Malheur & Owyhee Rockhounding Sites – Eastern Oregon

Graveyard Point - Oregon | Idaho Border

Graveyard Point is a vast Eastern Oregon area in Owyhee Canyon along the Oregon-Idaho border.

The area is known for excellent plum agates with pink yellow, and red inclusions. Moss, dendritic, angel wing and other varieties of agate can be found here as well. Beware of private claims.

Unearthing Treasures at Graveyard Point

Succor Creek Canyon

The scenic rocky Succor Creek Canyon is known as a rockhound's paradise. The official state rock of Oregon, thunder eggs, filled with agates and other minerals, can be found in the Succor Creek State Natural Area. Cross the bridge and search on the hillside and gravel deposits along the creek. This deposit is a very large and, typically, thunder eggs are averagely sized up to apple.

Succor Creek - Hidden High Desert Oasis

Twin Springs

Twin Springs is one of the great rock collecting sites in a remote part of Southeastern Oregon.

The site offers opportunities to find agate, jasper, petrified wood, chalcedony, calcite, and occasionally geodes.

Exploring Twin Springs Rockhounding Area

Haystack Butte

Haystack Butte Rockhounding site is a remote high desert destination of the Owyhee area, known for its distinctive colorful brecciated jasper. The jasper is prized for its ability to take on a great polish,

Besides jasper, white, or gray mossy agate, petrified wood, chalcedony, and sometimes common opal can be found.

Haystack Butte - Rockhounding in the Owyhee Area

Beulah Reservoir - near Juntura

Rocks & Minerals: Leaf and Fish Fossils, Agate, and Jasper
Tools: Rock hammers, picks, and shovels
County: Malheur
Managed: BLM
Road Access: A high-clearance vehicle is recommended

From Burns or Juntura, drive onto US 20 to Beulah Road (the western end of Juntura). Turn north onto Beulah Road and drive 14.5 miles to Agency Mountain Road (the south edge of the reservoir). Turn left onto Agency Mountain Road and cross the dam. The parking area is on the right.

The beautiful Beulah Reservoir near a small town of Juntura is famous for its great fossilized leaves. Here also you can find fish fossils, agate, and jasper. The collecting site is located on the southeastern shore of the reservoir.

McDermitt - Oregon | Nevada Border

Rocks & Minerals: Mostly Jasper
Tools: Rock hammers, picks, and shovels
County: Malheur
Managed: BLM
Road Access: A high-clearance vehicle is recommended. Wet weather conditions make the road impassable.
Locations: Agate Hills, Agate Flat, Cottonwood Spring, White Hill, Gopher Holes
Agate Hill. From McDermit, follow west onto Cordero Mine Road for 4.3 miles and then turn onto Disaster Pick Road. Continue onto Disaster Pick Road west for 4 miles. Take a dirt way just before the cattle guard and drive uphill for next 0.3 miles or leave your car downhill.

Agate Flat. From the cattle guard, drive 2.2 miles west along Disaster Pick Road to a flat parking area on the left.

Cottonwood Spring. From Agate Flat, continue for 0.8 miles west on Disaster Pick Road to a dirt Archie Myers Ranch Road, turn left and go 0.2 miles to the parking area just before the creek.

White Hill. From Cottonwood Springs, follow 2.6 miles onto Archie Myers Ranch Road. The White Hill collecting site is on the right.

Gopher Holes. From White Hill, continue 1.2 miles onto Archie Myers Ranch Road. Collecting sites are located along the road.

The hilly areas near the town of McDermitt on the Oregon side have numerous productive rockhounding sites. There are several petrified wood deposits including  Agate Flat, Cottonwood Spring, White Hill, and Gopher Holes. White and tan agates with black dendrites can be found on Agate Hill. Agatized wood can be collected at the Agate Flat site. Opalized wood is found at the Cottonwood Spring site.

Blue Mountain Mine (Fee Site)

Blue Mountain Mine is located a few miles north of McDermitt.

From US-95, between mileposts 117 and 118 (51 miles south of US-95/OR-78 junction or 4.5 miles north of McDermitt), turn west onto Easterday Road (Hot Springs Road) and drive 1.2 miles. Bear right, just before a ranch, and continue 0.3 miles to the gate. Open and close the gate, then continue 0.3 miles to the fork. On the fork, bear right and continue 0.6 miles to the mine.

GPS: N 42°04.859' W 117°45.619'| 42.081, -117.763