Columbia River: Opalized Wood & Petrified Wood Rockhounding in Kittitas County, Washington
Updated June 2026
The Saddle Mountains expose a petrified forest preserved between Wanapum Basalt flows roughly 14 to 15 million years old, and the area is one of the few places where collectors can legally gather Washington's state gem on public land. On BLM-managed ground near Beverly, surface collection of petrified and opalized wood is allowed under federal personal-use rules of 25 pounds plus one piece per day. Agate, jasper, and chalcedony turn up alongside the wood. Reported finds include opalized wood, petrified wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Columbia River photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Columbia River in Kittitas County, Washington
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Kittitas County
- State
- Washington
- Nearest road
- Beverly Railroad Bridge
- Postcode
- 99321
- Coordinates
- 46.83492, -119.94969
Geology at Columbia River
This spot sits on alluvium, mapped as sand and gravel that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Petrified wood typically travels as tough float, and worked gravels like these are exactly where weathered pieces tend to collect.
- Mapped unit
- alluvium
- Age
- 3 Ma to present (Quaternary)
- Rock types
- sand and gravel
- Elevation
- 490 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 Columbia River
Best months: February to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 40°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 29°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, PRIEST RAPIDS DAM station (13 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.
State guidance last verified:
- Washington Geological Survey (DNR)
- Stonerose Interpretive Center — Visit & rules
- BLM Spokane District
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Columbia River
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 Columbia River.
- MattawaGrant County, Washington · 6 mi awayOpalized Wood
- Petrified Forest State ParkKittitas County, Washington · 9 mi awayOpalized Wood, Petrified Wood
- Cairn Hope PeakYakima County, Washington · 19 mi awayPetrified Wood, Opalized Wood
- EllensburgKittitas County, Washington · 32 mi awayGeode
- Rattlesnake Mt.Benton County, Washington · 34 mi awayPetrified Wood, Opalized Wood
- RingoldTop pick in WashingtonFranklin County, Washington · 41 mi awayAgate
- Moses CouleeDouglas County, Washington · 43 mi awayOpalized Wood
- LibertyTop pick in WashingtonKittitas County, Washington · 44 mi awayGold
Columbia River FAQ
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