Whistler Spring: Thundereggs Rockhounding in Crook County, Oregon
Updated June 2026
Whistler Spring is one of central Oregon's classic free National Forest thunderegg sites, listed by DOGAMI alongside White Fir in the Madras-Prineville rockhounding belt. The site is notable for accessible rhyolite-hosted nodules in Crook County's Ochoco country, a compact example of the geology behind Oregon's state rock. Reported finds include thundereggs. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Whistler Spring photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Whistler Spring in Crook County, Oregon
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Crook County
- State
- Oregon
- Nearest road
- National Forest Development Road 2700-500
- Coordinates
- 44.49639, -120.48590
Geology at Whistler Spring
This spot sits on John Day/Clarno Group; John Day Formation, mapped as rhyolite flows that formed roughly 56 to 23 million years ago. Volcanic ground like this weathers into rocky slopes and float, and fresh exposures in cuts and drainages are usually the most productive places to look.
- Mapped unit
- John Day/Clarno Group; John Day Formation
- Age
- 56–23 Ma (Eocene to Oligocene)
- Rock types
- rhyolite flows
- Elevation
- 5,640 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 Whistler Spring
Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 75°F in midsummer and 35°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 17°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MITCHELL 2 E station (19 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
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.
State guidance last verified:
- BLM Oregon/Washington — Rockhounding & mineral material
- Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI)
- Oregon Parks and Recreation Department — beach collecting rules
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Whistler Spring
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 Whistler Spring.
- Lucky Strike MineCrook County, Oregon · 2 mi awayThundereggs
- Desolation CanyonCrook County, Oregon · 2 mi awayThundereggs
- Forked Horn ButteCrook County, Oregon · 5 mi awayThundereggs
- White RockCrook County, Oregon · 6 mi awayThundereggs, Agate, Chalcedony
- Harvey CreekCrook County, Oregon · 6 mi awayThundereggs
- White Fir SpringTop pick in OregonCrook County, Oregon · 7 mi awayThundereggs, Jasper
- Sheep creekCrook County, Oregon · 14 mi awayMoss Agate
- Shores of Ochoco ReservoirCrook County, Oregon · 16 mi awayOchoco Jasper
Whistler Spring FAQ
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More rockhounding in Oregon
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