Petrified Wood near Scottsbluff, NE

17 of the mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Scottsbluff report petrified wood. The closest is Bayard, about 20 miles out (25 min drive).

Petrified wood is ancient wood replaced cell by cell with silica. It concentrates where volcanic ash buried forests, and weathered pieces collect as float on desert slopes and in washes.

Map of 17 petrified wood collecting spots within 150 miles of Scottsbluff, Nebraska

Closest petrified wood spots to Scottsbluff

Types of petrified wood reported near Scottsbluff

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

Every petrified wood spot within 150 miles of Scottsbluff

Sorted by distance from Scottsbluff. Tap a row for directions, access status, and nearby trips.

SpotCountyMineralsCoordinatesAccess
BayardUS 26Morrill County41.7324, -103.3187Public
Agate Fossil BedsRiver RoadSioux County42.4366, -103.7359Public
Sioux CountyGlen RoadSioux County42.5887, -103.5953Public
Crawford (jasper area)Annin StreetDawes County42.6831, -103.4114Public
North Platte RiverRoad 70Morrill County41.4939, -102.6431Public
Dawes CountyDawes County42.6651, -103.1121Public
OrellaSugar Loaf RoadDawes County42.9179, -103.4725Public
Lodgepole CreekL-17FCheyenne County41.1403, -102.6279Public
ArdmoreEast Ardmore RoadFall River County43.0107, -103.4691Public
ChappellI 80Deuel County41.0878, -102.4912Public
OelrichsFall River County43.1256, -103.1669Public
Whiteclay (Fairburn area)Sheridan County42.9960, -102.6282Public
WhiteclayElder DriveSheridan County42.9938, -102.5628Public
Pine RidgeElder DriveSheridan County42.9939, -102.5627Public
Parker PeakFall River County43.4053, -103.6753Public
FairburnCuster County43.6683, -103.0269Public
Shirley BasinCarbon County42.3318, -106.2585Public

Petrified Wood near Scottsbluff FAQ

Where can I find petrified wood near Scottsbluff?+
17 mapped spots within about 150 miles of Scottsbluff report petrified wood. The closest is Bayard in Morrill County County, roughly 20 miles away (25 min drive). The full list with coordinates is on this page.
Can I collect petrified wood on public land near Scottsbluff?+
17 of the 17 spots here sit on land mapped as publicly accessible. Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed on most BLM and Forest Service land with limits set by the local field office; national parks and most state parks are closed to collecting. Confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.
How can I tell petrified wood from plain rock?+
Look for wood structure: parallel grain lines, growth rings on cut ends, and bark texture on the outside. Petrified palm shows a distinctive rod-and-dot pattern instead of rings. Plain jasper and chert show none of these, even when the color looks woody.
How far from Scottsbluff do I need to drive?+
The nearest petrified wood spot is about 20 miles out, and the farthest on this list is 137 miles. Most fall inside a normal weekend day-trip radius.

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