Colorado River at Smithville — Rockhounding in Bastrop County, Texas
The Colorado River at Smithville is a navigable Texas river, so its bed is state-owned public land, and the City of Smithville maintains free river access at Vernon L. Richards Riverbend Park beneath the Highway 71 bridges. Bastrop County is classic petrified palm wood country, the Texas state stone, with petrified wood and agate occurring in the river gravels and the Catahoula Formation. Reported finds include petrified palm wood, petrified wood, agate. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Colorado River at Smithville photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Colorado River at Smithville in Bastrop County, Texas
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Bastrop County
- State
- Texas
- Nearest road
- TX 71
- Postcode
- 78957
- Coordinates
- 30.01599, -97.14782
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.
State guidance last verified:
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
- Bureau of Economic Geology — Texas geology
- Big Bend National Park — Rules
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Colorado River at Smithville
Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.
- Petrified Palm WoodEncyclopedia →
- Petrified WoodEncyclopedia →
- AgateEncyclopedia →
Nearby rockhounding spots
Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Colorado River at Smithville.
- Rabb's CreekFayette County, Texas · 16 mi awayPetrified Wood, Opalized Wood
- E of AustinTravis County, Texas · 28 mi awayAgatized Wood, Petrified Palm Wood
- MoultonLavaca County, Texas · 32 mi awayAgate, Petrified Wood
- Nails Creek ParkLee County, Texas · 34 mi awayTektites
- Creek beds & hill slopes between Caldwell & SomervilleBurleson County, Texas · 36 mi awayPetrified Wood, Agatized Wood
- Peach CreekGonzales County, Texas · 37 mi awayAgate, Petrified Wood
- Whiskey Bridge (Brazos River)Top pick in TexasBurleson County, Texas · 55 mi awayFossil Snails, Fossilized Shells, Coral
- New BraunfelsComal County, Texas · 61 mi awayPetrified Wood
Colorado River at Smithville FAQ
Why is Colorado River at Smithville one of the best rockhounding spots in Texas?+
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More rockhounding in Texas
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