Rockhounding near me: public places to collect
Updated . We list a place only when an official source names it for collecting; each place links to that source.
Every place on this map is named for rock collecting or panning by the agency that manages it: the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service or Oregon State Parks. Tap a pin for what you can find, or sort the list by distance from where you are.
- Free rock collecting
- 11 places, mostly BLM rockhound areas
- Gold panning
- 4 places
- Ask the office first
- 5 places with no stated collecting rules
- States
- Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon
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The map shows 20 places. They are all listed on this page.
Open the full map with satellite imagery and who manages the land. Coming in the Capyhound app: the map offline, for places with no signal. Get it first
Places to collect
Arizona
3 places
- Black Hills Rockhound AreaFree collecting
Open for public digging without fees or permits; camping up to two weeks; summers above 100°F. Source · On the map
- Round Mountain Rockhound AreaFree collecting
BLM rockhound area near Duncan; no fee; reached through New Mexico and 12 miles of dirt road. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
BLM’s map marker, near the New Mexico line; check the route with the Safford office.
- Lynx Creek Gold Pan Day Use AreaPanning allowed
A day use area used mainly for recreational gold panning; vault toilet, no drinking water, free. Source · On the map
California
7 places
- Wiley Well District Geode Beds (Hauser Geode Beds)Free collecting
A BLM-listed rockhounding area; as of October 15, 2026, Wiley’s Well Road is 4x4 only and closed to RVs and trailers. Source · On the map
- Chambless Rock Collecting AreaFree collecting
On the southern edge of the Trilobite Wilderness, where only non-motorized hand tools are allowed. Source · On the map
- Flattop Mountain Rock Collecting AreaFree collecting
A plentiful supply of jasper, according to the BLM; a 4x4 is required. Source · On the map
- Savahia Peak Rock Collecting AreaFree collecting
A BLM-listed rockhounding area that the BLM calls an excellent site for chalcedony. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
BLM’s own page gives two different locations; confirm with BLM Needles, 760-326-7000.
- Obsidian collection areas near Lassen Creek CampgroundAsk the office first
The Forest Service places the campground near obsidian collection areas but states no limits; ask the forest. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is Lassen Creek Campground; the Forest Service does not map the collection areas themselves.
- Crystal Mine near Lookout CampgroundFree collecting
Personal-use limit: one 5-pound bucket per week, according to the Forest Service. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is Lookout Campground; the mine is a few miles away on Forest Road 033.
- Union Flat Campground recreational mining areaPanning allowed
Recreational mining is hands and pans only; watch for the claim markers of existing mining claims. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is the campground; the mining area is downstream of it.
Nevada
2 places
- Garnet HillFree collecting
The only designated rockhounding area in the Ely District; no fee, no water, elevation 7,000 ft. Source · On the map
- Oak Springs Trilobite SiteAsk the office first
Six kinds of trilobites in shale near Oak Springs Summit; the BLM page states no collecting rules, so ask before you collect. Source · On the map
Oregon
8 places
- Glass ButtesFree collecting
Set aside by the BLM for rock collecting; reasonable personal amounts with hand tools. Source · On the map
- Oregon Sunstone Public Collection AreaFree collecting
No fee; no collecting for trade or commercial purposes; stay off the private claims around the area. Source · On the map
- Succor Creek State Natural AreaFree collecting
Limited souvenir collecting: up to 1 gallon per person a day and 3 gallons a year. Source · On the map
- Whistler Springs rockhounding siteAsk the office first
A Forest Service rockhounding site; the roads to and inside the campground are very rough. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is Whistler Campground; the site is inside the campground, just downhill from the restroom.
- White Fir Springs agate bedsAsk the office first
Agate beds popular for rockhounding; the last mile to the campground is rough, high-clearance 4WD recommended. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is White Rock Campground; the agate beds are on the way to it.
- Maury Mountain agate bedsAsk the office first
Red, green and gold moss agates, according to the Forest Service; limits are not stated. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is Elkhorn Campground, which the Forest Service places near the agate beds.
- Quartzville Back Country Byway (BLM portion)Panning allowed
Recreational mining is allowed along the BLM portion of the byway; 14-day stay limit. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
One point on an 18-mile byway; panning is allowed along the BLM portion.
- Island Creek Day Use Area, Cow Creek Back Country BywayPanning allowed
A stop to pan for gold; do not trespass on the private mining claims marked along the creek. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is the byway’s listing point, not the day use area itself.
How to check the land yourself
Most good rockhounding is on unmarked public land, not in named areas. Before you collect anywhere, check who manages the land and whether there is a mining claim.
- Who manages the land: the BLM’s National Data map viewer shows BLM land and other land managers. Open the BLM map viewer
- Recreation sites: the BLM Recreation Opportunities map shows campgrounds and other developed sites, where collecting is generally not allowed. Open the recreation map
- Offline maps: the BLM publishes georeferenced PDF maps that work in map apps without signal. Get BLM PDF maps
- Mining claims: collecting on a claim is prohibited without the claimholder’s permission; look claims up in the BLM’s Mineral & Land Records System. Open MLRS
Save these places for the trip
The Capyhound app will keep the map, the rules and your saved places on your phone, even with no signal.
Questions
Is rockhounding legal on public land?
On BLM land, generally yes: reasonable amounts of rocks, mineral specimens and semiprecious gemstones for noncommercial use. It is generally not allowed on developed recreation sites, on active mining claims, or where the mineral rights are privately owned.
Do I need a permit?
Not for a reasonable, noncommercial amount on BLM land. In Oregon and Washington the BLM says no fee or permit is required for that, while larger amounts or explosives and power equipment need a permit. At the Black Hills Rockhound Area in Arizona, digging is open without fees or permits.
How much can I take?
BLM Oregon and Washington describes a reasonable daily amount as one that fits in a car trunk, is a partial pickup load or weighs less than 250 pounds. Petrified wood is limited to 25 pounds plus one piece a day and 250 pounds a year. Some sites set their own limits, such as one 5-pound bucket a week at the Crystal Mine near Lookout Campground.
Can I collect on a mining claim?
Not without the claimholder’s permission. Check claims in the BLM’s Mineral & Land Records System; at the Oregon Sunstone area, collecting on a private claim without permission may result in legal penalties.
How do I check who manages the land?
Use the BLM’s National Data map viewer and its Recreation Opportunities map, and the Mineral & Land Records System for mining claims. All are linked on this page.
Can I keep arrowheads or old bottles I find?
No. The BLM says to leave any cultural artifact in place.
Can I bring a metal detector or a shovel?
On BLM land, hand tools such as pans, shovels and metal detectors are fine if they cause no more than minor surface disturbance. In wilderness areas, only non-motorized hand tools may be used.
