Meade County: Yellow Barite & Amber Barite Rockhounding in Meade County, South Dakota
- Minerals reported
- 3
- Elevation
- 2,950 ft
- Best months
- March to November
Meade County is a mapped rockhounding spot in Meade County, South Dakota. Reported finds include yellow barite, amber barite, whewellite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Meade County
- State
- South Dakota
- Nearest road
- Elk Vale Road
- Postcode
- 57769
- Coordinates
- 44.23999, -103.15166
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 Meade County
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 86°F in midsummer and 34°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 12°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, HEREFORD 12 SW station (6 mi away).
Geology at Meade County
This spot sits on ground mapped as Alluvial deposits that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Loose deposits like these are float-collecting ground: erosion keeps moving durable rocks and minerals into gravel bars, cutbanks, and washes.
- Mapped unit
- Alluvial deposits
- Age
- 3 Ma to present (Pleistocene to Holocene)
- Elevation
- 2,950 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 Meade County.
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 Meade County
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 Meade County.
- SummersetMeade County, South Dakota · 9 mi awayFossil
- PiedmontMeade County, South Dakota · 11 mi awaySelenite
- Pennington CountyPennington County, South Dakota · 11 mi awayAmethyst
- KeystonePennington County, South Dakota · 27 mi awayTourmaline, Spodumene, Lepidolite
- Railroad ButtesPennington County, South Dakota · 29 mi awayFairburn Agate, Agate, Rose Quartz
- Whitewood CreekLawrence County, South Dakota · 29 mi awayAmethyst, Geode, Chalcedony
- Hill CityPennington County, South Dakota · 31 mi awayBeryl, Red Cassiterite, Cervantite
- Broken Boot Gold MineLawrence County, South Dakota · 31 mi awayGold, Arsenopyrite, Galena
Across the state line from Meade County
Meade County 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.
- Black Hills National ForestCrook County, Wyoming · 46 mi awayFluorite, Gold
- NewcastleWeston County, Wyoming · 56 mi awayGypsum
- Warren PeakCrook County, Wyoming · 66 mi awayAzurite, Malachite
- Copper Prince MineCrook County, Wyoming · 68 mi awayChrysocolla, Gold, Malachite
Meade County FAQ
Where is Meade County?+
What rocks and minerals can you find at Meade County?+
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More rockhounding in South Dakota
See all 47 South Dakota spots →
Open Meade County on the map
Use the RockHoundR app for live land overlays, weather, geology, directions, and saved finds.
