Rockhounding in Custer County, Idaho: 9 Spots & Minerals

Standouts in Custer County

Hand-picked spots in Custer County, chosen for unusual mineralogy or documented public access. Each card opens the full coordinates and access notes.

Top pick
Challis
Public
Custer County
Challis represents the Challis Volcanics better than a single protected petrified-forest stop, with Idaho Department of Lands listing nearby red agate, banded opal, and petrified-wood localities in Custer County. Mindat records opal from the Challis area and documents agate collecting in the same volcanic province, which makes it a practical tenth pick for silica collectors.
Red Agate, Banded Opal
Top pick
Mackay
Public
Custer County
Mackay is the best Custer County mine-district pick for copper minerals, with Mindat documenting malachite and related species across the Alder Creek and White Knob district. Idaho Department of Lands also lists Custer County districts for azurite, malachite, and other base-metal minerals, so the site has stronger mineral documentation than a generic scenic stop.
Azurite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Malachite

Spots in Custer County

Spot	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
ChallisGarden Creek Road	Red Agate Banded Opal	44.4940, -114.2999	Public
Challis (fluorite area)	Fluorite	44.4998, -114.1904	Public
Empire MineNational Forest Development Road 496	Purple Fluorite	43.8925, -113.6701	Public
MackayNational Forest Development Road 496	Azurite Chalcopyrite Chrysocolla Malachite Pyrite Pyrrhotite	43.8902, -113.6746	Public
Malm GulchMalm Gulch Trail	Agate Petrified Wood	44.3383, -114.2226	Public
Poison Creek	Common Opal	43.7171, -113.6565	Public
Salmon River (Stanley area)Salmon River Scenic Byway	Gold Cinnabar	44.2406, -114.9018	Public
StanleyEva Falls Avenue	Corundum Gold Sapphire	44.2234, -114.9492	Public
Wildhorse Canyon	Quartz	43.7654, -114.1017	Public

Neighboring counties in Idaho

Adjacent rockhounding counties, ranked by how close their centroids sit to Custer County. A natural extension if Custer County is already on your trip plan.

Custer County FAQ

Where can I rockhound in Custer County, Idaho?+

RockHoundR tracks 9 rockhounding spots in Custer County. Each entry below has coordinates, mineral notes, and access type. Always confirm local rules before collecting.

What rocks and minerals are common in Custer County?+

Spots in Custer County most often produce Gold, Agate, Azurite, Banded Opal, Chalcopyrite. Individual spots can vary widely.

Are these Custer County rockhounding spots on public land?+

Most spots in this list are tagged public, but access can change with seasons, claims, and local closures. Always verify before driving out — links in the app open the right BLM, USFS, or county pages.

Plan a Custer County rockhounding trip

Open RockHoundR to see these spots on the map alongside land overlays, weather, geology, and your saved finds.

Rockhounding in Custer County, Idaho

Custer County rockhounding photos

Minerals reported in Custer County