BLM Public Lands in Wyoming
Lander, Wyoming
nephrite jadeagatechalcedonyjasperpetrified wood
Public land, rules apply · Free
BLM Public Lands in Wyoming
BLM Wyoming publishes an unusually clear rockhounding brochure that recognizes the hobby as a legitimate recreational pursuit on nearly all 18 million acres it manages in the state. Hand tools only, fill your holes, no vertebrate fossils, no artifacts, and nothing you collect can be sold. Memorize one trap the brochure spells out: on an unpatented claim staked for jade you may collect anything except jade, and because most claimants stake for all locatable minerals, that usually closes the ground entirely.
The card catalog
| What you can find | nephrite jade, agate, chalcedony, jasper, petrified wood |
|---|---|
| Access | Public land, rules apply — Free |
| Fees | Free and no permit. BLM Wyoming states public lands it administers are open to everyone to take limited amounts of rock material for noncommercial purposes without charge. Petrified wood is capped by federal rule at 25 lb plus one piece per day and 250 lb per calendar year. Nothing collected may be sold, traded, or bartered. |
| Season & hours | June through October is the realistic window. Most backcountry two-tracks are snowed or mudded shut from November into late May. |
| Kids | Better for experienced collectors — Eighteen million acres with no signs, no water, and thin cell coverage. Workable for a family that already desert-camps, but it is not a destination you drop into for an afternoon. |
| Official source | BLM Wyoming - Rockhounding Guide (WYNF-0004) |
| Last checked | Checked against its source August 16, 2026 |
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
More drawers in Wyoming
-
Kemmerer, WY
fossil fish, knightia, diplomystus
-
Blue Forest Petrified Wood Area
Farson, WY
petrified wood, blue chalcedony, agatized wood
-
Jeffrey City, WY
nephrite jade, agate, chalcedony
-
Kemmerer, WY
fossil fish, fossil plants, fossil invertebrates
Before you go
What does BLM Public Lands in Wyoming cost?
Free and no permit. BLM Wyoming states public lands it administers are open to everyone to take limited amounts of rock material for noncommercial purposes without charge. Petrified wood is capped by federal rule at 25 lb plus one piece per day and 250 lb per calendar year. Nothing collected may be sold, traded, or bartered. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is BLM Public Lands in Wyoming open?
June through October is the realistic window. Most backcountry two-tracks are snowed or mudded shut from November into late May. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is BLM Public Lands in Wyoming good for kids?
BLM Public Lands in Wyoming is better suited to experienced collectors than young kids. Eighteen million acres with no signs, no water, and thin cell coverage. Workable for a family that already desert-camps, but it is not a destination you drop into for an afternoon.