Not a member of this organization? Pictures and notes on the fossils near Farson. The Hartville district within Platte County is said to contain some copper minerals. Thanks again for this site. If you sign up for GaiaGPS (free, takes about 2 clicks, and Ive never gotten mail from them, as its a husband+wife team that runs it), you can download the GPS data in the map to use on your phone or to import to Google Earth; just get the KML file. Gator Girl Rocks provides useful information about Rockhounding Site And Information Near Me (Clickable Map) - Rock Seeker Rockhounding Site And Information Near Me (Clickable Map) Must Have! Wyoming isnt just rich in rocks and minerals; it also has gold, fossils, and petrified wood. Petrified wood is also found in the Early Basic Breccia of Eocene age, in the Specimen Ridge and the Amethyst Mountains area of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. I have tried to take care not to list locations within National Park boundaries since collecting is illegal there, but please remember that it is up to you to make sure you have permission to collect wherever you are. Clear chalcedony and vein moss agate occur along this countys outcrops of the Bridger Formation. Thank you for your reply! amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "rockhoundreso-20"; WYOMING ROCKS AND MINERALS Description of the types of rocks and minerals found in wyoming. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Some areas appear to have kimberlite, though we havent used a diamond detector yet. google_color_url="FFFFFF"; Rockhounding Wyoming: A Guide to the State's Best Rockhounding Sites google_ad_width=120; Wyoming Rockhounding locations - The Great Wyoming - Google Sites You can even find geodes in Wyoming. Wyoming is an incredible place for rockhounds. at Cedar Mountain. Rockhounding Locations in WY, MT; UT. (Rough Draft, 05/02/2021 Revision) These include allanite, beryl, calcite-aragonite, columbite-tantalite, cordierite, feldspar minerals such as orthoclase, plagioclase, galena, graphite, kyanite, magnetite, manganese minerals, mica minerals, uranium minerals, and varieties of quartz. And of course, nephrite jade can be found in such abundance that it is Wyomings state gemstone. After a little bit it will split; right goes to Superior, and left goes to Winton. The Bridger Formation in areas north of Wamsutter, Sweetwater County, and in an area north and east of Farson, Sweetwater, and Sublette counties, the western half of the Bighorn Basin of Bighorn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie Counties, or the Steamboat Mountain in the Leucite Hills. The Medicine Bow Mountains are excellent places to find slate, galena, beryl, barite, and platinum-sperrylite. And if you have any tips (Ill keep your finds a secret! This new version of the guide arranges the sites into counties and regions, with a different chapter for each county. The GemHunter (Dan Hausel) found peridot and garnets in the area, the latter of which can also be found NNW of Cedar Mountain. Post navigation. Concretion and geodes are common in many of the sedimentary rocks in the state, but a good way of finding geodes in Wyoming is to search for the conglomerate in limestone or sandstone. To get started, you can check out my recommended gear page which contains my full reviews for every Geologists favorite rock hammer and the best hiking backpack Ive ever owned. The sapphire specimens found in the Canyon vary from blue and light grey to deeper colors, including violet. If you head to Copper Mountain, you might find some specimens like beryl, feldspar, lithium, magnetite, and manganese. google_ad_client="pub-2930148589555936"; Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Geologic Map of Phantom Lake Quadrangle Geologic mapping of the Phantom Lake quadrangle in Carbon County is available. Bookmarked. Select locations particularly the tailings of old mines are prime spots for specimens of minerals like azurite, malachite, beryl, tourmaline, and garnet. This way I can make arrangements to make trip as enjoyable and stress free as possible. I'm starting with the most popular and working my way to the more obscure. This bundle of information includes a book, videos, and online tools. Im here to serve you! Zirkel Mesa to the west is actually remnants of exposed cinder cone volcanoes; the cinders can be found at Black Rock, too. Opal is found near Smith Creek in Carbon County, and if you want to find quartz minerals, they are located from north of Saratoga along Wyoming Highway no. It states that the road is very rough, and to not attempt it during a rain storm. If youre looking for gemstones and crystals, Wyoming is home to quite a few that will make good additions to your collection. google_ad_format="120x600_as"; Fossil Mountain & Darby Wind Cave near Jackson, WY: 8.) In the Bighorn Range part of Natrona County, you may discover pegmatite, while the igneous rock pumice-pumicite is located in the Split Rock area of Natrona County. The Great Wyoming Rockhounding Page!! - Google Sites While there may have been changes in hours of public viewing, business location and/or other Manganese minerals or uranium minerals are found in the Wasatch Formation. The 75 sites described in this guide take you across the red desert to the high mountain majesty of the Big Horns and Wind Rivers as well as the geologic wonders of Yellowstone National Park. