Nickel Mountain Mine - Riddle: Garnierite & Chrysoprase Rockhounding in Douglas County, Oregon

Quick details

Access

Check locally

County

Douglas County

State

Oregon

Nearest road

Riddle Bypass Road

Postcode

97649

Coordinates

42.92906, -123.41381

Geology at Nickel Mountain Mine - Riddle

This spot sits on surficial deposits; Alluvial deposits, mapped as mixed fluvial sediment that formed within roughly the last 12,000 years. Sedimentary rock like this erodes unevenly, so the most productive collecting is typically along fresh cuts, badland slopes, and active drainages.

Mapped unit

surficial deposits; Alluvial deposits

Age

< 1 Ma (Holocene)

Rock types

mixed fluvial sediment

Elevation

740 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 Nickel Mountain Mine - Riddle

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 52°F in winter to 88°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, RIDDLE station (3 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.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• 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 Nickel Mountain Mine - Riddle

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

• Garnierite
• Chrysoprase