Rock & Mineral Collecting – Central Oregon Rockhounding

Central Oregon just east of the Cascade Mountains is known to be a popular rock and mineral collecting area. Productive sites of Crook, Jefferson, and Deschutes Counties offer a variety of gem-quality minerals including famous thundereggs, petrified wood, limb cast, agate, jasper, and opal. Opal is found at Opal Butte in Morrow County but this area is closed to public diggings.

• Jefferson County has popular minerals collecting sites including fossils, petrified wood, geodes, thunder eggs, agate and jasper.
• Deschutes County is well-known for petrified wood.
• The Warm Spring Reservation in Wasco and Jefferson Counties produces black and white colored agate.
• Crook County is the most productive area with minerals such as petrified wood, limb casts, thunder eggs, agate, and jasper.

A wide variety of minerals, semiprecious gemstones, and rocks is available on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service. Also, there are privately owned mines, open to the public for fee digging. There may be private claims in some areas. Check it before you go.

Here is a list of the most popular sites, available for recreational rockhounding. But before accessing the sites and collecting any rocks, contact the local government agency to find out the most up-to-date information and regulations.

Eagle Rock

From Prineville, head southwest via Highway 380 to a free standing Eagle Rock, between milepost 14 and 15, and turn right just beyond the rock. Pass the cattle guard and turn left. Travel on a gravel road 1 miles to a fork. Bear right and go 0.4 miles to the next split of the road. Take a left and park your car. Hike up the hill 0.3 miles to the collection site. The Eagle Rock area produces beautiful but scarce red and black plume, dendritic, moss agate in a rhyolite base.

Rocks & Minerals: Agate
Tools: Rock hammers and chisel
County: Crook
Managed: BLM
Road Access: Not maintained; a high-clearance vehicle is recommended; seasonal road closure

Congleton Hollow

Limb Casts from the Congleton Hollow Rock Collecting Area is known for its green and pink hues.

Dendrite Butte

Dendrite Butte is known for its limb casts with blue, pink, and green shades.

White Rock Springs

White Rock Springs is one of a few thunderegg rockhounding sites in the Ochoco National Forest.

Whistler Springs

Whistler Springs is a public rockhounding site that produces agate-filled thundereggs.

Lucky Strike Mine

A remote fee-digging Lucky Strike Mine is a popular site to collect stunning thundereggs.

Bear Creek

Bear Creek Rockhounding Area is well-known for an abundance of petrified wood.

Maury Mountains Agate Beds

The site produces beautiful varieties of moss agates with gold, green and red hues; dendritic and white plume agates can be found.

Polka Dot Agate Mine

Polka Dot Agate Mine is famous agate beds that produce agates with polka-dot patterns.

Richardson’s Rock Ranch

Richardson Rock Ranch is known for its highly-prized Priday plume agate.

When rockhounding in Central Oregon, it's essential to follow local regulations and respect private property boundaries. Additionally, it's a good idea to bring appropriate tools, safety gear, and be prepared for outdoor conditions. Before planning a trip, consider checking with local rockhounding clubs or forums for the latest information and tips on the best spots to explore in the area.