Best spot

Fairburn: Fairburn Agate & Agatized Wood Rockhounding in Custer County, South Dakota

Updated June 2026

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 agates are prized fortification agates that occur in nearly every color combination, and the same ground also yields agatized wood and yellow jasper. The hunting is surface picking, best after rain or snowmelt freshly exposes material. Reported finds include fairburn agate, agatized wood, yellow jasper. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Fairburn photos

Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.

1 photo

A Fairburn agate with tight fortification banding in red, orange, and white, the state gem collected in the badlands east of Fairburn

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Custer County
State: South Dakota
Coordinates: 43.66826, -103.02690

Geology at Fairburn

This spot sits on ground mapped as White River Group that formed roughly 38 to 23 million years ago. Petrified wood typically shows up as durable float on slopes and in washes cut into ground like this.

Mapped unit: White River Group
Age: 38–23 Ma (Late Eocene to Oligocene)
Elevation: 3,010 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 Fairburn

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 89°F in midsummer and 38°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 11°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ORAL station (22 mi away).

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.

Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.

Found at Fairburn

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 Fairburn.

Across the state line from Fairburn

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

Fairburn FAQ

Where is Fairburn?+

Fairburn is in Custer County, South Dakota, at 43.66826, -103.02690.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Fairburn?+

Fairburn is reported to produce Fairburn Agate, Agatized Wood, Yellow Jasper.

Is collecting allowed at Fairburn?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Fairburn?+

A rock hammer, sturdy gloves, and a padded bag cover petrified wood hunting. Most pieces are surface float, so walking slopes and washes beats digging.

When is the best time to visit Fairburn?+

The most comfortable months at Fairburn are March to November.

How do I get to Fairburn?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 43.66826, -103.02690 in Google Maps. Some spots are remote, so check road conditions before driving out.

More rockhounding in South Dakota

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Open Fairburn on the map

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