Bear Valley: Monazite & Uranium Rockhounding in Valley County, Idaho

Quick details

Access

Permission required

County

Valley County

State

Idaho

Nearest road

Bear Valley Trail

Coordinates

44.42755, -115.27467

Geology at Bear Valley

This spot sits on Biotite granodiorite, mapped as biotite granodiorite;granite that formed roughly 145 to 66 million years ago. Plutonic rock like this weathers slowly into grus and boulders, and the most productive collecting is typically in weathered zones and drainages.

Mapped unit

Biotite granodiorite

Age

145–66 Ma (Cretaceous)

Rock types

biotite granodiorite;granite

Elevation

6,380 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Best time to visit Bear Valley

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 80°F in midsummer and 34°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 6°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, DEADWOOD LODGE station (15 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Emerald Creek
• Idaho Geological Survey
• Spencer Opal Mines (fee-dig operator)
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Bear Valley

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

• Monazite
• Uranium