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Rockhounding in Texas

85 mapped spots across 46 counties. Texas rockhounding spans agate fields in the Big Bend region, petrified palm wood across the south and east, and limestone fossils across most of the state. Public-collecting opportunities are concentrated on TPWD lands and a network of fee-dig sites.

Map showing 85 rockhounding spots in Texas

Top minerals found in Texas

Counts reflect how many spots in this list mention each mineral.

Notable areas: Balmorhea agate, Big Bend agate (outside the park), Texas petrified palm wood, and Cretaceous fossils are common targets.

Geology behind Texas rockhounding

Texas is over 95% private land, so access matters as much as geology. The Big Bend region exposes Cretaceous limestones and Tertiary volcanics, including sources for Balmorhea blue agate and Big Bend plume agate. The Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk produce ammonites and shark teeth. South and east Texas Pleistocene gravels yield petrified palm wood, the state stone.

Best regions to focus your search

Big Bend region (West Texas)

Balmorhea blue agate (Stillwell, Woodward, Walker ranches — fee-dig only), Big Bend plume agates, opal, and red plume jasper. National park is off-limits.

Central Texas

Cretaceous fossils (ammonites, oysters, mosasaur fragments) in road cuts and creek beds. Ladonia Fossil Park (paleontology park) is open to the public.

South & East Texas

Texas petrified palm wood in Pleistocene gravels along the Brazos, Colorado, and Sabine rivers. Often on private ranchland — get permission.

Texas Gulf Coast

Shark teeth, agatized coral, petrified wood, and Pleistocene shells on public beaches like Galveston, North Padre, and Bolivar.

Best season

October through April for Big Bend. For Central Texas fossils, spring creek floods can refresh gravel bars. Gulf Coast beach hunting improves after fronts push shells and gravel onshore.

What to bring

West Texas: rattlesnake-aware boots, gallon-per-person water, sun shade. Fossil hunting: a small pick, brushes, and consolidant for fragile finds. Beach: a mesh bag and a stiff sifter.

Local collecting history

Texas petrified palm wood was designated the state stone in 1969. Big Bend agate hunting dates back to ranch lease arrangements set up in the 1950s — many of the same families (Woodward, Stillwell) still operate the fee digs today.

Rockhounding near major Texas cities

Day-trip range. Each section lists the closest mapped rockhounding spots within about 150 miles of the city — most are inside a 2 to 3 hour drive.

Rockhounding near Houston

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6 closest spots to Houston, TX.

Rockhounding near San Antonio

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6 closest spots to San Antonio, TX.

Neighboring states with rockhounding

Geology rarely respects state borders. These states share mapped rockhounding country with Texas — useful when Texas is the start, not the whole trip. Each card links to the closest county across the line.

Rockhounding by county in Texas

County pages are linked once we have at least 3 mapped spots for a focused guide with coordinates, mineral notes, and nearby spots.

Every rockhounding spot in Texas

Sorted by county. Tap coordinates to open in Google Maps, or open RockHoundR for the full map view with land overlays and weather.

