Hansen Creek Opal Mine: Rockhounding in King County, Washington

Updated June 2026

Hansen Creek Opal Mine is a mapped rockhounding spot in King County, Washington. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Quick details

Access: Paid / fee dig
County: King County
State: Washington
Nearest road: Tinkham Road
Coordinates: 47.39119, -121.53066

Geology at Hansen Creek Opal Mine

This spot sits on alluvium, mapped as sand and gravel 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: alluvium
Age: 3 Ma to present (Quaternary)
Rock types: sand and gravel
Elevation: 1,680 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.

Land & collecting status

Pay-to-dig site

This is a fee-dig location. Hours, prices, and what you can keep vary by operator. Call ahead before driving out.

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: April 1, 2026

Washington Geological Survey (DNR)
Stonerose Interpretive Center — Visit & rules
BLM Spokane District
Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Nearby rockhounding spots

Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Hansen Creek Opal Mine.

Hansen Creek Opal Mine FAQ

Where is Hansen Creek Opal Mine?+

Hansen Creek Opal Mine is in King County, Washington, at 47.39119, -121.53066. Nearest road: Tinkham Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Hansen Creek Opal Mine?+

Hansen Creek Opal Mine is on the rockhounding map but no minerals are listed in our reference. Open RockHoundR to see what other rockhounds have logged.

Is collecting allowed at Hansen Creek Opal Mine?+

Pay-to-dig site. This is a fee-dig location. Hours, prices, and what you can keep vary by operator. Call ahead before driving out. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Hansen Creek Opal Mine?+

A rock hammer, sturdy gloves, safety glasses, and a collecting bag cover the basics here. Add a spray bottle: wet rock shows color and pattern that dry rock hides.

How do I get to Hansen Creek Opal Mine?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 47.39119, -121.53066 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Tinkham Road.

More rockhounding in Washington

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Open Hansen Creek Opal Mine on the map

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