Applegate River: Bowenite & Jade Rockhounding in Jackson County, Oregon

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Jackson County

State

Oregon

Nearest road

Upper Applegate Road

Coordinates

42.07068, -123.11402

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: BLM records active mining claims in this area. Collecting from inside an active claim needs the claim holder's permission.

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 Applegate River

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 49°F in winter to 90°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, RUCH station (11 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Applegate River

This spot sits on Applegate Group, mapped as volcanic sandstone, greenish gray; plagioclase, clinopyroxene, and hornblende clasts; facies: greenschist to hornblende-hornfels; mafic to intermediate volcanic and volcaniclastic lithic fragments that formed roughly 250 to 145 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

Applegate Group

Age

250–145 Ma (Triassic to Jurassic)

Rock types

volcanic sandstone, greenish gray; plagioclase, clinopyroxene, and hornblende clasts; facies: greenschist to hornblende-hornfels; mafic to intermediate volcanic and volcaniclastic lithic fragments

Elevation

2,040 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.

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