SpotCountyMineralsCoordinatesAccess
Prairie Dog Town Fork of Red RiverState Highway 207Armstrong County34.8335, -101.4141Public
Area surfaces all around SmithvilleTX 71Bastrop County30.0160, -97.1478Public
Amethyst Hill on Althaus RanchBlanco County30.3067, -98.4455Public
Agua Fria RanchAgua Fria RoadBrewster County29.5252, -103.6739Public
Area EDog Canyon Trail / Nine Point DrawBrewster County29.6253, -103.1084Public
General AreaBrewster County30.5040, -103.6582Public
General AreaWest US Highway 90Brewster County30.3222, -103.7856Public
General AreaCalamity Creek RoadBrewster County30.1676, -103.5948Public
Stillwell Ranch N of Big Bend Natl ParkRanch Road 2627Brewster County29.6436, -103.0802Public
TerlinguaFM 170Brewster County29.3089, -103.6275Public
Terlingua CreekJoe Moss RoadBrewster County29.2906, -103.5475Public
W side of Glass MountainsBrewster County30.3704, -103.4002Public
Creek beds & hill slopes between Caldwell & SomervilleBurleson County30.3629, -96.6913Public
General AreaCounty Road 19Childress County
  • Alabaster
34.6109, -100.1063Public
New BraunfelsGruene Place DriveComal County29.7286, -98.1088Public
Limestone road cutsFarm-to-Market Road 107Coryell County
  • Turritella Agate
31.3802, -97.5322Public
Limestone road cutsFarm-to-Market Road 107Coryell County
  • Turritella Agate
31.3923, -97.5462Public
Lobo valleyCulberson County
  • Texas Bouquet Agate
30.9414, -104.7964Public
NE side of Carizo MtsCulberson County31.0674, -104.8624Public
Seven Hearts GapSeven Heart PsCulberson County31.2554, -104.5090Public
SW of FreerDuval County27.7726, -98.7653Public
General AreaWoodrow Bean Transmountain DriveEl Paso County31.8901, -106.5082Public
General AreaWest US Highway 287Ellis County
  • Fossilized Shark Teeth
32.4929, -97.0392Public
S side of US 287US 287Ellis County
  • Fossil Leaf Prints
32.4434, -96.9226Public
Sides of creekEast US Highway 287Ellis County32.4455, -96.9221Public
Rabb's CreekFayette County30.0666, -96.8791Public
Road cut on E side of US 87South US Highway 87Gillespie County30.1611, -98.8934Public
Stream gravels around FredericksburgNorth Olive StreetGillespie County30.2714, -98.8546Public
Peach CreekCounty Road 353Gonzales County29.5041, -97.3143Public
Broad area around BediasMagnolia StreetGrimes County
  • Tektites
  • Black Diamond
  • Fire Pearl
30.7744, -95.9501Public
Gibbons creekTX 30Grimes County
  • Tektites
30.5998, -96.0639Public
Gravel pits near Rio GrandeFlores StreetHidalgo County26.2408, -98.5635Public
Large area between CrockettCrockett RoadHouston County31.1719, -95.3796Public
Bonanza MineLove RoadHudspeth County31.1873, -105.5005Public
Eagle FlatHudspeth County
  • Augite
31.1171, -105.1381Public
General AreaHudspeth County31.0377, -104.9169Public
Plata Verde MineGreen River RoadHudspeth County30.8779, -104.9222Public
Quitman Mountains (South)Hudspeth County31.1005, -105.5080Public
Sierra BlancHudspeth County31.2568, -105.4267Public
McGee Bend damSam Rayburn ParkwayJasper County31.0568, -94.1030Public
Marfa and Ft. DavisTX 17Jeff Davis County30.4511, -103.9821Public
Erdman FarmFM 887Karnes County29.0005, -98.0196Public
Tessman FarmFM 1344Karnes County
  • Agatized Palm Wood
28.9173, -98.1372Public
General AreaNorth US Highway 281Lampasas County31.1373, -98.1834Public
LampasasNaruna RoadLampasas County
  • Fluorescent Calcite
31.0561, -98.1873Public
Little Lucy CreekLampasas County31.1588, -98.1612Public
MoultonCounty Road 532GLavaca County29.5580, -97.1321Public
Nails Creek ParkChannel LoopLee County
  • Tektites
30.2953, -96.6823Public
H.D. House Ranch areaTX 72Live Oak County28.4665, -98.2258Public
Babyhead to Miller MtLlano County
  • Llanite
  • Opal-quartz
30.7995, -98.6410Public
General AreaLlano County30.5248, -98.7469Public
Llano countyWest State Highway 71Llano County30.6294, -98.5274Public
Moss Ranch area near Enchanted RockLlano County30.5020, -98.8021Public
N of CrossFM 39 SouthMadison County30.8983, -96.1067Public
Banks of Llano RiverRanch Road 1871Mason County
  • Crinoid Stems
30.6598, -99.3244Public
Ranches W of MasonGrit HappensMason County30.7798, -99.3432Public
StreeterUS Highway 377Mason County30.7656, -99.3796Public
Eagle PassStone HillMaverick County28.7373, -100.4712Public
E of New CaneyPin Oak LoopMontgomery County30.1517, -95.1960Public
Along Plum CreekBlue West RoadMoore County
  • Alibates Flint
35.6814, -101.6502Public
Road cut N of roadWest State Highway 21Nacogdoches County31.6585, -94.8085Public
Large area btwn Camden and ChesterPolk County
  • Petrified Palm Wood
30.9155, -94.6548Public
Along US 67US 67Presidio County
  • Texas Bouquet Agate
29.9811, -104.2215Public
Bishop RanchRM 169Presidio County
  • Texas Bouquet Agate
30.1479, -104.0375Public
Chinati MtsPresidio County30.0004, -104.3529Public
Chinati MtsPresidio County29.9012, -104.5124Public
Needle PeakPresidio County29.4283, -103.8104Public
The SolitarioPresidio County29.4508, -103.8090Public
Palo Duro CanyonRandall County34.9794, -101.7053Public
General AreaReeves County31.3526, -103.7592Public
N & E sides of Balmorhea LakeHouston StreetReeves County
  • Balmorhea Blue Agate
30.9723, -103.7143Public
MathisSouth State Highway 359San Patricio County28.0383, -97.8598Public
Hinton CreekCo 364San Saba County31.0145, -99.0645Public
Rio GrandeStarr County26.3624, -98.8352Public
E of AustinTravis County30.2358, -97.5460Public
Btwn Groveton & TrinityTrinity County31.0331, -95.2220Public
N of Lake LivingstonGuy Ogden RoadTrinity County
  • Petrified Palm Wood
30.8739, -95.2110Public
Pecos River AreaUS Highway 90 WestVal Verde County29.7084, -101.3509Public
Pecos River AreaVal Verde County30.1736, -101.5752Public
General AreaEast State Highway 44Webb County
  • Petrified Palm
27.9418, -98.8893Public
Rio Grande River AreaRio Grande Vega TrailWebb County27.4979, -99.4922Public
General AreaOld Decatur RoadWise County
  • Pyrite Cubes
33.3474, -97.6674Public
General Area N.E. Lake BridgeportWise County33.2619, -97.8508Public
Falcon Lake General AreaOld U.S. Highway 83Zapata County26.7343, -99.2020Public
LopenoEl Tigre RoadZapata County26.7131, -99.1313Public

