Shawnee National Forest
Harrisburg, Illinois
fluoritecalcitegalenasphaleritebaritequartz
Forest Service collecting area · Free
Shawnee National Forest
Southern Illinois' Shawnee sits astride the old Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar district, and the Forest Service allows non-ground-disturbing hand collecting of hand-sized surface rock across most of it with no permit and no fee. Fluorite, calcite, galena, and barite weather out of surface exposures and old surface material. Two cautions carry real weight: natural areas, archaeological areas, and developed recreation sites are closed to collecting, and the Illinois state parks in the same district — Cave-in-Rock among them — do not allow you to take minerals home.
The card catalog
| What you can find | fluorite, calcite, galena, sphalerite, barite, quartz |
|---|---|
| Access | Forest Service collecting area — Free |
| Fees | Free with no permit. The terms are specific: non-ground-disturbing collection only, personal and non-commercial, no mechanical equipment, local rock types exposed at the surface, and nothing larger than hand size — bigger pieces are prohibited outright. |
| Season & hours | Year-round; spring and fall are the comfortable seasons in southern Illinois. Call the Harrisburg office before a trip to confirm that the ground you have in mind is open — the forest boundary is patchy through the old fluorspar district. |
| Kids | Family-friendly — Surface picking only, which suits kids fine, but the ground here includes old mining country with unmarked shafts and subsidence. Stay on established areas and never enter or approach an opening in the ground. |
| Official source | USDA Forest Service, Shawnee 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 Illinois
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Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish & Wildlife Area (Mazon Creek Fossil Beds)
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siderite concretions, fern and seed-plant fossils, tully monster fossils
Before you go
What does Shawnee National Forest cost?
Free with no permit. The terms are specific: non-ground-disturbing collection only, personal and non-commercial, no mechanical equipment, local rock types exposed at the surface, and nothing larger than hand size — bigger pieces are prohibited outright. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Shawnee National Forest open?
Year-round; spring and fall are the comfortable seasons in southern Illinois. Call the Harrisburg office before a trip to confirm that the ground you have in mind is open — the forest boundary is patchy through the old fluorspar district. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Shawnee National Forest good for kids?
Yes — Shawnee National Forest works for families. Surface picking only, which suits kids fine, but the ground here includes old mining country with unmarked shafts and subsidence. Stay on established areas and never enter or approach an opening in the ground.