Rockhounding in Oregon: where you can collect
Updated . Rules come from the BLM, Oregon State Parks and the state geological survey; sources are at the end.
About half of Oregon is federal land, and the BLM says most of its land is open to rock collecting. It has set two areas aside specifically for collecting: the Glass Buttes obsidian area and a public sunstone area. On ocean beaches you may take agates and other rocks, up to a one-gallon container a day and three gallons a year per person.
- Federal land
- 52.3% of Oregon; the BLM manages 25.5% (2024)
- Set aside for collecting
- Glass Buttes obsidian and the sunstone area near Plush
- Ocean beaches
- 1 gallon a day, 3 gallons a year per person
- State rock
- The thunderegg
The map shows 8 places. They are all listed on this page.
Open the full map with satellite imagery and who manages the land. Coming in the Capyhound app: the map offline, for places with no signal. Get it first
Places to collect
- Glass ButtesFree collecting
Set aside by the BLM for rock collecting; reasonable personal amounts with hand tools. Source · On the map
- Oregon Sunstone Public Collection AreaFree collecting
No fee; no collecting for trade or commercial purposes; stay off the private claims around the area. Source · On the map
- Succor Creek State Natural AreaFree collecting
Limited souvenir collecting: up to 1 gallon per person a day and 3 gallons a year. Source · On the map
- Whistler Springs rockhounding siteAsk the office first
A Forest Service rockhounding site; the roads to and inside the campground are very rough. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is Whistler Campground; the site is inside the campground, just downhill from the restroom.
- White Fir Springs agate bedsAsk the office first
Agate beds popular for rockhounding; the last mile to the campground is rough, high-clearance 4WD recommended. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is White Rock Campground; the agate beds are on the way to it.
- Maury Mountain agate bedsAsk the office first
Red, green and gold moss agates, according to the Forest Service; limits are not stated. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is Elkhorn Campground, which the Forest Service places near the agate beds.
- Quartzville Back Country Byway (BLM portion)Panning allowed
Recreational mining is allowed along the BLM portion of the byway; 14-day stay limit. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
One point on an 18-mile byway; panning is allowed along the BLM portion.
- Island Creek Day Use Area, Cow Creek Back Country BywayPanning allowed
A stop to pan for gold; do not trespass on the private mining claims marked along the creek. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
The pin is the byway’s listing point, not the day use area itself.
The places in detail
Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area
A free BLM collecting area for Oregon sunstone, the state gemstone, managed by the Lakeview District (541-947-6100). From Plush, take County Road 3-10 (Hogback Road) north about 10 miles; it turns to gravel after 4 miles. Orange posts mark the boundary, and private mining claims surround the area and lie inside it, so stay off them. Sunstones may not be collected for trade or commercial purposes. There is a pit toilet, picnic tables and a shade structure, and camping is allowed anywhere in the area. More on the Oregon sunstone page.
Glass Buttes
An obsidian area in the BLM Prineville District that the BLM has set aside for rock collecting. Obsidian cannot be claimed under mining law. The BLM guide gives no yearly limit for obsidian, so ask the Prineville District about amounts. More on the Glass Buttes page.
Ocean beaches
On the ocean shore, Oregon State Parks rules allow a small quantity of agates, other rocks, driftwood and similar non-living items as personal souvenirs: no more than a one-gallon container per person per day and three gallons per person per calendar year, and each person must use their own container. Digging up or removing sand, rock or fossil material beyond that needs the department’s written permission, collecting for commercial use needs a permit, and marine reserves and marine protected areas have their own rules. More on where to find agates.
Succor Creek State Natural Area
A state natural area known for thundereggs. Limited souvenir collecting is allowed: up to 1 gallon per person a day and 3 gallons a year. A rough 15-mile dirt road leads from Oregon 201, and there is no water. More on the thunder eggs page.
