North Dakota Carnotite Beds

Bismarck, North Dakota
๐ŸŒ Land Type: Public Land
๐Ÿ’ฐ Fee: Free
Approximate โ€” check official site before visiting
๐Ÿ“… Season: May-October
๐Ÿ“Š Difficulty: moderate

Carnotite-bearing sandstones and gravel pits in western North Dakota for agate, jasper, and unusual uranium-mineral specimens.

๐ŸŒ Visit Official Site โ†’
Agates Jasper ๐Ÿชจ Rockhounding

๐Ÿชจ What You Can Find Here

Agates

Banded chalcedony prized for their colors and patterns. Lake Superior agates, Fairburn agates, and Montana moss agates are especially famous.

Also found at:

๐Ÿ“ Nearby Locations in North Dakota

Hell Creek Formation (ND)

Marmarth, North Dakota ยท BLM Land

World-famous dinosaur fossil beds. T. rex, triceratops, and other Cretaceous fossils found here. Surface collection of small fossils permitted on BLM ...

Fossils

Little Missouri River Agates

Medora, North Dakota ยท Public Land

River gravels and badlands exposures for agate, petrified wood, and chalcedony in the Little Missouri River valley.

AgatesPetrified Wood

North Dakota Petrified Wood Beds

Amidon, North Dakota ยท Public Land

Slope County badlands for petrified wood and agate. The Little Missouri River gravels produce beautiful specimens.

Petrified WoodAgates

โ›๏ธ Recommended Gear

Make the most of your visit to North Dakota Carnotite Beds with the right equipment.

Rock Hammer

The most essential rockhounding tool. Choose a hammer with both a flat striking face and a pointed pick end.

Typical: $25-45

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Safety Glasses

Mandatory protective gear. Rock chips fly unpredictably when hammering.

Typical: $10-20

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Chisel Set

Cold chisels in 3-4 sizes for precise extraction from matrix rock.

Typical: $15-30

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Geologist's Pick

A heavier crack hammer for splitting hard rock. Essential for hard rock mining areas.

Typical: $35-60

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Sifting Screen

Stackable mesh screens for sifting gravel and dirt. Essential for gem and fossil hunting.

Typical: $20-40

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UV Flashlight

Long-wave UV light for finding fluorescent minerals and Yooperlites.

Typical: $15-35

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