Dry Creek: Red Jasper & Jasper Rockhounding in Lake County, Oregon

Updated August 2026

Dry Creek is a mapped rockhounding spot in Lake County, Oregon. Reported finds include red jasper, jasper, quartz, agate, common opal. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Quick details

Access: Check locally
County: Lake County
State: Oregon
Nearest road: National Forest Development Road 4020
Coordinates: 42.05230, -120.60910

Geology at Dry Creek

This spot sits on volcanic rocks, mapped as dacite tuff, pumice lapilli; alteration: zeolite; fossils: abundant mammalian fossils fossils; fresh glass shards; devitrification: glass, rhyodacite flows, andesite flows, tuffaceous sedimentary rocks, fresh glass shards; devitrification: glass; pumice lapilli; alteration: zeolite; fossils: abundant mammalian fossils fossils, rhyolite tuff, and fossils: abundant mammalian fossils fossils; fresh glass shards; devitrification: glass; pumice lapilli; alteration: zeolite that formed roughly 23 to 5 million years ago. Volcanic ground like this is where agate, jasper, and other chalcedony typically form, filling old gas pockets and fracture seams in the flow rock.

Mapped unit: volcanic rocks
Age: 23–5 Ma (Miocene)
Rock types: dacite tuff, pumice lapilli; alteration: zeolite; fossils: abundant mammalian fossils fossils; fresh glass shards; devitrification: glass, rhyodacite flows, andesite flows, tuffaceous sedimentary rocks, fresh glass shards; devitrification: glass; pumice lapilli; alteration: zeolite; fossils: abundant mammalian fossils fossils, rhyolite tuff, and fossils: abundant mammalian fossils fossils; fresh glass shards; devitrification: glass; pumice lapilli; alteration: zeolite
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 Dry Creek

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 38°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 18°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, BLY 4 SE station (12 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

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 Dry Creek

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 Dry Creek.

Across the state line from Dry Creek

Dry Creek is close enough to the Oregon border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

Dry Creek FAQ

Where is Dry Creek?+

Dry Creek is in Lake County, Oregon, at 42.05230, -120.60910. Nearest road: National Forest Development Road 4020.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Dry Creek?+

Dry Creek is reported to produce Red Jasper, Jasper, Quartz, Agate, Common Opal.

Is collecting allowed at Dry Creek?+

Confirm rules before collecting. Land status here is not confirmed. Verify with the managing agency before collecting — federal, state, and tribal rules differ. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Dry Creek?+

Most agate and jasper is surface float: bring a spray bottle, a pick or small shovel, and a sturdy bag. Wet stones show their banding and translucence.

When is the best time to visit Dry Creek?+

The most comfortable months at Dry Creek are March to November.

How do I get to Dry Creek?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 42.05230, -120.60910 in Google Maps. The nearest road is National Forest Development Road 4020.

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Open Dry Creek on the map

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