Red Desert: Agate & Chalcedony Rockhounding in Sweetwater County, Wyoming
- Minerals reported
- 6
- Elevation
- 6,580 ft
- Best months
- March to October
Red Desert is a mapped rockhounding spot in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. Reported finds include agate, chalcedony, chert, jasper, quartz, and more. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Sweetwater County
- State
- Wyoming
- Nearest road
- Tipton-North Road
- Coordinates
- 41.81939, -108.27987
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 Red Desert
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: March to October. Typical highs run 86°F in midsummer and 30°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 9°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, WAMSUTTER station (19 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Geology at Red Desert
This spot sits on Playa lake and other lacustrine deposits, mapped as clay, silt, and sand 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
- Playa lake and other lacustrine deposits
- Age
- 3 Ma to present (Pleistocene to Holocene)
- Rock types
- clay, silt, and sand
- Elevation
- 6,580 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
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The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Red Desert.
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 Red Desert
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 Red Desert.
- WamsutterSweetwater County, Wyoming · 22 mi awayTurritella Agate
- Bitter CreekSweetwater County, Wyoming · 23 mi awayTschermigite
- Black Rock SpringsSweetwater County, Wyoming · 27 mi awayGarnet, Ruby, Peridot
- Steamboat MountainSweetwater County, Wyoming · 37 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Jasper
- Warm SpringsFremont County, Wyoming · 47 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Jasper
- Green MountainFremont County, Wyoming · 47 mi awayBanded Agate, Moss Agate, Aventurine
- Rock SpringsSweetwater County, Wyoming · 48 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Chert
- South PassFremont County, Wyoming · 50 mi awayBanded Iron Formation
Red Desert FAQ
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More rockhounding in Wyoming
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Open Red Desert on the map
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