Rockhounding near Houston, TX

21 mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Houston — 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 Texas, Louisiana.

Closest rockhounding spots to Houston

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

E of New CaneyMontgomery County, Texas29 mi · 36 min driveJasper, Petrified Palm Wood
Sam Houston National Forest (Double Lake)San Jacinto County, Texas56 mi · 1 hr 10 min drivePetrified Palm Wood, Petrified Wood, Agate
Gibbons creekGrimes County, Texas71 mi · 1 hr 29 min driveTektites
N of Lake LivingstonTrinity County, Texas78 mi · 1 hr 37 min drivePetrified Palm Wood
Broad area around BediasGrimes County, Texas78 mi · 1 hr 38 min driveTektites, Black Diamond, Fire Pearl
Nails Creek ParkLee County, Texas87 mi · 1 hr 48 min driveTektites

Most-reported finds near Houston

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

Petrified Wood9
Agate6
Petrified Palm Wood6
Agatized Wood5
Jasper5
Tektites3
Chalcedony2
Black Diamond1
Carnelian1
Coral1
Fire Pearl1
Fossil Snails1

Hunting something specific near Houston?

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

Every spot within 150 miles of Houston

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

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
E of New CaneyPin Oak Loop	Montgomery County	Jasper Petrified Palm Wood	30.1517, -95.1960	Public
Sam Houston National Forest (Double Lake)	San Jacinto County	Petrified Palm Wood Petrified Wood Agate Jasper Carnelian	30.5485, -95.1306	Public
Gibbons creekTX 30	Grimes County	Tektites	30.5998, -96.0639	Public
N of Lake LivingstonGuy Ogden Road	Trinity County	Petrified Palm Wood	30.8739, -95.2110	Public
Broad area around BediasMagnolia Street	Grimes County	Tektites Black Diamond Fire Pearl	30.7744, -95.9501	Public
Nails Creek ParkChannel Loop	Lee County	Tektites	30.2953, -96.6823	Permission
Btwn Groveton & Trinity	Trinity County	Agate Chalcedony Jasper Petrified Wood	31.0331, -95.2220	Public
Creek beds & hill slopes between Caldwell & Somerville	Burleson County	Petrified Wood Agatized Wood	30.3629, -96.6913	Public
N of CrossFM 39 South	Madison County	Petrified Wood	30.8983, -96.1067	Public
Large area btwn Camden and Chester	Polk County	Petrified Palm Wood	30.9155, -94.6548	Public
Whiskey Bridge (Brazos River)	Burleson County	Fossil Snails Fossilized Shells Coral Scaphopods	30.6267, -96.5439	Public
Rabb's Creek	Fayette County	Petrified Wood Opalized Wood	30.0666, -96.8791	Public
Sabine Lake Public Oyster Area	Cameron Parish	Lapearlite	29.8418, -93.8169	Public
Large area between CrockettCrockett Road	Houston County	Jasper Agatized Wood	31.1719, -95.3796	Public
MoultonCounty Road 532G	Lavaca County	Agate Petrified Wood	29.5580, -97.1321	Public
Colorado River at SmithvilleTX 71	Bastrop County	Petrified Palm Wood Petrified Wood Agate	30.0160, -97.1478	Public
Davy Crockett National Forest (Ratcliff Lake)	Houston County	Petrified Wood Agatized Wood Jasper Agate Chalcedony	31.3729, -95.1658	Public
McGee Bend damSam Rayburn Parkway	Jasper County	Agatized Wood	31.0568, -94.1030	Public
Peach CreekCounty Road 353	Gonzales County	Agate Petrified Wood	29.5041, -97.3143	Public
E of Austin	Travis County	Agatized Wood Petrified Palm Wood	30.2358, -97.5460	Public
Road cut N of roadWest State Highway 21	Nacogdoches County	Pyrite Selenite	31.6585, -94.8085	Public

Houston rockhounding FAQ

Where can I go rockhounding near Houston?+

There are 21 mapped rockhounding spots within about 150 miles of Houston, Texas. The closest is E of New Caney in Montgomery County, roughly 29 miles away. The full list is on this page with coordinates and drive times.

What rocks and minerals can you find near Houston?+

Spots within driving distance of Houston most commonly produce petrified wood, agate, petrified palm wood, agatized wood, jasper, tektites.

Is rockhounding legal near Houston?+

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 Houston?+

Most weekend trips from Houston 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.

Pack Houston's rockhounding map in your pocket

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