24 rockhounding collecting sites within about 120 miles of Billings, Montana.
This page lists 24 natural rockhounding sites near Billings, Montana, sorted by distance within about 120 miles.
Near Billings, Montana, our directory maps 24 natural rockhounding sites within about 120 miles of the city center — including 2 agate & jaspers, 1 geodes, 1 gemstones, and 18 fossilss. The closest mapped spot is Yellowstone River (billings Area) (12 mi straight-line). Distances are not drive time; open each listing for directions, fee notes, access rules, and safety context before you travel.
| Central place | Billings, Montana |
|---|---|
| Search radius | About 120 miles |
| Mapped spots | 24 |
| Closest listing | Yellowstone River (billings Area) (12 mi) |
| Specimen types | Agate & Jasper (2), Geodes (1), Gemstones (1), Fossils (18), Other (2) |
| Typical fees | 24 varies |
24 rockhounding collecting sites in Montana, sorted by distance from the city center. For live GPS sorting, use rockhounding sites near me.
Yellowstone River (Billings area) is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Montana Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
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Fossil collection site in the Cloverly, Carbon County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Carbon County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: "channel". Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: lacustrine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: "channel". Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: lacustrine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
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Fromberg is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Coal, Pyrite. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Morrison, Carbon County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsPryor Mountains is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Fossiles, Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Petrified wood. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsBig Horn Canyon is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Concretions, Silicified coral, Fossils. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
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Lost Jack is a historic mining site in Carbon, Montana, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Gemstones.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Telegraph Creek, Big Horn County, Montana. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Cloverly, Carbon County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
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Bear Canyon is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Geodes, Agate. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Lance, Carbon County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Eagle, Carbon County, Montana. Environment: wet floodplain. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossil collection site in the Eagle, Carbon County, Montana. Environment: wet floodplain. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsVijak Quartz Lode is a known mineral occurrence in Carbon, Montana, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Azurite, Chrysocolla, Copper, Gold, Malachite, Silver.
View detailsPins within about 120 miles — open a listing for fees, access, and directions.
24 sites mapped near Billings
Browse by specimen type in Montana — each link opens the full state directory for that category.
Where to find agates and jasper in the U.S. — Lake Superior beaches, Ellensburg blue, Wyoming Sweetwater fields, Texas Terlingua, Mojave desert beds, and colorful chalcedony shorelines.
Where to find geodes near you — Keokuk / Warsaw Formation crystals, Utah Dugway BLM beds, Indiana limestone, Tennessee plateau nodules, and more hollow quartz-lined collecting sites.
Facetable and collector gems — emeralds, sapphires, garnets, topaz, beryl, and tourmaline localities.
Trilobites, brachiopods, petrified wood, and other paleontological collecting on public land.
Mixed or specialty collecting — zeolites, fluorescent minerals, thundereggs, and unique regional finds.
Billings is a practical launch point for day trips to natural rockhounding sites in Montana. Within about 120 miles you will find 24 mapped destinations in our directory, starting with Yellowstone River (billings Area) about 12 mi from the city center.
The mix spans agate & jasper, geodes, gemstones, fossils, other — related terms searchers use include creek gravel collecting, desert washes, road cuts, and field collecting.
Every card on this page is a verified directory entry in Montana with map coordinates. We measure straight-line distance from the Billings 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 Billings 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.
Field conditions near Billings 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.
Near Billings, Montana, our directory lists 24 natural rockhounding sites within about 120 miles — mainly 2 agate & jaspers, 1 geodes, 1 gemstones, and 18 fossilss. Each listing links to directions, fee notes, and safety context. Use near me on your phone for live distance sorting from your location.
This page shows 24 mapped rockhounding collecting sites within about 120 miles of Billings. The full Montana directory may list additional holes farther out or awaiting coordinates. Counts update as we verify new listings.
The closest mapped spot to Billings is Yellowstone River (billings Area) (12 mi straight-line). Open that listing for driving directions, access notes, and current fee information — unofficial holes can change without notice.
24 have variable or unverified fees. Open each spot page for current fee details.
Near Billings, documented specimen types include agate & jaspers, geodes, gemstones, fossilss, others. A rockhounding site is a natural outcrop, wash, or creek gravel bar — not a fee dig or shop. Filter by type on the Montana state page or open each card for specimen and access details.
Late spring through early fall is the usual field season near Billings, 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.
Field collecting near Billings 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.