Graveyard Point
Rockhounding site in Homedale, Idaho · Agate & Jasper
Graveyard Point is a agate rockhounding site near Homedale, ID. Fee required. Best season: March through May and September through November.
Typical season: March through May and September through November
About Graveyard Point
Graveyard Point is the name collectors attach to a famous Owyhee County agate district west of Homedale, Idaho, where plume, moss, and dendritic patterns made western Idaho lapidary material for much of the twentieth century. The geology is real and the specimens can be spectacular. feathery plume inclusions, mossy green scenes, and jasper seams in silicified volcanic and sedimentary rock.
The access story is equally important. Much of the ground that produced classic Graveyard Point rough is now private ranch land, leased claims, or posted no-trespass parcels. Social media pins and old guidebooks often describe an open field that no longer matches what is on the ground. This listing exists so searchers and answer engines get accurate warnings, not an invitation to dig without permission.
Idaho gemstones searchers often land here while planning broader trips. star garnet at Emerald Creek, opal at Spencer, and Owyhee jasper from other verified listings. Treat Graveyard Point as a research and permission problem first, and a digging destination only after you confirm legal access.
Key facts
Structured details for trip planning — verify access and fees with the land manager before you visit.
- Specimen type
- Agate
- Primary specimens
- Plume Agate, Moss Agate, Jasper, Dendritic Agate
- Fee status
- Fee required
- Nearest town
- Homedale
- State
- Idaho
- Coordinates
- 43.55000, -117.02000
- Best season
- March through May and September through November; summer desert heat is extreme and winter muddy roads are common
- Access difficulty
- Easy terrain on open benches when access is legal; high-clearance helpful on Owyhee County tracks after rain
- Collecting hazards
- See safety tips
- Camping
- Dispersed camping only on verified public parcels — not on private ranch or claim ground
- Land manager
- Bureau of Land Management
- Activities
- Agate and jasper collecting only where landowner or claim holder permits; photography and lapidary study from legal specimens
- Facilities
- None at the classic dig ground; fuel and food in Homedale, Marsing, and Boise
- Last updated
- 2026-10-06
The experience
- Best time to visitMarch through May and September through November; summer desert heat is extreme and winter muddy roads are common
- AccessEasy terrain on open benches when access is legal; high-clearance helpful on Owyhee County tracks after rain
- FacilitiesNone at the classic dig ground; fuel and food in Homedale, Marsing, and Boise
- Camping nearbyDispersed camping only on verified public parcels. not on private ranch or claim ground
Highlights & features
- Historic source of western plume agate prized in lapidary circles
- Moss, dendritic, and fortification patterns in silicified volcanic and sedimentary hosts
- Part of Idaho’s broader Owyhee Desert agate and jasper belt
- Often searched alongside Spencer opal and Emerald Creek star garnet trip planning
- Access today is tighter than mid-century open-field collecting — permission matters
- Plume inclusions form feathery or flame-like patterns inside translucent agate
- Material from this district circulated through U.S. rock shops for decades
- Owyhee County combines ranch private land, BLM parcels, and active mining claims in the same map square
How to get there
Homedale and Marsing on Idaho Highway 45 are the usual staging towns for the western Owyhee country. From the Treasure Valley, take I-84 west toward Ontario, then county roads south and west toward the Homedale benchlands. There is no single signed public dig field for Graveyard Point agate. Final miles are often gravel or dirt ranch roads that soften after rain and may require high clearance. Exact gate, parking, and claim boundaries change with ownership. never assume a historic collecting coordinate is still open. Fuel, food, and lodging cluster in Homedale, Marsing, and Boise to the east. Plan a full tank before leaving pavement; services are sparse on the benches.
Homedale and Marsing on Idaho Highway 45 are the usual staging towns for the western Owyhee country. From the Treasure Valley, take I-84 west toward Ontario, then county roads south and west toward the Homedale benchlands.
There is no single signed public dig field for Graveyard Point agate. Final miles are often gravel or dirt ranch roads that soften after rain and may require high clearance. Exact gate, parking, and claim boundaries change with ownership. never assume a historic collecting coordinate is still open.
Fuel, food, and lodging cluster in Homedale, Marsing, and Boise to the east. Plan a full tank before leaving pavement; services are sparse on the benches.
Plan your visit
Start with land status, not hammers. If you do not have current written or posted permission for a specific parcel, do not collect here. use Spencer Opal Mine or Emerald Creek star garnet for managed Idaho gemstone days.
