Petrified Wood near Rapid City, SD
16 of the mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Rapid City report petrified wood. The closest is Fairburn, about 30 miles out (38 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.
Map of 16 petrified wood collecting spots within 150 miles of Rapid City, South Dakota
Closest petrified wood spots to Rapid City
- FairburnCuster County, South Dakota30 mi · 38 min driveFairburn Agate, Agatized Wood, Yellow Jasper
- Whitewood CreekLawrence County, South Dakota36 mi · 45 min driveAmethyst, Geode, Chalcedony
- Spearfish CanyonLawrence County, South Dakota39 mi · 49 min driveAmethyst, Geode, Chalcedony
- Parker PeakFall River County, South Dakota52 mi · 1 hr 5 min driveAgatized Wood, Silicified Wood
- OelrichsFall River County, South Dakota66 mi · 1 hr 23 min driveFairburn Agate, Jasper, Calcite
- ArdmoreFall River County, South Dakota75 mi · 1 hr 34 min driveFairburn Agate, Agatized Wood, Jasper
Types of petrified wood reported near Rapid City
Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each variety.
Every petrified wood spot within 150 miles of Rapid City
Sorted by distance from Rapid City. Tap a row for directions, access status, and nearby trips.
Petrified Wood near Rapid City FAQ
Where can I find petrified wood near Rapid City?+
16 mapped spots within about 150 miles of Rapid City report petrified wood. The closest is Fairburn in Custer County County, roughly 30 miles away (38 min drive). The full list with coordinates is on this page.
Can I collect petrified wood on public land near Rapid City?+
16 of the 16 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 Rapid City do I need to drive?+
The nearest petrified wood spot is about 30 miles out, and the farthest on this list is 149 miles. Most fall inside a normal weekend day-trip radius.
Keep exploring from Rapid City
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Hunt petrified wood around Rapid City 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.
