Holdenville: Barite Rockhounding in Hughes County, Oklahoma

Quick details

Access

Check locally

County

Hughes County

State

Oklahoma

Coordinates

35.13744, -96.39705

Geology at Holdenville

This spot sits on Holdenville Formation or Holdenville Shale, mapped as Pennsylvanian shale, sandstone, and conglomerate. Sedimentary rock like this erodes unevenly, so the most productive collecting is typically along fresh cuts, badland slopes, and active drainages.

Mapped unit

Holdenville Formation or Holdenville Shale

Age

Pennsylvanian

Rock types

shale, sandstone, and conglomerate

Elevation

800 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 Holdenville

Best months: September to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 52°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 30°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, HOLDENVILLE 3ESE MESONET station (5 mi away).

Land & collecting status

Confirm rules before collecting

Land status here is not confirmed. Verify with the managing agency before collecting — federal, state, and tribal rules differ.

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 Holdenville

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

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