Rockhounding

Recreational Mineral, Rock and Fossil Collecting on the Mark Twain National Forest

Recreational collecting is the occasional surficial removal of small (reasonable) amounts of samples (hand-size) of rocks or minerals for personal use only. Samples are not to be sold, bartered or collected for commercial purposes. For a printable brochure Click Here.

Things To Remember:

1. Collection of reasonable amounts of rocks, minerals or common fossils is allowed for personal use only and is not to be sold or bartered for commercial purposes.

2. Collection is from surface only.

3. No undue or unnecessary degradation of the land is allowed during the removal of rocks, minerals or fossils.

4. Goldpanning is limited to the use of gold pans and restricted to active stream beds and unvegetated gravel bars.

5. Collection and removal cannot be aided with motorized equipment or sluice boxes.

6. Collecting from wilderness areas, caves and historical or archeological areas is not allowed.

7. Do not excavate, remove, disturb or deface historical or archeological resources.

8. Mark Twain National Forests lands are not contiguous, so be careful not to trespass on private lands.

9. Remove all litter.

10. When in doubt, contact the appropriate District Office.

Rockhounding Areas

Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger District
The 201,582 acres of Potosi Ranger District offer many developed and undeveloped sites for camping and picnicking. Because of the karst topography prevalent in this area, caves with springs that feed the rivers and streams can often be seen. They are currently closed to all visitors to protect bats from contamination by white-nosed-syndrome. Courtois and Huzzah Creeks are well-known "floating" streams, typical of the Ozarks, and much-loved by canoeists who flock there in summertime for the crystal clear water and safe passage. A portion of the Ozark Trail traverses Potosi District, and the segment encompassing the Berryman Trail is popular for mountain biking events. The 9,183 acre Bell Mountain Wilderness has beautiful views and challenging trails in a secluded and primitive setting.

Council Bluff Recreation Area is the largest lake in the Mark Twain National Forest. Providing a more developed experience, it features a sandy swimming beach, drinking water, restrooms, and many barrier-free facilities on a beautiful 440 acre lake, encircled by a 12 mile moderate hiking and mountain biking trail. Boar Ridge Campground along the spine of a forested Ozark ridge above the lake, offers a unique camping experience.

The 83,953 acre Fredericktown District features the rugged St. Francois Mountains and St. Francis River. In Spring, the "shut-ins" at Silver Mine are a magnet for kayak enthusiasts, who take advantage of the high water rapids. Marble Creek provides a quiet campground for family outings, and Crane Lake welcomes hikers to take the trail around it as part of their trek along the Ozark Trail. Rockpile Mountain Wilderness offers 4,240 acres of heavily-forested land, including some of the state`s last remaining virgin forest nestled in a narrow gorge.