Copper Prince Mine: Gold Prospecting in Crook County, Wyoming

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Crook County

State

Wyoming

Nearest road

Bear Lodge Road

Coordinates

44.48275, -104.49391

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 Copper Prince Mine

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 76°F in midsummer and 32°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 16°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, SUNDANCE 8 NNW station (4 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Copper Prince Mine

This spot sits on ground mapped as Spearfish Formation that formed roughly 300 to 200 million years ago. Placer gold, where present, typically concentrates in the gravels and washes that drain ground like this.

Mapped unit

Spearfish Formation

Age

300–200 Ma (Permian to Triassic)

Elevation

5,650 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.

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

• BLM Wyoming
• Wyoming State Geological Survey
• Fossil Butte National Monument
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules