FossilAR
Usgs 1292, Van Buren
Fossil collection site in the Atoka, Arkansas. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsRockhounding sites near Fort Smith
24 rockhounding collecting sites within about 100 miles of Fort Smith, Arkansas.
This page lists 24 natural rockhounding sites near Fort Smith, Arkansas, sorted by distance within about 100 miles.
Where can you collect near Fort Smith?
Near Fort Smith, Arkansas, our directory maps 24 natural rockhounding sites within about 100 miles of the city center — including 4 quartz & crystalss, 17 fossilss, 2 gold & mineralss, and 1 other. The closest mapped spot is Usgs 1292, Van Buren (4.9 mi straight-line). Distances are not drive time; open each listing for directions, fee notes, access rules, and safety context before you travel.
At a glance — rockhounding sites near Fort Smith
| Central place | Fort Smith, Arkansas |
|---|---|
| Search radius | About 100 miles |
| Mapped spots | 24 |
| Closest listing | Usgs 1292, Van Buren (4.9 mi) |
| Specimen types | Quartz & Crystals (4), Fossils (17), Gold & Minerals (2), Other (1) |
| Typical fees | 2 fee · 22 varies |
All rockhounding sites near Fort Smith
24 rockhounding collecting sites in Arkansas, sorted by distance from the city center. For live GPS sorting, use rockhounding sites near me.
FossilAR
Winslow Quadrangle, Steam, Road, Railroad Junction, Usgs 2849
Fossil collection site in the Bloyd Shale, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: shallow subtidal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Kessler Limestone Member, Bloyd Shale At "low Gap"; Usgs 8177
Fossil collection site in the Bloyd, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: shallow subtidal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Kessler Limestone Member, Bloyd Shale At Morrow; Usgs 3660
Fossil collection site in the Bloyd, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: shallow subtidal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Usgs 16276, Highway 71
Fossil collection site in the Atoka, Arkansas. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Kessler Limestone Member, Bloyd Shale At Mill Creek; Usgs 2857
Fossil collection site in the Bloyd, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: shallow subtidal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Arnett
Fossil collection site in the Bloyd, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Usnm 7087. 100 Yds Upstream From Bridge, Bed Of Illinois River, 2 Miles Northeast Of Prairie Grove
Fossil collection site in the Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Usgs 2000, Gore
Fossil collection site in the Witts Springs, Arkansas. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Usgs 15087, Boles
Fossil collection site in the Johns Valley, Arkansas. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Usnm 3652. South Side Of Hill, Near Elkins, Close To Fayetteville
Fossil collection site in the Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Usgs 15084, Session Creek
Fossil collection site, Arkansas. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View details
QuartzAR
Board Camp Crystal Mine
A working crystal mine in the Ouachita uplift where visitors dig clay pockets for double-terminated quartz crystals.
View detailsFossilAR
Usnm 5551. Cut On St. Louis-san Francisco Railroad Just West Of Fayetteville City Park, Just North Of Fayetteville
Fossil collection site in the Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Usnm 1339a. Sam Eidson's Stillhouse, 9 Miles North East Of Fayetteville
Fossil collection site in the Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Usnm 1339e. Faulted Area, South Of Fault, Short Distance Down Slope From Remains Of Sam Horn's Still House, 5½ Miles North East Of Fayetteville
Fossil collection site in the Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Usnm 5553a. ½ Mile East Of Fork In The Road, On Line Between Secs. 4 & 5, 3 Miles Easy Of Springdale, South Side Of Webber Mountain
Fossil collection site in the Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilAR
Loc. 5. Usgs 17692. Low Water Concrete Bridge Across Big Piney Creek
Fossil collection site in the Imo, Newton County, Arkansas. Environment: offshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View details
WavelliteAR
Unnamed Quarry (wavellite)
Unnamed Quarry (Wavellite) is a documented mineral occurrence near AR. Reported specimens include Wavellite. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsQuartzAR
Wegner Quartz Crystal Mine
Commercial crystal mines in the Ouachita Mountains offering tailings and virgin ground digs for clear quartz points and clusters.
View detailsQuartzAR
Mount Ida Crystal Shops District
Mount Ida bills itself as the Quartz Crystal Capital of the World, with multiple commercial dig sites and tailings piles open to collectors.
View details
MineralAR
North Mountain Mine
North Mountain Mine is a historic mining site in Montgomery, Arkansas, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Copper, Pyrolusite.
View detailsQuartzAR
Wegner Quartz Crystal Mines
Wegner Quartz Crystal Mines is a documented mineral occurrence near AR. Reported specimens include Quartz crystals. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsMixed mineralsAR
Wegner Crystal Mines
Wegner Crystal Mines is a documented mineral occurrence near AR. Reported specimens include Mixed minerals. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsMap of rockhounding sites near Fort Smith
Pins within about 100 miles — open a listing for fees, access, and directions.
24 sites mapped near Fort Smith
Closest sites by distance
- Usgs 1292, Van Buren — 5 mi · Fossil
- Winslow Quadrangle, Steam, Road, Railroad Junction, Usgs 2849 — 27 mi · Fossil
- Kessler Limestone Member, Bloyd Shale At "low Gap"; Usgs 8177 — 33 mi · Fossil
- Kessler Limestone Member, Bloyd Shale At Morrow; Usgs 3660 — 33 mi · Fossil
- Usgs 16276, Highway 71 — 35 mi · Fossil
- Kessler Limestone Member, Bloyd Shale At Mill Creek; Usgs 2857 — 40 mi · Fossil
- Arnett — 40 mi · Fossil
- Usnm 7087. 100 Yds Upstream From Bridge, Bed Of Illinois River, 2 Miles Northeast Of Prairie Grove — 42 mi · Fossil
- Usgs 2000, Gore — 44 mi · Fossil
- Usgs 15087, Boles — 46 mi · Fossil
- Usnm 3652. South Side Of Hill, Near Elkins, Close To Fayetteville — 48 mi · Fossil
- Usgs 15084, Session Creek — 48 mi · Fossil
- Board Camp Crystal Mine — 49 mi · Quartz
- Usnm 5551. Cut On St. Louis-san Francisco Railroad Just West Of Fayetteville City Park, Just North Of Fayetteville — 49 mi · Fossil
- Usnm 1339a. Sam Eidson's Stillhouse, 9 Miles North East Of Fayetteville — 51 mi · Fossil
Types of rockhounding sites near Fort Smith
Browse by specimen type in Arkansas — each link opens the full state directory for that category.
Quartz & Crystals (4)
Quartz veins, crystal pockets, and pegmatite sites — from Herkimer diamonds to Arkansas clear quartz.
Fossils (17)
Trilobites, brachiopods, petrified wood, and other paleontological collecting on public land.
Gold & Minerals (2)
Placer gold, pyrite, copper minerals, and general ore-mineral localities open to casual collecting.
Other (1)
Mixed or specialty collecting — zeolites, fluorescent minerals, thundereggs, and unique regional finds.
Natural collecting sites in the Fort Smith area
Fort Smith is a practical launch point for day trips to natural rockhounding sites in Arkansas. Within about 100 miles you will find 24 mapped destinations in our directory, starting with Usgs 1292, Van Buren about 4.9 mi from the city center.
The mix spans quartz & crystals, fossils, gold & minerals, other — related terms searchers use include creek gravel collecting, desert washes, road cuts, and field collecting.
How distances work near Fort Smith
Every card on this page is a verified directory entry in Arkansas with map coordinates. We measure straight-line distance from the Fort Smith city center — not driving time. A creek rockhounding site 12 miles away on forest roads can take longer than a river access point 20 miles away on a highway.
Field collecting near Fort Smith includes informal gravel bars, dry washes, quarry faces, and developed park collecting areas. Rules, fees, and seasonal access differ by land manager. Never assume collecting is allowed without checking the listing and posted signs the day you visit.
Safety and field conditions near you
Field conditions near Fort Smith change after rain, snowmelt, and summer heat. Unstable slopes, heat exhaustion, loose rock, and flash floods are real risks at creek and quarry rockhounding sites — most sites have no supervision. Check weather and local advisories before you start digging.
We publish original planning copy, safety tips, and last-updated dates on each listing. See our editorial policy for sourcing standards, or contact us if access or conditions have changed.
Rockhounding sites near Fort Smith — FAQ
Where can you collect near Fort Smith?
Near Fort Smith, Arkansas, our directory lists 24 natural rockhounding sites within about 100 miles — mainly 4 quartz & crystalss, 17 fossilss, 2 gold & mineralss, and 1 other. Each listing links to directions, fee notes, and safety context. Use near me on your phone for live distance sorting from your location.
How many rockhounding sites are near Fort Smith, Arkansas?
This page shows 24 mapped rockhounding collecting sites within about 100 miles of Fort Smith. The full Arkansas directory may list additional holes farther out or awaiting coordinates. Counts update as we verify new listings.
What is the closest rockhounding site to Fort Smith?
The closest mapped spot to Fort Smith is Usgs 1292, Van Buren (4.9 mi straight-line). Open that listing for driving directions, access notes, and current fee information — unofficial holes can change without notice.
Are rockhounding sites near Fort Smith free?
2 require a fee or park admission; 22 have variable or unverified fees. Open each spot page for current fee details.
What types of rockhounding sites are near Fort Smith?
Near Fort Smith, documented specimen types include quartz & crystalss, fossilss, gold & mineralss, other. A rockhounding site is a natural outcrop, wash, or creek gravel bar — not a fee dig or shop. Filter by type on the Arkansas state page or open each card for specimen and access details.
When is the best time to visit rockhounding sites near Fort Smith?
Late spring through early fall is the usual field season near Fort Smith, but snowmelt, drought, and weekend crowds change conditions week to week. Check each listing before you drive — storms can make washes and creek banks unsafe.
Is it safe to collect near Fort Smith?
Field collecting near Fort Smith carries real risks: unstable slopes, heat, loose rock, and no rangers at most unofficial sites. Check weather and posted warnings the day you visit. Read our rockhounding safety basics guide and each listing's safety section before you dig.
Listing data last updated across spots on this page.