Rockhounding in Custer County, South Dakota
11 mapped rockhounding spots in Custer County. Most commonly produces fairburn agate, almandine garnet, banded agate, fluorapatite.
Custer County rockhounding photos
Representative spot and material photos from this county, shown where verified public image records are available.
Map showing 11 rockhounding spots in Custer County, South Dakota
Minerals reported in Custer County
Standouts in Custer County
Hand-picked spots in Custer County, chosen for unusual mineralogy or documented public access. Each card opens the full coordinates and access notes.
Top pickTepee Canyon
PublicCuster County
Tepee Canyon is the home of the distinctive Tepee Canyon banded agate, a fortification agate of purples, reds, and oranges encased in a chocolate-brown limestone host.
Agate, Beryl, Almandine Garnet, Lepidolite
Top pickFairburn
PublicCuster County
These are the classic Fairburn agate beds, the type locality for South Dakota's official state gem, sitting in the eroded badlands and surface gravels just east of the village of Fairburn.
Fairburn Agate, Agatized Wood, Yellow Jasper
Top pickCheyenne River
PublicCuster County
This locality along the Cheyenne River drainage sits within the core Fairburn agate belt just south of the main Fairburn beds, and the river gravels and surrounding badlands carry the same prized state-gem fortification agate.
Fairburn Agate
Spots in Custer County
| Spot | Minerals | Coordinates | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Gap | 43.4887, -103.4342 | Public | |
| Cheyenne River | 43.6028, -103.0230 | Public | |
| Fairburn | 43.7713, -103.3600 | Permission | |
| Fairburn | 43.6683, -103.0269 | Public | |
| Hell CanyonHell Canyon Trail | 43.7494, -103.8421 | Public | |
| Laughing Water CreekEcho Valley Road | 43.8183, -103.6169 | Public | |
| November MineNeedles Highway | 43.8373, -103.5431 | Permission | |
| Pleasant Valley Creek | 43.5552, -103.7211 | Public | |
| Pringle | 43.5523, -103.6279 | Public | |
| Tepee CanyonPleasant Valley Road | 43.5528, -103.9454 | Public | |
| Tin MountainWarren Gulch | 43.7557, -103.7201 | Public |
Neighboring counties in South Dakota
Adjacent rockhounding counties, ranked by how close their centroids sit to Custer County. A natural extension if Custer County is already on your trip plan.
- Pennington County~29 mi6 spotsTop: Aquamarine, Beryl, Agate
- Fall River County~34 mi3 spotsTop: Agatized Wood, Fairburn Agate, Jasper
- Oglala Lakota County~40 mi4 spotsTop: Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper
- Lawrence County~52 mi4 spotsTop: Amethyst, Chalcedony, Geode
- Meade County~57 mi5 spotsTop: Amber Barite, Barite, Calcite
- Harding County~132 mi1 spotTop: Chalcedony, Moss Agate
Across the state line from Custer County
Rockhounding counties in neighboring states within driving range. Geology rarely respects state borders — these are often the closest mapped spots you can reach without going deeper into South Dakota.
Custer County FAQ
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