Lisbon: Quartz & Teredo Petrified Wood Rockhounding in Ransom County, North Dakota
- Minerals reported
- 2
- Elevation
- 1,090 ft
- Best months
- April to October
Lisbon marks the eastern end of North Dakota's Teredo petrified wood belt, which runs across the state from the Mandan badlands to the Sheyenne River valley. Quartz and silicified wood occur in the glacial gravels and river terraces of the Sheyenne here, far from the western badlands. The Sheyenne is a non-navigable river, so collecting depends on public accesses and landowner permission. Reported finds include quartz, teredo petrified wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Ransom County
- State
- North Dakota
- Nearest road
- Valley Road
- Postcode
- 58054
- Coordinates
- 46.44746, -97.69195
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: Collect from public river accesses and gravel pits, or on private land with permission; the Sheyenne River bed is privately owned (non-navigable). Petrified wood and plant fossils may be kept, but vertebrate fossils on public land are protected under state law. Fort Ransom State Park nearby is closed to collecting.
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 Lisbon
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 82°F in midsummer and 19°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 0°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, LISBON station (0 mi away).
Geology at Lisbon
This spot sits on Greenhorn Formation, mapped as shale that formed roughly 100 to 66 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
- Greenhorn Formation
- Age
- 100–66 Ma (Late Cretaceous)
- Rock types
- shale
- Elevation
- 1,090 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.
Today's weather
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The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Lisbon.
Get the appSources & 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.
- North Dakota Geological Survey
- Dakota Prairie Grasslands
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation rules
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Lisbon
Each name 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 Lisbon.
- TappenKidder County, North Dakota · 89 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Jasper
- Sheyenne RiverEddy County, North Dakota · 112 mi awayQuartz, Petrified Wood, Fossil
Lisbon FAQ
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More rockhounding in North Dakota
See all 25 North Dakota spots →
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