Little Nemaha River: Agate & Moss Agate Rockhounding in Nemaha County, Nebraska

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Nemaha County

State

Nebraska

Coordinates

40.40430, -95.82804

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

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.

Access note: The Little Nemaha is non-navigable, so the streambed belongs to the adjacent landowners. Collect only at public bridge crossings and public accesses, or with landowner permission, and never on posted land. Surrounding fields are private working farmland: ask first.

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.

Best time to visit Little Nemaha River

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 88°F in midsummer and 35°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 14°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, AUBURN 5 ESE station (5 mi away).

Geology at Little Nemaha River

This spot sits on Wabaunsee Group, mapped as shale, sandstone, and limestone that formed roughly 325 to 300 million years ago. Carbonate rock like this dissolves and weathers readily, so fresh road cuts, quarries, and creek exposures are typically the most productive ground.

Mapped unit

Wabaunsee Group

Age

325–300 Ma (Pennsylvanian)

Rock types

shale, sandstone, and limestone

Elevation

890 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.

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.

• Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands
• Conservation and Survey Division, University of Nebraska
• Nebraska Game and Parks rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules