Gothenburg: Petrified Palm Wood Rockhounding in Dawson County, Nebraska
Updated July 2026
Gothenburg and the central Platte valley are Nebraska's classic hunting ground for petrified palm wood, along with agate, carnelian, and chalcedony carried down from the Rockies and shed from the Ogallala gravels. It is the signature central-Nebraska material and a change of pace from the Panhandle agate. Reported finds include petrified palm wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Gothenburg photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Gothenburg in Dawson County, Nebraska
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Dawson County
- State
- Nebraska
- Nearest road
- Willow Island Road
- Postcode
- 69171
- Coordinates
- 40.90090, -100.14600
Geology at Gothenburg
This spot sits on Ogallala Group or Formation, mapped as siltstone mudstone and conglomerate sandstone that formed roughly 23 to 5 million years ago. Sedimentary beds like these are the typical host for petrified and silicified wood, which weathers out as durable float on slopes and in washes.
- Mapped unit
- Ogallala Group or Formation
- Age
- 23–5 Ma (Miocene)
- Rock types
- siltstone mudstone and conglomerate sandstone
- Elevation
- 2,560 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 Gothenburg
Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 88°F in midsummer and 39°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 16°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, GOTHENBURG station (3 mi away).
Land & collecting status
Generally open to casual rockhounding
Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.
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.
Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.
Found at Gothenburg
Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.
Nearby rockhounding spots
Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Gothenburg.
Across the state line from Gothenburg
Gothenburg is close enough to the Nebraska border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
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More rockhounding in Nebraska
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