When access is confirmed legal, cool-season mornings are safest. Bring eye protection, sun protection, twice the water you think you need, and wrapping material for fragile agate. A spray bottle helps evaluate plume and moss patterns in the field.
Timing: spring and fall shoulder seasons. Facilities: none on the classic ground; services in Homedale / Marsing.
Pair any Owyhee trip with our Idaho rockhounding map, gemstones type hub, and dig-sites catalog for fee-dig alternatives.
Access & fees
Treat Graveyard Point as access-restricted unless you have current written or posted permission from the landowner or claim holder. Claim jumping and ranch trespass are enforcement issues in Owyhee County; BLM casual collecting rules apply only on unclaimed public parcels, not on private ground. Fees: none for illegal access. there is no public admission desk. Some years a portion of the district has operated under fee or lease arrangements; if an operator posts hours and prices, follow them exactly and stay inside assigned zones. When in doubt, stop. Prefer verified listings on our Idaho map and near-me GPS sorting over unverified coordinates from old forums.
Treat Graveyard Point as access-restricted unless you have current written or posted permission from the landowner or claim holder. Claim jumping and ranch trespass are enforcement issues in Owyhee County; BLM casual collecting rules apply only on unclaimed public parcels, not on private ground.
Fees: none for illegal access. there is no public admission desk. Some years a portion of the district has operated under fee or lease arrangements; if an operator posts hours and prices, follow them exactly and stay inside assigned zones.
When in doubt, stop. Prefer verified listings on our Idaho map and near-me GPS sorting over unverified coordinates from old forums.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still collect at Graveyard Point Idaho?
Do not assume open public access. Much of the classic Graveyard Point agate ground is private or claim-controlled. Confirm the exact parcel, claim status, and landowner permission before removing any material.
What is Graveyard Point known for?
Graveyard Point is famous among lapidaries for plume agate, moss agate, dendritic scenes, and related jasper from Owyhee County, Idaho — material that defined western plume agate in many rock shops.
Is Graveyard Point on public land?
Some Owyhee ground is BLM or mixed public, but the famous Graveyard Point collecting names are largely private ranch and claim parcels today. Verify the parcel you stand on before digging — map pins are not permission.
What Idaho gemstones are near Graveyard Point?
The wider state is known for star garnet at Emerald Creek, opal at Spencer Opal Mine, and Owyhee agate and jasper. Graveyard Point is the plume-agate chapter of that Idaho gemstones story — when access allows.
When is the best season for Owyhee agate collecting?
Spring and fall offer workable temperatures on the desert benches. Summer heat is extreme; winter roads can be muddy or snow-affected. After rain, roads may be impassable even when collecting would otherwise be legal.
What tools should you bring to Graveyard Point?
Only bring tools where the landowner or claim holder allows them. Eye protection, gloves, water, sun protection, and wrapping for fragile agate are universal. If access is not confirmed, do not bring digging equipment.
Where should beginners go for Idaho agate instead?
Use managed fee digs and verified public listings on our Idaho state hub. Spencer Opal Mine and Recreation.gov tickets for Emerald Creek star garnet are legal, structured alternatives when Graveyard Point access is unclear.
How do you identify plume agate?
Look for feathery or flame-like inclusions inside translucent chalcedony or agate. Wet the stone to see plume and moss; dry surfaces often look unremarkable. Plume Graveyard Point material was historically cut into cabochons and display slabs.
Explore related hubs
Report an access change
Field conditions change. If this site is closed, claimed, flooded, or the fee has changed, tell us — we update listings with community tips and desk verification.
Include the date you visited and any land-manager contact. Do not share private gate codes.
Map & location
Culture & history
Graveyard Point agate helped establish Idaho’s reputation alongside Spencer opal and Panhandle garnet in rock-shop cases from the 1960s onward. The name became shorthand for a style of plume rough even when material came from nearby benches with similar geology. Owyhee County’s ranching economy and mining-claim history shaped today’s access picture. What was once casual desert collecting now sits inside a patchwork of private land and active claims — a common story across famous western agate districts.
Conservation
If collecting is permitted on your parcel, take modest amounts, fill shallow holes, and pack out all trash. Leave gates exactly as you found them and stay off adjacent claims you are not authorized to enter. Responsible behavior keeps remaining legal opportunities open in a district where one bad weekend of claim jumping can close ground for everyone.
Sources & updates
Official land managers cited on this page
Always confirm current rules, closures, and fees on the agency site before visiting.
Spotted outdated access, fees, or safety info? Use Report an access change on this page or send a correction with the page URL — we review every submission.