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Rockhounding near Helena, MT

72 mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Helena — 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 Montana, Idaho.

Map of rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Helena, Montana

Closest rockhounding spots to Helena

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

Most-reported finds near Helena

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

Hunting something specific near Helena?

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

Every spot within 150 miles of Helena

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

SpotCountyMineralsCoordinatesAccess
HelenaMRL Service RoadLewis and Clark County46.6539, -112.1266Public
Spokane Bar Sapphire MineCastles RoadLewis and Clark County46.6646, -111.8111Public
Missouri RiverDanas Point DriveLewis and Clark County46.7284, -111.8746Public
CorbinPowder House RoadJefferson County46.3927, -112.0831Public
Wickes & ClancyPowder House RoadJefferson County46.3925, -112.0829Public
American BarLewis and Clark County46.8131, -111.9292Public
Magpie GulchMagpie Gulch RoadLewis and Clark County
  • Green Sapphire
46.6629, -111.6610Public
Jack CreekJack Creek RoadJefferson County
  • Dumortierite
46.3725, -112.2872Public
WinstonWeasel Creek RoadBroadwater County46.4379, -111.6981Public
Elkhorn MountainIron Mountain RoadJefferson County46.2909, -111.9359Public
BasinJefferson County46.2960, -112.2327Public
White Creek30007Meagher County46.6277, -111.4134Public
Confederate GulchDuck Creek RoadBroadwater County46.4745, -111.3944Public
RadersburgKeating Gulch RoadBroadwater County46.1921, -111.6645Public
Dry Cottonwood Creekcdt-alt LeyDeer Lodge County46.2206, -112.6851Public
GoldcreekI 90;US 12Powell County46.5945, -112.9434Public
PioneerPowell County46.5139, -112.9638Public
ButteClark StreetSilver Bow County46.0206, -112.5463Public
WhitehallPaul Gulch RoadJefferson County45.9179, -112.0411Public
PipestoneCamp Caroline RoadJefferson County45.9555, -112.3869Public
Brown’s GulchSilver Bow County46.0144, -112.6848Public
Brown’s LakeBrowns Lake RoadPowell County46.9502, -113.0155Public
Lost CreekLost Creek RoadDeer Lodge County46.2087, -113.0032Permission
Horseshoe HillsGallatin County
  • Shale
  • Trilobite Fossils
46.0223, -111.2712Public
ManhattanHorseshoe Cottonwood RoadGallatin County
  • Onyx
45.9093, -111.4056Public

Helena rockhounding FAQ

Where can I go rockhounding near Helena?+
There are 72 mapped rockhounding spots within about 150 miles of Helena, Montana. The closest is Helena in Lewis and Clark County, roughly 6 miles away. The full list is on this page with coordinates and drive times.
What rocks and minerals can you find near Helena?+
Spots within driving distance of Helena most commonly produce gold, sapphire, agate, quartz, silver, chalcedony.
Is rockhounding legal near Helena?+
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 Helena?+
Most weekend trips from Helena 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 2 states. Open the state page for the full county-by-county view.

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