Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
Rhinelander, Wisconsin
quartzlake superior agatesjasperiron formationgraniteplacer gold
Forest Service collecting area · Free
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
The Chequamegon-Nicolet welcomes rockhounds and explicitly allows a rock hammer or geo-pick to break small hand samples off outcrops and surface boulders — a permission almost no other Wisconsin land grants. Quartz, jasper, and agates come out of glacial gravel and the forest's Precambrian exposures, with Quartz Hill in Oconto County a known stop that is strictly surface collecting. Telling the Supervisor's Office where and when you are going is part of planning the trip, not an afterthought.
The card catalog
| What you can find | quartz, lake superior agates, jasper, iron formation, granite, placer gold |
|---|---|
| Access | Forest Service collecting area — Free |
| Fees | Free, and no permit is required for recreational rock collecting or panning. The forest does require advance notice — it wants the locations and dates of your proposed trip, so contact the Supervisor's Office minerals program before you go. |
| Season & hours | Spring thaw through October for road access. Gold panning is limited to hand tools and to under 40 square feet of disturbance within any 500-foot stream segment, fewer than five days a year; the forest also restricts panning in classified trout waters, so ask about the specific stream when you call in your trip. |
| Kids | Family-friendly — Family-workable, and this is one of the rare Wisconsin properties where a rock hammer is allowed on surface boulders and outcrops. Keep goggles on anyone striking rock, and remember Quartz Hill is surface-picking only — no digging or excavation there. |
| Official source | USDA Forest Service, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest |
| 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 Wisconsin
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Wisconsin DNR Lands Collecting Permission (NR 45)
WI
lake superior agates, quartz, jasper
Before you go
What does Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest cost?
Free, and no permit is required for recreational rock collecting or panning. The forest does require advance notice — it wants the locations and dates of your proposed trip, so contact the Supervisor's Office minerals program before you go. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest open?
Spring thaw through October for road access. Gold panning is limited to hand tools and to under 40 square feet of disturbance within any 500-foot stream segment, fewer than five days a year; the forest also restricts panning in classified trout waters, so ask about the specific stream when you call in your trip. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest good for kids?
Yes — Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest works for families. Family-workable, and this is one of the rare Wisconsin properties where a rock hammer is allowed on surface boulders and outcrops. Keep goggles on anyone striking rock, and remember Quartz Hill is surface-picking only — no digging or excavation there.