Laws & rules

Is It Legal to Collect Rocks on Public Land? BLM, Forest Service and National Park Rules

Short answer: on most Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, yes, in reasonable amounts and for personal use. On national forests it is usually allowed for hobby collecting, but check with the local ranger district. In national parks, generally no. Private land always needs the owner's permission.

BLM land

BLM regulations (43 CFR 8365.1-5) generally allow the public to collect "reasonable amounts" of rocks, mineral specimens and semiprecious gemstones for noncommercial use. BLM's guidance says you may search the surface or use hand tools such as pans, shovels and metal detectors if it causes no more than minor surface disturbance.

Collecting is generally not allowed:

in developed recreation sites such as campgrounds and picnic areas,
on existing mining claims without the claimholder's permission,
where the mineral estate is privately owned.

In Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, only non-motorized hand tools are allowed and surface disturbance must be minimal. BLM's Oregon/Washington guide describes a reasonable daily amount as one that fits in a car trunk, a partial pickup load, or under 250 lb.

Petrified wood limits

Federal rules (43 CFR 3622) allow up to 25 pounds plus one piece per person per day, and no more than 250 pounds per year, for noncommercial use. Explosives and power equipment are prohibited, and quotas cannot be pooled.

National forests

The Forest Service rockhounding guide treats hand collection of hobby specimens as low-impact activity that generally does not need a plan of operations, but specimens may not be bartered or sold. It asks visitors east of the Mississippi to check with the local ranger district, and to avoid archaeological and sacred sites.

National parks

Collecting rocks is generally prohibited in National Park Service units. Check the specific park before picking anything up.

Old mines and claims

Many sites on RockWoof county pages are old mines and prospects from USGS records. A record is not permission to collect. Look up active claims with BLM's mining claim data, confirm who manages the land, and never enter mine workings.

Sources: BLM: Rockhounding on Public Lands; BLM: Can I Keep This?; BLM Oregon/Washington Rock Collecting Guide; eCFR 43 CFR 3622; USDA Forest Service Rockhounding Guide. This is general information, not legal advice.