Where to Find Petrified Wood near Waco, TX
15 of the mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Waco report petrified wood. The closest is Brazos River at Brazos Park East, about 3 miles out (4 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 Waco
Best spotBrazos River at Brazos Park EastMcLennan County, Texas · 3 mi awayPublic access · Petrified Wood, Agatized Wood, Agate +2
N of CrossMadison County, Texas · 76 mi awayPublic access · Petrified Wood- Creek beds & hill slopes between Caldwell & SomervilleBurleson County, Texas · 86 mi awayPublic access · Petrified Wood, Agatized Wood
- E of AustinTravis County, Texas · 94 mi awayPublic access · Agatized Wood, Petrified Palm Wood
- Rabb's CreekFayette County, Texas · 104 mi awayPublic access · Petrified Wood, Opalized Wood
- Best spotColorado River at SmithvilleBastrop County, Texas · 106 mi awayPublic access · Petrified Palm Wood, Petrified Wood, Agate
- Large area between CrockettHouston County, Texas · 107 mi awayPublic access · Jasper, Agatized Wood
- Best spotDavy Crockett National Forest (Ratcliff Lake)Houston County, Texas · 117 mi awayPublic access · Petrified Wood, Agatized Wood, Jasper +2
- Btwn Groveton & TrinityTrinity County, Texas · 119 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper +1
- N of Lake LivingstonTrinity County, Texas · 124 mi awayPublic access · Petrified Palm Wood
- Best spotLyndon B. Johnson National Grassland (Black Creek Lake)Wise County, Texas · 128 mi awayPublic access · Fossilized Oyster, Agate, Petrified Wood +1
- MoultonLavaca County, Texas · 138 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Petrified Wood
- Best spotSam Houston National Forest (Double Lake)San Jacinto County, Texas · 138 mi awayPublic access · Petrified Palm Wood, Petrified Wood, Agate +2
- New BraunfelsComal County, Texas · 138 mi awayPublic access · Petrified Wood
- Peach CreekGonzales County, Texas · 142 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Petrified Wood
Types of petrified wood reported near Waco
Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each variety.
- Petrified Wood12
- Agatized Wood5
- Petrified Palm Wood4
- Opalized Wood1
Petrified Wood near Waco FAQ
Where can I find petrified wood near Waco?+
15 mapped spots within about 150 miles of Waco report petrified wood. The closest is Brazos River at Brazos Park East in McLennan County, roughly 3 miles away (4 min drive). The full list with coordinates is on this page.
Can I collect petrified wood on public land near Waco?+
15 of the 15 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 Waco do I need to drive?+
The nearest petrified wood spot is about 3 miles out, and the farthest on this list is 142 miles. Most fall inside a normal weekend day-trip radius.
Keep exploring from Waco
Where to Find Petrified Wood near other cities
Hunt petrified wood around Waco 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.
