Once again, I am going to visit my wolf-tracking biologist daughter,
this time at Yellowstone. I am hoping to do some more rockhounding. I
have gotten copies of “Rockhounding Wyoming” and “Rockhounding
Montana”, as I will be flying into Bozeman and driving. I can’t
wander too far from the Yellowstone area, but, does anyone have any
special spots to recommendi Not that I’ve cut any of the rocks I
brought home from Arizona… but it sure was fun! Oh, and I want to
buy a rock hammer-- any advicei
Noel - I don’t know anything about rockhounding Yellowstone, but if
you want to be technical, I believe almost all of it is national
park. That means take only pictures, leave only footprints…
Regretfully collecting rocks. plants, dirt etc is prohibited in
National Parks. I know because I specifically asked a ranger if I
could have 1/8 cup of colored sand from Death Valley. “Nope.” Then
he gave me the official word for all national parks. It was a bummer
as I was going to see 3 on that particular road trip.
So unless you are out of the park, you can’t rockhound.
Forgot to add on the Estwing hammer for your trip, get a belt holder
for the hammer, I finally got me one and I love it sorry I waited so
long. Having the hammer on the belt keeps my hands available for
hanging on. For me the leather strapped one works best, the metal one
lets the hammer fall out to easy. All of my rock collecting in
Wyoming has been from Guernsey south and west to Laramie, so not much
help there opposite corner of the state.
The books are good, but if you pass any rock shops, stop in and ask
as they often have maps for local areas. Also if you purchase some
small item and then ask for more info some of the owners are quite
gracious at giving out one or two other areas they know of. Montana
has petrified wood, agate galore, sapphires, jasper, opal,
Thundereggs, and much more.
Also take a few minutes (or hours :)) to check out this site as they
have some great on rocks and Rockhounding. http://www.rockhounds.com
After Googling Rockhounding in Montana, I found this site that looks
good
In Wyoming if you get anywhere near Kemmerer, check out the Wishee
Washee Rock Shop as this man knows where to dig Blue Forrest
Petrified wood. This is a beautiful brown wood with grain surrounded
by blue agate and sometimes, yellow calcite. Exquisite! Near there
are also fossil fish.
While you can’t rockhound in the National park, there are National
Forests nearby that do allow rockhounding. You can’t collect arrow
heads or vertibrate fossils (Shell fossils are ok)on National Forest
either, though.
Terry; Go to rockhounds.com and click on rock talk. A very
knowledgeable group when it comes to this kind of stuff. I do know
that in National parks removal of anything is prohibited. You can get
in big trouble. National forest and BLM land are a different story
you can usually collect there but there are exceptions.Good luck
I became a rockhound in 1953 at the age of 24. I believe I have
rockhounded in just about every state in the Union, including Hawaii
when it was still a US Territory! There are many places to rockhound
out side of park areas. I cannot give you specific directions, but
there are books with locations mentioned. A lot of research has to
be done on your own.
I found a great Iris Agate in a gravel pit near the Yellowstone
River quite a ways from the Park. It was a county owned or leased bit
of land on Public Land. This probably came under the Multiple Use
laws involving Public Lands.
Times have changed and there maybe laws or ordinances inacted where
I used to hunt. Some spots have been made into National
Monuments.(Fossill Fish) I got geological from the
Public Documents Dept.(US) and from other minerological assays in
volved in different geological and minerological surveys. I usuall
looked for Tertiary deposits.
You might check with Rockhound Clubs in the area you want to hunt in.
Be aware of sensitive environments and treat the land with care and
respect.
