Sunrise: Arsenopyrite & Barite Rockhounding in Platte County, Wyoming
- Minerals reported
- 3
- Elevation
- 4,930 ft
- Best months
- March to November
Sunrise is a mapped rockhounding spot in Platte County, Wyoming. Reported finds include arsenopyrite, barite, copper. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Platte County
- State
- Wyoming
- Nearest road
- Sunrise Highway
- Postcode
- 82215
- Coordinates
- 42.33581, -104.70157
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 Sunrise
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 87°F in midsummer and 37°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 12°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, GUERNSEY DAM #2 station (4 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Geology at Sunrise
This spot sits on ground mapped as Metadolomite that formed roughly 2800 to 1600 million years ago. Carbonate rock like this dissolves and weathers readily, so fresh road cuts, quarries, and creek exposures are typically the most productive ground.
- Mapped unit
- Metadolomite
- Age
- 2800–1600 Ma (Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic)
- Elevation
- 4,930 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.
Today's weather
Is today a good day to go?
The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Sunrise.
Get the appSources & 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:
- BLM Wyoming
- Wyoming State Geological Survey
- Fossil Butte National Monument
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Sunrise
Each name 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 Sunrise.
- HartvillePlatte County, Wyoming · 3 mi awayAgate, Moss Agate, Chalcedony
- Guernsey Platte RiverGoshen County, Wyoming · 7 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Banded Iron Formation
- Jay EmGoshen County, Wyoming · 19 mi awayAgate, Malachite, Onyx
- Rawhide ButtesGoshen County, Wyoming · 20 mi awayAzurite, Bornite, Chalcocite
- Glendo Red HillsPlatte County, Wyoming · 21 mi awayBanded Iron Formation
- Cooney HillsPlatte County, Wyoming · 32 mi awayGarnet
- WheatlandPlatte County, Wyoming · 34 mi awayMoonstone, Labradorite
- Chugwater CreekLaramie County, Wyoming · 54 mi awayBloodstone
Across the state line from Sunrise
Sunrise is close enough to the Wyoming border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- Agate Fossil BedsSioux County, Nebraska · 50 mi awayAgate, Jasper, Chalcedony
- Sioux CountySioux County, Nebraska · 59 mi awayChalcedony, Celestite, Fossil
- Scottsbluff BadlandsScotts Bluff County, Nebraska · 61 mi awayFossil
- MontroseSioux County, Nebraska · 64 mi awayAgate, Jasper, Fossil
- Little BadlandsSioux County, Nebraska · 67 mi awayVertebrate Fossil
- Crawford (jasper area)Dawes County, Nebraska · 70 mi awayFairburn Agate, Jasper, Petrified Wood
Sunrise FAQ
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More rockhounding in Wyoming
See all 92 Wyoming spots →
Open Sunrise on the map
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