miles out, and the farthest on this list is 134 miles. Most fall inside a normal weekend day-trip radius.
Keep exploring from Moab
Where to Find Petrified Wood near other cities
Hunt petrified wood around Moab 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.