Texas rockhounding FAQ

Is rockhounding legal in Texas?+
Mostly only on fee-dig ranches, designated public sites (Ladonia Fossil Park, public Gulf beaches), and a small number of TPWD wildlife management areas with site-specific rules. Texas is 95%+ private land — you cannot legally collect off the highway shoulder or on private ranchland without explicit permission.
Can I collect agate in Big Bend National Park?+
No. Big Bend National Park does not allow collecting rocks, minerals, plants, or fossils. Big Bend agate is collected on surrounding private ranches, including Woodward Ranch, Stillwell, and Walker, that operate as fee-dig sites.
Where can I find Texas petrified palm wood?+
In Pleistocene gravels along the Brazos, Colorado, and Sabine rivers, plus exposures across south and east Texas. Most known sites are on private land — get permission. Some river gravel bars on TPWD wildlife management areas are open under WMA-specific rules.
Are shark teeth legal to collect on Texas beaches?+
Yes. Hand collection of common shark teeth, fossil shells, and beach gravel is allowed on Texas public beaches (Galveston, Mustang Island, North Padre, Bolivar) for personal use. Don't dig dunes or remove live shells.
What rocks and minerals can you find in Texas?+
Common targets include Balmorhea blue agate, Big Bend plume agates, Texas petrified palm wood (the state stone), Cretaceous ammonites and shark teeth, agatized coral, and Llano uplift granite minerals (smoky quartz, feldspar).

Map every Texas spot in the app

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