Glass Buttes, Oregon: obsidian collecting guide

Updated October 20, 2026. Rules come from the Bureau of Land Management; sources are at the end of the page.

Collecting allowed

Glass Buttes is a group of high-desert volcanic buttes covered in obsidian. The Bureau of Land Management has set the area aside for rock collecting, so you can take reasonable personal amounts with hand tools and no permit.

What you can find: Obsidian: rainbow, black, mahogany, gold and silver sheen, fire, double flow and more
Land manager: Bureau of Land Management, Prineville District
Collecting area: About 36 square miles of BLM land around Glass Butte
Getting there: South off US Highway 20 at milepost 77, about 70 miles southeast of Bend

Glass Buttes is at 43.5574, -120.0744. Open in Apple Maps or Google Maps.

Directions in Apple Maps Directions in Google Maps

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Obsidian you can find

The Forest Service lists rainbow, black, pumpkin, mahogany, midnight lace, gold sheen, silver sheen, fire and double flow obsidian at Glass Buttes. Collectors mostly work the flows in the low lands about 3 miles east of Glass Butte and on Little Glass Butte, about 4 miles to the southeast.

Seven pieces of Glass Buttes obsidian on a white cloth: rainbow, jet black, pumpkin, mahogany, gold sheen and double flow — Obsidian types from Glass Buttes, clockwise from upper right: rainbow, jet black, pumpkin, mahogany, gold sheen and double flow; the center piece is gold sheen. Photo: U.S. Forest Service, public domain.

No official source maps where each variety occurs, so the map above marks the buttes rather than individual dig sites.

Mahogany obsidian from Glass Butte, Oregon: black volcanic glass with red-brown streaks — Mahogany obsidian from Glass Butte, on display at the Wittenberg University geology department. Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0.

What you can take

No permit for a reasonable personal amount. BLM’s 2024 guide describes one that fits in the trunk of a car, is a partial pickup load or weighs under 250 lb, and is not for sale.
An older Glass Buttes limit exists too: BLM’s 2009 letter to visitors set 250 lb per person per year. Ask the Prineville District office which one applies before a big trip.
Hand tools only. Power equipment and explosives need a permit, and so do a full pickup load, more than one trip, more than 250 lb or commercial use.
Dig carefully: no deeper than four feet, fill your holes, and leave gates as you found them.
Mining claims: obsidian can no longer be claimed, but older claims sit in the middle of the area. BLM counted three in 2009, and a 2015 study found one still in effect. Respect claim markers.
Leave artifacts. Arrowheads and worked flakes are protected by law.
Not 25 lb a day. That figure, often repeated online, is BLM’s limit for petrified wood, not for obsidian.

Before you go

Stay away from the old mercury mines east of the buttes. Mercury ore was found here in 1933 and mined at times until about 1970, and the old mining areas are contaminated with mercury.
Bring all your water. The springs you could reach are on private land.
Expect heat or snow. August days can top 100°F, and snow is possible at any time of year.
Watch for snakes.
Wear gloves and eye protection. Obsidian is natural glass and breaks into razor-sharp edges.
Don’t count on cell service. Save the map offline and tell someone your route.

How to get there

Turn south off US Highway 20 at milepost 77. Glass Buttes is about 70 miles southeast of Bend and 50 miles west of Burns.
Dirt roads only. Roads in the area are unmaintained and can be impassable when wet. The Forest Service recommends a 4x4.
Carry a good spare. Obsidian on the roads raises the chance of a flat tire.
Nearest community: Hampton, about 12 miles west. Hampton Station there is a café, gift shop and gas station, according to a local report from June 2026.

Camping

Dispersed camping is allowed, with no developed facilities.
Stay limit: BLM generally allows 14 days within any 28-day period; limits can vary by field office.
Fire: check current restrictions with the BLM Prineville District before you light a campfire.
Developed campground: BLM’s Chickahominy Recreation Site sits on US Highway 20 at milepost 100, about 23 highway miles east of the turnoff. It has 28 sites, drinking water and vault toilets for $16 per vehicle per night, with a 14-day limit.

Take Glass Buttes offline

Save this spot, its rules and the map in the Capyhound app before you lose signal.

Questions

Can you collect obsidian at Glass Buttes?

Yes. The Bureau of Land Management has set the Glass Buttes obsidian area in its Prineville District aside for rock collecting. Personal, non-commercial amounts dug with hand tools need no permit.

How much obsidian can I take from Glass Buttes?

BLM’s 2024 guide for Oregon and Washington allows a reasonable daily amount: one that fits in the trunk of a car, is a partial pickup load or weighs under 250 lb, and is not for sale. BLM’s 2009 letter to Glass Buttes visitors set 250 lb per person per year. The two differ, so confirm with the BLM Prineville District office before a big trip.

Is the limit at Glass Buttes 25 pounds a day?

No. The 25 pounds a day plus one piece that you may see online is BLM’s limit for petrified wood. Obsidian falls under the general reasonable-amount rule above.

Do I need a permit to collect at Glass Buttes?

Not for a reasonable personal amount. A permit is needed for a full pickup load, more than one trip, more than 250 lb, commercial use, or explosives and power equipment.

Where is Glass Buttes?

In the northeast corner of Lake County in central Oregon, about 70 miles southeast of Bend and 50 miles west of Burns. BLM directs visitors to turn south off US Highway 20 at milepost 77.

Is there gold at Glass Buttes?

The USGS lists the old Glass Butte mercury mine with gold as a second commodity, but it records no gold production. The old mining areas east of the buttes are contaminated with mercury and unsafe to visit.

Can you camp at Glass Buttes?

Yes. BLM allows dispersed camping, with no developed facilities. Its general limit is 14 days within any 28-day period. Check current fire restrictions with the Prineville District before you light a fire.

Sources

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