Ochoco National Forest
The Forest Service lists Whistler Springs, the White Fir Springs agate beds and the Maury Mountain agate beds for rockhounding, but its records state no collecting limits. Ask the Ochoco National Forest before you collect.
Gold panning
The BLM allows recreational panning along the Quartzville Back Country Byway and at the Island Creek Day Use Area on the Cow Creek Back Country Byway. See gold panning near me.
Rules on BLM land in Oregon
- No fee or permit for a reasonable daily amount for non-commercial use: what fits into a car trunk, part of a pickup load, or less than 250 pounds.
- Fee and permit needed for a full pickup load, more than one trip, more than 250 pounds, commercial use, or explosives or power equipment.
- Petrified wood: free up to 25 pounds plus one piece a day and 250 pounds a year; no pooling to get pieces over 250 pounds.
- Fossils: a permit is needed for vertebrate fossils, not for common invertebrate fossils.
- Digging: no deeper than four feet from the original ground surface, and fill in your holes.
- Mining claims: don’t collect on a claim without the claimant’s consent. Chert, petrified wood, obsidian and cinders cannot be claimed.
- Quarry stockpiles are off-limits; taking from them is theft of federal property.
Where you can’t collect
- On BLM land: campgrounds, cultural and historic sites, and natural areas. Collecting human remains or archaeological or historical materials is illegal.
- Closures: some for fire, wildlife, road use, wilderness and wilderness study areas, and some of them seasonal.
- National parks: collecting is prohibited, including fossils at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. See national parks.
- Inland state parks, state forests and state lands: we have not verified their rules; ask the managing agency.
Before you go
- Fire: find out whether fire restrictions are in effect.
- Old mines: stay out of them.
- Water: carry your own; Succor Creek has none.
Oregon’s state rocks and fossils
- Rock: the thunderegg, named in 1965 after Oregon rockhounds voted it their first choice
- Gemstone: Oregon sunstone, designated in 1987
- Fossil: Metasequoia, the dawn redwood, designated in 2005
- Minerals: oregonite and josephinite, the state’s “twin minerals”
BLM in Oregon
State Office: 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97204. Local offices are in Baker City, Burns, North Bend, Eugene, Lakeview, Klamath Falls, Salem, Tillamook, Medford, Prineville, Roseburg and Vale.
Get the Oregon map in the app
The Capyhound app will show public collecting places and their rules on one map, even with no signal.
Questions
Where can I collect Oregon sunstone for free?
At the BLM’s Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area north of Plush, managed by the BLM Lakeview District. There is no fee, but the stones may not be collected for trade or commercial use, and you must stay off the private mining claims around and inside the area.
How many agates can I take from an Oregon beach?
No more than a one-gallon container per person per day, and up to three gallons per person per calendar year. Each person must use their own container, and marine reserves and marine protected areas have separate rules.
Can I collect obsidian at Glass Buttes?
Yes. The BLM has set the Glass Buttes obsidian area aside for rock collecting, and obsidian cannot be claimed under mining law. Ask the BLM Prineville District about amounts.
How much can I collect on BLM land in Oregon without a permit?
A reasonable daily amount for non-commercial use, such as what fits in a car trunk or weighs less than 250 pounds. Petrified wood is limited to 25 pounds plus one piece a day and 250 pounds a year. Explosives or power equipment need a permit.
What is Oregon’s state rock, and where is it found?
The thunderegg, named by the 1965 Legislature. It is found chiefly in Crook, Jefferson, Malheur, Wasco and Wheeler counties, at both fee and free sites.
How deep may I dig on BLM land?
No deeper than four feet from the original ground surface, and you must fill in your holes.
Do I need a permit to collect fossils on BLM land?
For vertebrate fossils, yes. For common invertebrate fossils, no. Collecting is prohibited in John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service, Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data, R42346 (updated September 2026)
- Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries: fossils, minerals and gems
- Oregon Blue Book: almanac, state symbols
- BLM Oregon and Washington Rock Collecting Guide (no printed date)
- BLM: Rockhounding on public lands
