Rockhounding near Columbia, MO

108 mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Columbia — most are inside a 2 to 3 hour drive. Below: a map, the closest spots, what they produce, and full coordinates with access notes.

Covering parts of Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas.

Closest rockhounding spots to Columbia

The 6 nearest mapped spots, with straight-line distance and an approximate drive time.

Finger Lakes State ParkBoone County, Missouri9 mi · 11 min driveAragonite, Copiapite, Gypsum
RuckerBoone County, Missouri20 mi · 25 min driveAlunogen, Gypsum
Adrian’s QuarryBoone County, Missouri20 mi · 25 min driveCalcite, Chalcopyrite, Marcasite
Eldon & EttervilleMoniteau County, Missouri38 mi · 47 min driveBarite, Calcite, Cerussite
Cole CountyCole County, Missouri40 mi · 51 min driveBarite, Calcite, Cerussite
Danville QuarryMontgomery County, Missouri43 mi · 53 min driveCalcite, Dolomite, Millerite

Most-reported finds near Columbia

Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each material.

Hunting something specific near Columbia?

These materials have enough dedicated spots around Columbia to earn their own page, with distances and a separate map.

Every spot within 150 miles of Columbia

Sorted by distance from Columbia. Tap a row to open the spot detail page with full directions, access status, and nearby trips.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Finger Lakes State ParkEast Peabody Haul Road	Boone County	Aragonite Copiapite Gypsum Halotrichite Marcasite Melanterite Pyrite	39.0803, -92.3031	Public
RuckerWest Thornhill Road	Boone County	Alunogen Gypsum	39.2312, -92.4180	Public
Adrian’s QuarryUS 63	Boone County	Calcite Chalcopyrite Marcasite Millerite Pyrite	38.6723, -92.2290	Public
Eldon & EttervilleHobby Horse Road	Moniteau County	Barite Calcite Cerussite Dolomite Galena Malachite Marcasite Pyrite +3 more	38.4400, -92.5802	Public
Cole CountyMO BB	Cole County	Barite Calcite Cerussite Chalcopyrite Dolomite Hematite Galena Malachite +4 more	38.3686, -92.3916	Public
Danville QuarryMO J	Montgomery County	Calcite Dolomite Millerite Pyrite	38.9006, -91.5417	Public
VersaillesGunn Road	Morgan County	Barite	38.4406, -92.8552	Public
SmithtonLamms Lane	Pettis County	Blue Barite	38.6844, -93.1342	Public
SedaliaYeater Road	Pettis County	Pyrite	38.7482, -93.3053	Public
LincolnBenton County Northeast 281	Benton County	Chalcedony Chert Mozarkite Galena Jasper	38.3830, -93.2318	Public
New LondonAvenue of the Saints	Ralls County	Silicified Conodonts	39.6083, -91.4061	Public
ElmerFountain Street	Macon County	Gold Garnet	39.9664, -92.6565	Public
HannibalRevere Trail	Ralls County	Marcasite Pyrite	39.6683, -91.3353	Public
NewarkMO E	Knox County	Calcite Chalcopyrite Goethite Malachite Pyrite Quartz	39.9759, -91.9786	Public
SavertonMO 79	Ralls County	Pyrite	39.6451, -91.2888	Public
TroyHampel Road	Lincoln County	Calcite Marcasite Pyrite Chalcopyrite Malachite Millerite Quartz Sphalerite	38.9185, -90.9386	Public
Decaturville CraterLilac Rd	Laclede County	Albite Galena Glauconite Limonite Marcasite Microcline Muscovite Opal +4 more	37.8930, -92.7085	Public
Newburg	Phelps County	Calcite	37.8996, -91.9057	Public
Warsaw	Benton County	Agate Chert Mozarkite	38.1868, -93.3821	Public
Walnut CreekNorthwest 700	Johnson County	Sphalerite	38.8689, -93.7830	Public
Chariton River	Adair County	Calcite Goethite Quartz Septarian Nodules	40.0673, -92.6904	Public
Ruepple Iron MineSpring Oak Lane	Franklin County	Amethyst Goethite Hematite Marcasite Melanterite Pyrite Quartz Siderite +4 more	38.2708, -91.1408	Public
Fabius River275th Avenue	Lewis County	Geode Calcite Malachite Pyrite Quartz Sphalerite Aragonite	39.9756, -91.6218	Public
Tightwad	Henry County	Pyrite	38.2877, -93.5644	Public
Moselle Iron MinesCounty Road 7240	Phelps County	Amethyst Arsenopyrite Azurite Chalcopyrite Hematite Malachite Marcasite Pyrite +1 more	37.8346, -91.8288	Public

Columbia rockhounding FAQ

Where can I go rockhounding near Columbia?+

There are 108 mapped rockhounding spots within about 150 miles of Columbia, Missouri. The closest is Finger Lakes State Park in Boone County, roughly 9 miles away. The full list is on this page with coordinates and drive times.

What rocks and minerals can you find near Columbia?+

Spots within driving distance of Columbia most commonly produce pyrite, calcite, sphalerite, geode, quartz, marcasite.

Is rockhounding legal near Columbia?+

Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Each spot page on this site lists access status; always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

How far do most rockhounders drive from Columbia?+

Most weekend trips from Columbia fall inside a 2 to 3 hour drive, which is roughly the 150-mile radius shown on this page. Closer spots are good for half-day outings; the outer ones are better as overnight trips.

More state coverage

The spots above span 4 states. Open the state page for the full county-by-county view.

Pack Columbia's rockhounding map in your pocket

Open RockHoundR for live land overlays, weather, geology, directions, and saved finds — wherever the drive takes you.