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; Obsidian is plentiful in Wyoming, especially abundant in Yellowstone National Park, where the Obsidian Cliff is located in the northwest part of the Park. Gold can also be found in Park County, specifically the Wood River and Sunlight Basin areas. Some of the more unique specimens you may be interested in are Turritella agates and nephrite jade which can both be found in relative abundance if you look in the right places. This website also participates in Google Adsense. Wyoming State Geological Survey Similar to what you explained looking for topaz in the Thomas range. Meteorites have been found on a highway cut north of Laramie. Ammonite-like fossils, kimberlite, etc. amzn_assoc_asins = "B01IEX2TEO,B0002YWWVE,B08N41884X,B00A4H4ZQ4"; If you want to find fossils, you should know that the Triceratops is the states official dinosaur, while the Knightia Fish is the official state fossil of Wyoming. Wyoming is home to a large array of rocks and minerals that will be of interest to the collector, some of which are fairly unique to the area. //-->, , Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. They are widespread and fairly easy to find if you have a general idea of where to look. at Cedar Mountain. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I cant thank you enough! The ranchers might harass you, but I just harass them back, since its public. The GPS map below shows how I drove, as well as the two main places I walked which had good anthills. The Wiggins and Late Basic Breccia formations in the Absaroka Mountains of northwest Wyoming are also great for finding obsidian, but you should check the regulations before you attempt this. If opals are something you hope to find, check around Smith Creek. Simple Explanation, 8 Factors Why Opal is Valuable (Prices for Different Types), How To Cut & Polish Petrified Wood: Follow These 3 Steps, Recommended tools and equipment for rockhounding, Commonly found in the Paleozoic rocks, the Permian Phosporia formation, and the Mississippian Madison limestone, The northwest city of Cody and the Lovell town in Big Horn County, The Spirit Mountain Cavern, located west of Cody, along the Yellowstone Highway, The Eocene Green River Formation of southwestern Wyoming, or the town of Green River, Very common in all of the Precambrian mountain cores of Wyoming, On the west of Jay Em in Muskrat Canyon area of Goshen County, about 15 miles west of Wheatland, in the Marble Canyon area of Platte County, in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Albany and Carbon Counties, the Bighorn Mountains, near Douglas, in Converse County, and from the west flank of the Black Hills in Crook County, The Copper Mountain, Freemont County, in the Laramie Range of Albany and Converse counties, the Lewiston area of Fremont County, and the Bighorn Mountains area of Washakie County, Almost in all of the Precambrian pegmatites of Wyoming, Albany County, Carbon County, or 23 miles southwest of Wheatland, Platte County. Many other varieties of agates, jasper, petrified and opalized wood are also very commonly found in gravels and washes all over the state. HOME You never know what type of crystals or patterns youre going to find inside and it makes them incredibly exciting. Veins of banded agate and drusy quartz occur in Mississippian limestone beds a few miles northwest of Guernsey, Platte County. google_ad_host="pub-6693688277674466"; Whether you're one of the thousands who come to Wyoming each year to admire its unique geologic features or you've come to rockhound and prospect for gemstones and gold, The GPS coordinate I put up in the map at the top of the page is right by a place called Black Rock, which is an ultrapotassic, lamproite volcaniclastic exposure. If you want to hunt for Jade in Wyoming, you can start from the northern part of the Granite Mountains, or to the south of Crooks Countys Gap-Green Mountain. Can You Collect Rocks in State Parks? All 50 States Answered The road is really easy going, but the locals arent friendly, even by my states standards. This interest of mine has lasted until today, so I decided to create this website. In Wyoming, you can find sedimentary rocks such as bentonite, chert, coal, concretion-geode, conglomerate, gypsum, limestone-dolomite, oil shale, shale, taconite, or trona, among many others. Sign in to your account on ArcGIS Online. Be safe, never go underground, and make sure to get permission from the landowner to search for and collect specimens. Fort Bridger, area gravels, streams, washes, etc. Wyomings state gemstone, nephrite, can primarily be found in Fremont County, particularly in the large area centered around the towns of Lander and Atlantic City. While Yellowstone makes the list for being one of the top rockhounding locations in Wyoming, unfortunately, rockhounding is not permitted there. ArcGIS login. 05-01-11 Water line and fortification agate and calcite geodes and selenite phew!! However, there was some trouble with this in the recent past. Members have access to the Jade State Newsletter, containing news and updates on subjects concerning geology and mineralogy. I found this book very useful and clearly written. google_ad_format="120x240_as"; From beginners to advanced collectors, everyone will find something in Wyoming! here. 130 to Walcott Junction. You can find these in the Mississippian limestone beds a few miles northwest of Guernsey, Wyoming.