U.S. National Parks
This post works best on a desktop. Scroll sideways for mobile devices. The table shows a list of US National Parks where you can gold pan, fossil collect, metal detect, or rockhound. The first link goes to the park website and the second to various ranger divisions within the park with more information.
| National Park | Closest Town | State | Forest Service | Activities | Types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest /a> | Dillon | Montana | Crystal Park Picnic and Mineral Collection Area | Gold Panning Rockhounding | Quartz (clear, cloudy, white, gray, purple) |
| Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest | Rhinelander | Wisconsin | Lakewood - Laona District | Gold Panning Rockhounding | Agate Almandine Copper Diamond Jasper Kyanite |
| Gila National Forest | Silver City | New Mexico | Apache Creek Campground | Rockhounding | Agate Banded Agate Bloodstone Bytownite Calcite Chalcedony Crystaline Fire Agate Geodes Golden Luna Agate Halite Hematite Hypersthene Jasper Labrodorite Lava's Luna Blue Agate Obsidian Perlite Plume Agate Quartz Crystals Spotted Agate Thunder Eggs |
| Idaho Panhandle National Forest | Coeur d'Alene | Idaho | Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District | Rockhounding | Galena |
| Idaho Panhandle National Forest | Clarkia | Idaho | Emerald Creek Garnet Area | Fossil Collecting Rockhounding | Star Garnets |
| Klamath National Forest | Seiad | California | I. Portuguese Creek River Access There are several ranger districts along the river | Gold Panning Rockhounding | Actinolite Aegirine Albite Blueschist Chlorite Crossite Cubic-Pyrite Cymrite Deerite Epidote Ferrobarroisite Ferroglaucophane Phengite Quartz Spessartine Garnet Stilpnomelane |
| Malheur National Forest | Prairie City | Oregon | Vinegar Hill Indian Rock Scenic Area | Rockhounding | Agate Jasper Oolitic Agate Petrified Wood |
| Mark Twain National Forest | Potosi | Missouri | Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger District | Gold Panning Rockhounding | Barite Druzy Quartz Lace Agate |
| Modoc National Forest | Alturas | California | Big Valley Ranger District | Gold Panning Metal Detecting Rockhounding | Obsidian |
| Modoc National Forest | Alturas | California | Devil's Garden Ranger District | Gold Panning Metal Detecting Rockhounding | Assorted Gemstones Obsidian Obsidian Needles Petrified Wood |
| Modoc National Forest | Tulelake | California | Doublehead Ranger District | Gold Panning Metal Detecting Rockhounding | Obsidian Obsidian Needles Petrified Wood Assorted Gemstones |
| Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands | Chadron | Nebraska | Buffalo Gap National Grassland | Rockhounding | Fairburn Agate |
| Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands | Chadron | Nebraska | Oglala National Grasslands | Rockhounding | Fairburn Agate |
| Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands | Hot Springs | South Dakota | Hot Springs, South Dakota | Rockhounding | Fairburn Agate |
| Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands | Fairburn | South Dakota | French Creek Camping Area | Rockhounding | Fairburn Agate |
| Ochoco National Forest & Crooked River National Grassland | Madras | Oregon | Whistler Campground | Rockhounding | Agate Amethyst Amygdaloid Nodules Calcite Cinnabar Jasper Limb Casts Obsidian Opal Petrified Wood Selenite Thunder Eggs |
| Ouachita National Forest | Mount Ida | Arkansas | Caddo/Womble Ranger District | Rockhounding | Quartz |
| Ouachita National Forest | Mount Ida | Arkansas | Crystal Vista Trail | Rockhounding | Quartz |
| Payette National Forest | McCall | Idaho | Burgdorf/French Creek Area, McCall Ranger District | Gold Panning Fossil Hunting Rockhounding | Petrified Wood |
| Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands | Pueblo | Colorado | Mount Antero | Gold Panning Rockhounding | Amazonite Smoky Topaz Topaz |
| Prescott National Forest | Prescott | Arizona | Bradshaw Ranger District | Gold Panning | |
| Park Website | Camp Verde | Arizona | Verde Ranger District | Fossil Collecting Rockhounding | Garnet |
| Park Website | Chino Valley | Arizona | Chino Valley Ranger District | Fossil Collecting Rockhounding | Garnet |
| Superior National Forest | Duluth | Minnesota | Gunflint Ranger District | Rockhounding | Basalt Breccias Granite Iron Ore Rhyolite Stromatolites |
| Superior National Forest | Duluth | Minnesota | Tofte Ranger District | Rockhounding | Anorthrocite |
| Tongass National Forest | Ketchikan | Alaska | Wrangell RD There are a number of camping areas within the park | Rockhounding | Garnet |
| Umpqua National Forest | Cottage Grove | Oregon | Cottage Grove Ranger District | Fossil Collecting Gold Panning Metal Detecting Rockhounding | Agate Carnelian Jasper Quartz Petrified Wood |
| Umpqua National Forest | Idleyld | Oregon | Diamond Lake Ranger District | Fossil Collecting Gold Panning Metal Detecting Rockhounding | Agate Carnelian Jasper Quartz Petrified Wood |
| Umpqua National Forest | Roseburg | Oregon | North Umpqua Ranger District | Fossil Collecting Gold Panning Metal Detecting Rockhounding | Agate Carnelian Jasper Quartz Petrified Wood |
| White Mountain National Forest | Stoneham | Maine | Lord Hill Mineral Collecting Area | Gold Panning Rockhounding | Feldspar Quartz Topaz Phenakite Garnet |
| White Mountain National Forest | Conway | New Hampshire | Moat Mountain Mineral Site Trailhead | Gold Panning Rockhounding | Granite |
| White Mountain National Forest | Campton | New Hampshire | Saco Ranger District | Gold Panning Rockhounding | Granite |
Other Locations
The table shows locations outside of the National Park system to look for rocks.
