Where to Find Obsidian in Nevada
6 mapped obsidian rockhounding spots in Nevada, across 5 counties. Most of the mapped spots sit in Washoe County, Esmeralda County, and Humboldt County. Obsidian is volcanic glass — usually black, sometimes mahogany, snowflake, or rainbow. Nevada has dense rockhounding coverage because so much of the state is public land.
Map of 6 obsidian rockhounding spots in Nevada
Obsidian by county in Nevada
Counties ranked by number of obsidian spots in our database.
Every obsidian spot in Nevada
Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps. Click a row for details.
| Spot | County | Minerals | Coordinates | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montezuma Peak | Esmeralda County | 37.6626, -117.3611 | Public | |
| Little High Rock Canyon | Humboldt County | 41.2891, -119.2930 | Public | |
| Scotty’s Junction | Nye County |
| 37.2329, -116.9761 | Public |
| Black Rock Desert | Pershing County | 40.8859, -119.0567 | Public | |
| Sparks | Washoe County | 39.5483, -119.6706 | Public | |
| VyaLeadville Road | Washoe County | 41.2513, -119.5570 | Public |
Obsidian in Nevada FAQ
Where can I find obsidian in Nevada?+
RockHoundR tracks 6 obsidian spots in Nevada, spread across 5 counties. The strongest concentration is in Washoe County.
Is collecting obsidian legal in Nevada?+
Casual hand collection of common rocks and minerals like obsidian is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land in Nevada, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Always confirm rules before a trip.
What is the best obsidian location in Nevada?+
Washoe County has the most obsidian spots in our database for Nevada. The full county breakdown is below, and different counties produce different qualities and varieties.
Hunt obsidian in Nevada on the map
Open RockHoundR for live land overlays, weather, geology, and saved spots.
