RockHoundR

Rockhounding in Wyoming

Updated October 2026

92 mapped spots for rock hunting and rock collecting across 19 counties. Wyoming is a good state for agate, jade, petrified wood, and fossil fish. The Sweetwater agate fields, Wiggins Fork petrified wood area, Wyoming jade country, and Kemmerer quarries are the main anchors.

Where is the best rockhounding in Wyoming?

The best rockhounding in Wyoming is at Sweetwater River in Fremont County (agate), Atlantic City in Fremont County (agate, chalcedony), and Warm Springs in Fremont County (agate, chalcedony). In total, 92 mapped collecting spots across 19 counties produce agate, jasper, and chalcedony, each listed below with its land access.

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Every rockhounding spot in Wyoming

Wyoming rockhounding photos

Representative spot and material photos from locations in this state, shown where verified public image records are available.

5 photos

Top minerals found in Wyoming

Counts reflect how many spots in this list mention each mineral.

Notable areas: Sweetwater agate, Wyoming jade, Wiggins Fork petrified wood, and Tin Cup quartz are common Wyoming targets.

Geology behind Wyoming rockhounding

Wyoming is half BLM by area. Its collecting hot spots reflect Eocene to Miocene lake-and-volcanic geology: the Sweetwater River basin's agate-and-jasper gravels (Granite Mountains source), the Wiggins Fork and Absaroka Mountains' opalized and silicified wood, the Granite Mountains' nephrite jade, and the Green River Formation's fossil fish near Kemmerer (commercial quarries plus public quarry days).

Best regions to focus your search

Sweetwater Country (central Wyoming)

Sweetwater agate, moss agate, and jasper across the Granite Mountains and the Sweetwater River drainage. BLM ground with long, lonely roads.

Wyoming jade belt (Granite Mountains, Lander area)

Nephrite jade as float and in-place. The hunt is patient. Most surface material was picked over in the boom years, but the area still gives up jade after washouts.

Wiggins Fork / Absaroka petrified wood

Permineralized wood in Eocene tuffs of the Absaroka volcanic province. Remote, high country with grizzly habitat. Travel in groups.

Green River Formation (Kemmerer)

Fossil fish at commercial quarries (American Fossil, Ulrich's, Warfield, Tynsky's) on public quarry days. Knightia is the typical catch.

Best season

June–September. Wyoming's high desert is cold and wind-scoured the rest of the year. Kemmerer quarries run May through October.

What to bring

Wind shell, bear spray (for the Absaroka country), full-size spare and high-clearance vehicle, water for the day, paper map. For Kemmerer fossil quarries: small chisels and a flat-blade screwdriver, the quarries provide most tools.

Local collecting history

Jade was designated Wyoming's state gem in 1967. The Sweetwater agate fields had their first big rush in the 1930s and 1940s, when collectors fanned across the Granite Mountains by horseback. Wiggins Fork petrified wood has been worked since the 1950s.

Rockhounding near major Wyoming cities

Day-trip range. Each section lists the closest mapped rockhounding spots within about 150 miles of the city. Most are inside a 2 to 3 hour drive.

Rockhounding near Cheyenne

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6 closest spots to Cheyenne, WY.

  • Copper King MineLaramie County · Barite, Copper19 mi24 min drive
  • Chugwater CreekLaramie County · Bloodstone37 mi46 min drive
  • LaramieAlbany County · Gypsum39 mi49 min drive
  • Diamond PeakLarimer County · Diamond40 mi50 min drive
  • Red ButtesAlbany County · Gypsum42 mi52 min drive
  • Sportman LakeAlbany County · Gypsum42 mi52 min drive

Neighboring states with rockhounding

Geology rarely respects state borders. These states share mapped rockhounding country with Wyoming, useful when Wyoming is the start, not the whole trip. Each card links to the closest county across the line.

Rockhounding by county in Wyoming

County pages are linked once we have at least 3 mapped spots for a focused guide with coordinates, mineral notes, and nearby spots.

Top picks in Wyoming

10 best spots

Hand-picked standouts from the Wyoming list, chosen for unusual mineralogy, documented public access, or both. Each card links to coordinates, access notes, and what to look for.

Fee digs and gem mining in Wyoming

2 places in Wyoming where you pay to dig and keep what you find. Prices and seasons change, so check with the operator before you drive out.

  • Fossil SafariLincoln County
  • Eden ValleySweetwater CountyPetrified Wood

Rock and mineral clubs in Wyoming

3 clubs in Wyoming. Clubs run field trips, shows and workshops, and many trips go to private claims you can't reach alone.

Full club directory →

Wyoming rockhounding FAQ

Is rockhounding legal in Wyoming?+
Yes on BLM and USFS land under the BLM 25 lb/day, 250 lb/year rule. Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming State Parks, and the Wind River Reservation are closed. Vertebrate fossils are federally protected on public land.
Where can I find Wyoming jade?+
The classic ground is the Granite Mountains and Sweetwater drainage in central Wyoming, on BLM land south of Lander. Hand picking after spring washouts is the typical strategy, most easily accessible surface material was picked over decades ago.
How do the Kemmerer fossil fish quarries work?+
Several private quarries, including American Fossil, Ulrich's, Warfield, and Tynsky's, sit on the Green River Formation outside Fossil Butte National Monument. Pay a daily rate, split shale, and keep what you find, usually Knightia and sometimes Mioplosus, Diplomystus, or rarer species under each quarry's rules.
Can I keep Sweetwater agate I pick off BLM land?+
Yes. Sweetwater agate is a common semiprecious gemstone covered under the BLM 25 lb/day, 250 lb/year rule. Avoid posted claims and don't dig pits, surface picking is the norm.
What rocks and minerals can you find in Wyoming?+
Common targets include Sweetwater agate, Wyoming jade, petrified wood (Wiggins Fork, Eden Valley), Green River fossil fish (Kemmerer quarries), Youngite (calcite-on-agate from the Casper area), and Tin Cup quartz crystals.
Where can I go rock hunting in Wyoming?+
Rock hunting, rock collecting and rockhounding are the same hobby under different names. 92 spots are mapped in Wyoming, 74 of them with public access. Fremont County, Sweetwater County, and Carbon County have the most.
Is there gem mining or pay-to-dig in Wyoming?+
Yes. 2 fee digs are mapped in Wyoming, where you pay to dig and keep what you find: Fossil Safari and Eden Valley. Prices and seasons change, so check with the operator before you drive out.
Where can I dig for crystals in Wyoming?+
11 mapped spots in Wyoming report quartz, amethyst, or smoky quartz, mostly in Sweetwater County, Fremont County, and Converse County. Each one is in the list on this page with its land access.
Can you find geodes in Wyoming?+
Yes. 1 mapped spot in Wyoming reports geodes, mostly in Converse County.
Where can I go gold panning in Wyoming?+
6 mapped spots in Wyoming report gold, mostly in Fremont County, Crook County, and Park County. Check for mining claims before you pan: working someone else's claim is not allowed.

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