Fossils rockhounding sites in South Dakota

Trilobites, brachiopods, petrified wood, and other paleontological collecting on public land.

43 fossils destinations in South Dakota.

Rockhounding sites in South Dakota — fossils: 43 spots in our directory. Sort live from your phone with near me, or browse all U.S. fossils rockhounding sites and the South Dakota state page.

Fossils collecting in South Dakota

Trilobites, brachiopods, petrified wood, and other paleontological collecting on public land.

We currently document 43 fossils collecting sites in South Dakota. Each listing includes original descriptions, visitor notes, and last-updated dates when available.

What to know before you collect

Fossils destinations in South Dakota vary widely in access, season, and legality. Some are official recreation areas; others are informal gravel bars. Read the access and safety sections on each listing — never assume collecting is allowed without checking current signage.

For trip planning beyond this filter, browse the full South Dakota state page, our guides, or use near me to sort by distance from your location.

How we research listings · Report a correction · Safety disclaimer

Badlands National Park Fossils — fossil rockhounding site near Wall, SD

FossilSD

Badlands National Park Fossils

Badlands National Park preserves Oligocene mammal fossils in bentonite clay; collecting prohibited but geology is spectacular.

Fee variesWall

Bear Butte Quarry — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Bear Butte Quarry

Fossil collection site in the Morrison, Meade County, South Dakota. Environment: dry floodplain. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Bishop Collection 22 — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Bishop Collection 22

Fossil collection site in the Bearpaw Shale, Valley County, South Dakota. Environment: offshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Bishop Collection 29 — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Bishop Collection 29

Fossil collection site in the Bearpaw Shale, Valley County, South Dakota. Environment: offshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Bishop Collection 30 — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Bishop Collection 30

Fossil collection site in the Bearpaw Shale, McCone County, South Dakota. Environment: offshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Black Gap Section - 6l — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Black Gap Section - 6l

Fossil collection site in the Greenhorn, Pennington County, South Dakota. Environment: offshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Black Hills Decapods — fossil rockhounding site near The Turonian Carlile Shale, SD

FossilSD

Black Hills Decapods

Fossil collection site in the Turonian Carlile Shale, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesThe Turonian Carlile Shale

Bloom Basin Local Fauna — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Bloom Basin Local Fauna

Fossil collection site, Pennington County, South Dakota. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Buffalo, Southwest — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Buffalo, Southwest

Fossil collection site in the Hell Creek, Harding County, South Dakota. Environment: coastal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Cheyenne River, Near Wasta — fossil rockhounding site near The Pierre Shale, SD

FossilSD

Cheyenne River, Near Wasta

Fossil collection site in the Pierre Shale, South Dakota. Environment: offshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesThe Pierre Shale

Conger Ranch — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Conger Ranch

Fossil collection site in the Pierre Shale, Fall River County, South Dakota. Environment: deep-water indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Deer's Ears Butte — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Deer's Ears Butte

Fossil collection site in the Lance, Butte County, South Dakota. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Dew-22 Ornithomimid — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Dew-22 Ornithomimid

Fossil collection site in the Hell Creek, Butte County, South Dakota. Environment: channel lag. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Elm Lake Spillway — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Elm Lake Spillway

Fossil collection site in the Pierre Shale, Brown County, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Flat Top Butte — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Flat Top Butte

Fossil collection site in the Chadron, Fall River County, South Dakota. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Flint Hill North — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Flint Hill North

Fossil collection site in the Batesland, Bennett County, South Dakota. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Fossil Cycad Rip — fossil rockhounding site near SD, SD

FossilSD

Fossil Cycad Rip

Fossil Cycad RIP is a documented rockhounding destination in SD. Collectors visit for fossils, trilobites, dinosaur bone and related material. Access rules and land ownership vary — confirm current status with the managing agency or landowner before collecting.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Galena 42 [deadwood Fm] — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Galena 42 [deadwood Fm]

Fossil collection site in the Deadwood, Galena County, South Dakota. Environment: foreshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Glenn Olson Quarry — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Glenn Olson Quarry

Fossil collection site in the Fort Randall, Charles Mix County, South Dakota. Environment: "channel". Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Heart Tail Ranch Assemblage — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Heart Tail Ranch Assemblage

Fossil collection site, Butte County, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Jump Off (ansp) — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Jump Off (ansp)

Fossil collection site in the Hell Creek, Harding County, South Dakota. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Kj0228 (dmnh 2703) — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Kj0228 (dmnh 2703)

Fossil collection site in the Hell Creek, Harding County, South Dakota. Environment: wet floodplain. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Kj9239 (dmnh 517) — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Kj9239 (dmnh 517)

Fossil collection site in the Hell Creek, Harding County, South Dakota. Environment: fine channel fill. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Little Eagle — petrified wood rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

Petrified woodSD

Little Eagle

Little Eagle is a documented mineral occurrence near SD. Reported specimens include Petrified wood, Opal. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Locality 35, Lantry — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Locality 35, Lantry

Fossil collection site in the Fox Hills, Dewey County, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Long Pine Hills — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Long Pine Hills

Fossil collection site in the Judith River, Harding County, South Dakota. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Minnekahta Station — fossil rockhounding site near The Cretaceous, SD

FossilSD

Minnekahta Station

Fossil collection site in the Cretaceous, South Dakota. Environment: fluvial-lacustrine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesThe Cretaceous

Mound City — petrified wood rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

Petrified woodSD

Mound City

Mound City is a documented mineral occurrence near SD. Reported specimens include Petrified wood, Opal. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Near Fort Randall — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Near Fort Randall

Fossil collection site in the Pierre Shale, Gregory County, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Near Red Cedar Island, Division No.4 — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Near Red Cedar Island, Division No.4

Fossil collection site, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

North Of Elm Creek — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

North Of Elm Creek

Fossil collection site in the Fox Hills, Meade County, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Open Pit 26 [deadwood Fm] — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Open Pit 26 [deadwood Fm]

Fossil collection site in the Deadwood, Lead County, South Dakota. Environment: foreshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Phinney Springs — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Phinney Springs

Fossil collection site in the Chadron, Custer County, South Dakota. Environment: fluvial-lacustrine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Promise, Old Armstrong (dewey) County — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Promise, Old Armstrong (dewey) County

Fossil collection site, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Se Of Hot Springs — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Se Of Hot Springs

Fossil collection site in the Carlile Shale, Fall River County, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Soske Ranch Locality — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Soske Ranch Locality

Fossil collection site in the Pierre Shale, Fall River County, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

South Of Fairburn — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

South Of Fairburn

Fossil collection site in the Pierre Shale, Custer County, South Dakota. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

South Of White River — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

South Of White River

Fossil collection site in the Brule, Mellette County, South Dakota. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Summerset — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Summerset

Summerset is a documented mineral occurrence near SD. Reported specimens include Fossils. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Terry 1 [deadwood Fm] — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Terry 1 [deadwood Fm]

Fossil collection site in the Deadwood, Terrry County, South Dakota. Environment: foreshore. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Thomson Butte — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Thomson Butte

Fossil collection site in the Pierre Shale, Pennington County, South Dakota. Environment: coastal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Turtle Bonebed — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Turtle Bonebed

Fossil collection site in the Hell Creek, Harding County, South Dakota. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota

Twito Ranch (dmnh) — fossil rockhounding site near South Dakota, SD

FossilSD

Twito Ranch (dmnh)

Fossil collection site in the Lance, Corson County, South Dakota. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.

Fee variesSouth Dakota