Petrified wood is a unique fossilized treasure because it preserves the details of trees that lived on the Earth millions of years ago. Over time, minerals replaced the original wood, creating beautiful colors, patterns, and textures. Each piece is unique, making it highly prized by collectors and artists.
This combination of historical significance, natural beauty, and the ability to be polished makes petrified wood highly valuable for collectors and lapidary work.
The United States has many locations where collectors can find and collect petrified wood. Notable petrified wood rockhounding areas include the Holbrook area in Arizona, Central and Eastern Oregon, Northwestern Nevada, Southern Utah, and Saddle Mountain in Washington.
When collecting petrified wood, it's essential to identify locations and research local rockhounding regulations. If accessing private lands, permission should be obtained from the land owner.
Where to Find Petrified Wood? - Free and Fee Collecting Sites
The United States is home to many great places to find petrified wood. The best-known areas include Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Montana, and Idaho.
Arizona
Petrified wood can be found in Maricopa, Navajo, and Yuma Counties. Most famous for its red and rain-colored wood, Arizona Petrified Forest is nestled in Navajo County. While rock collecting is prohibited in national parks, there are a few locations near Arizona Petrified Forest where you can collect petrified wood, as long as you ensure the area allows for legal collection.
Holbrook Area is just outside the Petrified Forest National Park, known for red petrified wood. Some local ranches offer collecting for a fee.
DoBell Mineral Ranch, located about 30 miles from the Petrified Forest, lets visitors dig for rainbow-colored petrified wood or buy from their store. If you did not schedule your visit, call ( 623-219-6996) when you arrive at the ranch.
Idaho and Montana
Succor Creek Area in Owyhee County is known for its abundance of petrified wood, agate, and jasper. While Succor Creek is technically in Oregon, the nearby areas in Idaho share similar geology and minerals.
The area north of Gardiner in Montana, especially along the Yellowstone River, is renowned for its high-quality petrified wood. A Montana Conservation License is required for collecting along the Yellowstone River.
Interactive Petrified Wood Collection Site Map Displays the Best Collection Sites
Nevada and Oregon
Virgin Valley in Nevada and areas near Livelock in Humboldt and Pershing Countries yield good-quality petrified wood, including opalized specimens.
Oregon is one of the best states for collecting petrified wood, thanks to its diverse geology and numerous fossilized wood sites. Hampton Butte Green Wood Deposit as well as Bear Creek Petrified Wood Site are designated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as public rockhounding areas. Lakeview area in Oregon produces stunning pieces of opalized petrified wood. The McDermit area and Succor Creek Canyon in Southeastern Oregon are other hot spots to search for fossilized treasures and minerals.
Utah
Utah is famous for its Escalante Petrified Forest. While collecting is prohibited within the state park boundaries, you can explore nearby public lands where collecting is permitted. Fry Canyon, Hansen Creek, and Stripped Mountain are rich in colorful petrified wood.
Washington
Saddle Mountain is a collector's favorite, with many public sites for legal collecting.
Disclaimer
The Gimme Rocks website ("We") provides information on various rock and mineral collection sites. Please note that the information may change at any time, and we cannot guarantee its accuracy or currency. Some collecting areas are located near mine claims or private lands, and it is your responsibility to determine the land status and applicable collection rules.
Be aware that GPS truck navigators and app-based driving directions may not always be accurate. Additionally, cell service may be unavailable in some remote regions.