| Location | Nearest City | State | Type | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avant Minin | Mount Ida | Arkansas | Quartz | Adult: $25 Senior (59+): $20 Child (7-15): $10 | |
| Board Camp Crystal Mine | Mena | Arkansas | Quartz | Adult (16 and up): $35 Repeat visitor: $25 | Must make reservation |
| Brushy Creek Mine and Hoot Owl Mine | Spruce Pine | North Carolina | Aquamarine Tourmaline Garnet Quartz Morganite Golden Beryl Feldspar Mica Emerald | Adult: $90 Child (11 and younger): $45 | Must make reservations and have at least 6 people |
| Coleman (Jim) Crystal Mine | Mount Ida | Arkansas | Quartz | Adult (10 and over): $10 | |
| Cherokee Ruby and Sapphire Mine | Cowee Valley | North Carolina | Ruby Sapphire | $25 per person 5 and under: free $5 per additional bucket | Must bring cash |
| Crater of Diamonds State Park | Murfreesboro | Arkansas | Diamond Quartz Amethyst Agate Jasper Garnet | Adult: $10 Child (6-12): $6 | Must make reservations |
| Emerald Hollow Mine | Hiddenite | North Carolina | Emerald | Adult: $20 Child (4-11): $10 | |
| Fossil Butte National Monument | Kemmerer | Wyoming | Fossils | Free | |
| Garnet Hill | Ely | Nevada | Garnet | Free | Managed by BLM |
| Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine | Philipsburg | Montana | Sapphire | $22 per bucket (multiple bucket discount) | Must make reservations Can also purchase online for $60 |
| Hauser Geode Beds | Palo Verde | California | Geode Agate | Free | In the desert, not run by anyone |
| Herkimer Diamond Mines | Herkimer | New York | Herkimer Diamond | Adult: $14 Child (5-12): $12 | Sluice Mining also available |
| Lake Huron | Alpena to Roger's City | Michigan | Fossils Puddingstone | Free | Not run by anyone |
| Lake Michigan | Traverse City to Petoskey Leelenau Peninsula | Michigan | Fossils Conglomerate Slag | Free | Not run by anyone |
| Lake Superior | Keweenaw Peninsula, MI Grand Marais (one each in Michigan and Minnesota) Whitefish Point, MI | Michigan Minnesota | Agate Jasper Yooperlite Greenstone Conglomerate Slag Thomsonite Garnet Quartz Marcasite Pyrite | Free | Not run by anyone |
| Mona Lisa Turquoise Mine | Mena | Arkansas | Turquoise | Pocket Dig: $1000 | Need to email to set it up: [email protected] |
| Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine | Denio | Nevada | Opal | Tailings: Adult: $100 Child (9 and under): $50 Virgin Ground Loads: $700 (2 adults) | Must make reservations |
| Ron Coleman Mining | Mt. Ida | Arkansas | Quartz | Adult: $35 Senior (55 and up): $20 Child (7-15): $5 | |
| Royston Turquoise Mine | Tonopah | Nevada | Turquoise | Adult: $100 Child (14-18): $50 | |
| Wegner Quartz Crystal Mines | Mt. Ida | Arkansas | Quartz | Crystal: $18 per person for 2 hours Phantom: $40 per person for 4 hours Tailings Pile: Adult: $10.50, Child (2-1) & Seniors: $6.60 | There are a number of different activities availble |