FossilMT
Madison Valley
Fossil collection site in the Madison Valley, Gallatin County County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsRockhounding sites near Bozeman
24 rockhounding collecting sites within about 100 miles of Bozeman, Montana.
This page lists 24 natural rockhounding sites near Bozeman, Montana, sorted by distance within about 100 miles.
Where can you collect near Bozeman?
Near Bozeman, Montana, our directory maps 24 natural rockhounding sites within about 100 miles of the city center — including 4 agate & jaspers, 1 gemstones, 9 fossilss, and 1 gold & minerals. The closest mapped spot is Madison Valley (7.6 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 Bozeman
| Central place | Bozeman, Montana |
|---|---|
| Search radius | About 100 miles |
| Mapped spots | 24 |
| Closest listing | Madison Valley (7.6 mi) |
| Specimen types | Agate & Jasper (4), Gemstones (1), Fossils (9), Gold & Minerals (1), Other (9) |
| Typical fees | 24 varies |
All rockhounding sites near Bozeman
24 rockhounding collecting sites in Montana, sorted by distance from the city center. For live GPS sorting, use rockhounding sites near me.
EmeryMT
Salesville
Salesville is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Emery, Corundum. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossilMT
Peak North Of Ross
Fossil collection site in the Sappington, montana. Environment: transition zone/lower shoreface. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsMicaMT
Thompson #1
Thompson #1 is a known mineral occurrence in Gallatin, Montana, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Mica.
View details
AgateMT
Mount Blackmore
Mount Blackmore is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Agate, Chalcedony, Hyalite Opal, Petrified wood. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsAgatized woodMT
Livingston
Livingston is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Agatized wood. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsAgateMT
Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Agate, Montana agate, Moss Agate, Natrolite, Silicified wood. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossilMT
Sixteenmile Creek, South Fork
Fossil collection site in the Colorado Shale, Montana. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilMT
East Of Hyde Post-office
Fossil collection site, Gallatin County, Montana. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilMT
Moose Creek Unit E
Fossil collection site in the Three Forks Shale, Gallatin County, Montana. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilMT
Near River, Logan
Fossil collection site in the Three Forks, Broadwater County, Montana. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsOnyxMT
Manhattan
Manhattan is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Onyx. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View details
GarnetMT
Pole Creek
Pole Creek is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Garnet, Gold, Quartz crystals, Ruby, Sapphire. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsShaleMT
Horseshoe Hills
Horseshoe Hills is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Shale, Trilobite fossils. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsMicaMT
Mica Occurrence
Mica Occurrence is a mineral prospect in Madison, Montana, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Mica.
View detailsMicaMT
Beehive Basin
Beehive Basin is a documented mineral site in Madison, Montana, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Mica.
View detailsFossilMT
Usgs "blue File" Loc. 14103
Fossil collection site in the Heath, Broadwater County, Montana. Environment: offshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsAzuriteMT
Mountain Lion
Mountain Lion is a mineral prospect in Park, Montana, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Azurite, Chrysocolla, Copper, Galena, Malachite, Silver.
View details
MineralMT
Elvin Clayton
Elvin Clayton is a mineral prospect in Park, Montana, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Galena.
View detailsAgateMT
Carbella
Carbella is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Agate, Jasper, Petrified wood, Quartz crystals. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossilMT
Usgs 16434-pc
Fossil collection site in the Lodgepole Limestone, Gallatin County, Montana. Environment: shallow subtidal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsAzuriteMT
Basic Metals Mine
Basic Metals Mine is a mineral prospect in Park, Montana, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Azurite, Chrysocolla, Copper, Galena, Gold, Malachite.
View detailsFossilMT
Usgs 16430-pc
Fossil collection site in the Lodgepole Limestone, Jefferson County, Montana. Environment: shallow subtidal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsAgateMT
Miner
Miner is a documented mineral occurrence near MT. Reported specimens include Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Petrified wood. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsMap of rockhounding sites near Bozeman
Pins within about 100 miles — open a listing for fees, access, and directions.
24 sites mapped near Bozeman
Closest sites by distance
- Madison Valley — 8 mi · Fossil
- Salesville — 10 mi · Emery
- Peak North Of Ross — 14 mi · Fossil
- Thompson #1 — 16 mi · Mica
- Mount Blackmore — 16 mi · Agate
- Livingston — 20 mi · Agatized wood
- Yellowstone River — 23 mi · Agate
- Sixteenmile Creek, South Fork — 23 mi · Fossil
- East Of Hyde Post-office — 23 mi · Fossil
- Moose Creek Unit E — 23 mi · Fossil
- Near River, Logan — 23 mi · Fossil
- Manhattan — 24 mi · Onyx
- Pole Creek — 24 mi · Garnet
- Horseshoe Hills — 26 mi · Shale
- Mica Occurrence — 28 mi · Mica
Types of rockhounding sites near Bozeman
Browse by specimen type in Montana — each link opens the full state directory for that category.
Agate & Jasper (4)
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.
Gemstones (1)
Facetable and collector gems — emeralds, sapphires, garnets, topaz, beryl, and tourmaline localities.
Fossils (9)
Trilobites, brachiopods, petrified wood, and other paleontological collecting on public land.
Gold & Minerals (1)
Placer gold, pyrite, copper minerals, and general ore-mineral localities open to casual collecting.
Other (9)
Mixed or specialty collecting — zeolites, fluorescent minerals, thundereggs, and unique regional finds.
Natural collecting sites in the Bozeman area
Bozeman is a practical launch point for day trips to natural rockhounding sites in Montana. Within about 100 miles you will find 24 mapped destinations in our directory, starting with Madison Valley about 7.6 mi from the city center.
The mix spans agate & jasper, gemstones, fossils, gold & minerals, other — related terms searchers use include creek gravel collecting, desert washes, road cuts, and field collecting.
How distances work near Bozeman
Every card on this page is a verified directory entry in Montana with map coordinates. We measure straight-line distance from the Bozeman 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 Bozeman 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 Bozeman 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 Bozeman — FAQ
Where can you collect near Bozeman?
Near Bozeman, Montana, our directory lists 24 natural rockhounding sites within about 100 miles — mainly 4 agate & jaspers, 1 gemstones, 9 fossilss, and 1 gold & minerals. 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 Bozeman, Montana?
This page shows 24 mapped rockhounding collecting sites within about 100 miles of Bozeman. The full Montana directory may list additional holes farther out or awaiting coordinates. Counts update as we verify new listings.
What is the closest rockhounding site to Bozeman?
The closest mapped spot to Bozeman is Madison Valley (7.6 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 Bozeman free?
24 have variable or unverified fees. Open each spot page for current fee details.
What types of rockhounding sites are near Bozeman?
Near Bozeman, documented specimen types include agate & jaspers, gemstones, fossilss, gold & minerals, 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.
When is the best time to visit rockhounding sites near Bozeman?
Late spring through early fall is the usual field season near Bozeman, 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 Bozeman?
Field collecting near Bozeman 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.