Hell Canyon: Banded Agate & Jade Rockhounding in Custer County, South Dakota
- Minerals reported
- 5
- Elevation
- 5,440 ft
- Best months
- April to October
Hell Canyon is a mapped rockhounding spot in Custer County, South Dakota. Reported finds include banded agate, jade, jasper, geode, fossil. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Custer County
- State
- South Dakota
- Nearest road
- Hell Canyon Trail
- Coordinates
- 43.74935, -103.84205
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.
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 Hell Canyon
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 81°F in midsummer and 32°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 7°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, EDGEMONT 23 NNW station (9 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Geology at Hell Canyon
This spot sits on ground mapped as Pahasapa Limestone that formed roughly 360 to 330 million years ago. Limestone like this typically forms in ancient seas, so marine fossils such as brachiopods, corals, and crinoids tend to weather out of fresh exposures.
- Mapped unit
- Pahasapa Limestone
- Age
- 360–330 Ma (Early Mississippian)
- Elevation
- 5,440 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.
Today's weather
Is today a good day to go?
The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Hell Canyon.
Get the appSources & 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.
- BLM Montana-Dakotas rockhounding rules
- Buffalo Gap National Grassland
- South Dakota Geological Survey
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Hell Canyon
Each name 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 Hell Canyon.
- Teepee Canyon AgatesCuster County, South Dakota · 4 mi awayAgate
- Tin MountainCuster County, South Dakota · 6 mi awayFluorapatite, Quartz, Almandine Garnet
- Laughing Water CreekCuster County, South Dakota · 12 mi awayColumbite, Gold, Silver
- Tepee CanyonCuster County, South Dakota · 15 mi awayAgate, Beryl, Almandine Garnet
- Pleasant Valley CreekCuster County, South Dakota · 15 mi awayBanded Agate, Jade, Jasper
- November MineCuster County, South Dakota · 16 mi awayArsenopyrite, Fluorapatite
- PringleCuster County, South Dakota · 17 mi awayFairhill Agate
- Hill CityPennington County, South Dakota · 18 mi awayBeryl, Red Cassiterite, Cervantite
Across the state line from Hell Canyon
Hell Canyon 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.
- NewcastleWeston County, Wyoming · 14 mi awayGypsum
- Black Hills National ForestCrook County, Wyoming · 44 mi awayFluorite, Gold
- MontroseSioux County, Nebraska · 57 mi awayAgate, Jasper, Fossil
- Warren PeakCrook County, Wyoming · 58 mi awayAzurite, Malachite
- Copper Prince MineCrook County, Wyoming · 60 mi awayChrysocolla, Gold, Malachite
- OrellaDawes County, Nebraska · 60 mi awayFairburn Agate, Jasper, Carnelian
Hell Canyon FAQ
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More rockhounding in South Dakota
See all 47 South Dakota spots →
Open Hell Canyon on the map
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