Where to Find 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.
Every petrified wood spot within 150 miles of Scottsbluff
Best spotBayardMorrill County, Nebraska · 20 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Petrified Wood
Agate Fossil BedsSioux County, Nebraska · 40 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Jasper, Chalcedony +3- Sioux CountySioux County, Nebraska · 50 mi awayPublic access · Chalcedony, Celestite, Fossil +2
- Crawford (jasper area)Dawes County, Nebraska · 58 mi awayPublic access · Fairburn Agate, Jasper, Petrified Wood
- North Platte RiverMorrill County, Nebraska · 59 mi awayPublic access · Agatized Wood, Opalized Wood
- Dawes CountyDawes County, Nebraska · 62 mi awayPublic access · Chalcedony, Celestite, Fossil +2
Best spotOrellaDawes County, Nebraska · 73 mi awayPublic access · Fairburn Agate, Jasper, Carnelian +4- Lodgepole CreekCheyenne County, Nebraska · 74 mi awayPublic access · Agatized Wood, Opalized Wood
Best spotArdmoreFall River County, South Dakota · 80 mi awayPublic access · Fairburn Agate, Agatized Wood, Jasper +2- ChappellDeuel County, Nebraska · 81 mi awayPublic access · Fairburn Agate, Jasper, Chalcedony +2
- Best spotOelrichsFall River County, South Dakota · 91 mi awayPublic access · Fairburn Agate, Jasper, Calcite +1
- Whiteclay (Fairburn area)Sheridan County, Nebraska · 94 mi awayPublic access · Fairburn Agate, Jasper, Chalcedony +3
WhiteclaySheridan County, Nebraska · 96 mi awayPermission required · Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper +1- Pine RidgeSheridan County, Nebraska · 96 mi awayPermission required · Quartz Concretion, Agate, Petrified Wood +1
- Parker PeakFall River County, South Dakota · 106 mi awayPublic access · Agatized Wood, Silicified Wood
- Best spotFairburnCuster County, South Dakota · 129 mi awayPublic access · Fairburn Agate, Agatized Wood, Yellow Jasper
- Shirley BasinCarbon County, Wyoming · 137 mi awayPublic access · Opalized Wood
Types of petrified wood reported near Scottsbluff
Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each variety.
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, 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?+
15 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.
Keep exploring from Scottsbluff
Where to Find Petrified Wood near other cities
Hunt petrified wood around Scottsbluff with the map in your pocket
RockHoundR shows these spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, weather, and a log for your finds.
