The elusive Wyoming agate is so beautiful, but it’s hard to find, especially without the correct map or, better yet, a local sage who can tell you where to look. You can spend a long time looking without finding any if you’re just going out randomly.

Seriously, Wyoming’s landscape is vast. There are mountains, high plains, and even riverbeds that can be great places to look. If you don’t have a local rockhound or a reliable guidebook to show you the way, you might just end up striking out.

Even though it can be hard to find agates in Wyoming, it’s a very rewarding experience, not only because it’s fun to find them but also because they’re so beautiful. With some insider knowledge, planning, and maybe some good old-fashioned luck, Wyoming can be your treasure chest of agate gems.

What is Wyoming Agate?

Agate is a beautiful microcrystalline quartz known for its striking patterns and bright colors, ranging from earthy browns and reds to ethereal blues and greens. These semiprecious stones often have concentric rings or complicated shapes like a tree’s growth rings.

These layers build on top of each other, and the colors and patterns of agate come from the different impurities or minerals present during each phase. It’s a slow, painstaking process, but in the end, Mother Nature has made a beautiful, one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Most of the time, they’re found in places where volcanoes have erupted in the past or in old river beds where water has worn away rocks to reveal these hidden gems.

We wrote an article about how much agates are worth so you can learn more.

Moss agates

Moss agates are a fascinating type of agate. They comprise mineral oxides or dendrites that make patterns inside the stone that look like moss, trees, or landscapes.

Unlike most agates, which are known for their bands of bright colors, moss agates are usually clear or milky white. This makes the green, brown, or black dendritic inclusions stand out.

Iron or manganese seeped into the rock and crystallized over time, making these exciting patterns. Each moss agate is like a small terrarium with an imagined world in its precise depths. This makes them a favorite among collectors and people who like to learn about nature.

You can indeed find moss agates in Wyoming. Even though they aren’t as common as other types of agate in the state, they can be found in gravel beds, along riverbanks, or where volcanoes used to be.

Fire agates

Fire agates are a type of agate that are very eye-catching and seem to break the rules of color. Unlike their more subdued relatives, fire agates look like a fireworks show of reds, oranges, greens, and even blues that seem to flicker and change when you move the stone.

This fantastic optical effect is caused by layers of iron and silica stacked on each other. These layers scatter light into a rainbow of colors. Fire agates are mostly found as nodules or fillings in volcanic rock cracks.

Ancient lava eruptions formed them, often found in hot, dry places where volcanoes used to be common. People have said that these gemstones are like putting the essence of a sunset or the Northern Lights into a small, tangible form.

While Wyoming is a haven for many other types of agate—like Fairburn, Prairie, and Moss agates—fire agates are generally not native to the region.

Blue lace agates

Blue lace agates are a beautiful type of agate with bands of blue and white that look like lace. The colors often look like waves or thin layers of lace, which makes you feel calm and peaceful.

They are known for having a soft, calming energy, making them popular as decorations and for spiritual purposes. A small amount of copper is found in the silica layers, which gives the rock its unique pastel-blue color.

Unfortunately, Wyoming is not a common location for finding blue lace agates. Most of these beautiful stones are sourced from regions in Africa, particularly Namibia and South Africa, where the geological conditions are more favorable for their formation.

The tools every agate hunter will need

When you're out looking for agates having the right tools for the job is really going to make or break your success. You don't need a lot for most trips but there are a handful that are critical and will make your life a lot easier.

We get asked a lot about the equipment we use. Over the years we've found a handful of tools that we recommend to both new and experienced agate hunters which we outline in great detail in our complete rockhounding tools and kit guide. These are quality options that also happen to be relatively inexpensive.

Below are the basic tools that make your life so much easier and save you a ton of time. Check out the full guide to see everything we recommend bringing. One quick note, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases but we try very hard to only recommend gear we would use ourselves and often recommend brands you can't find on Amazon.

At a minimum you should have:

1 - Sturdy rock hammer: The Estwing Rock Pick is our standard

2 - Rugged chisels: Try Kendo' 3-piece Chisel Set

3 - Compact shovel: The Koleiya 28-inch shovel works well

4 - Rock screen pan: The Wazakura Soil Sieve Set fits the bill

5 - Eye protection: DeWalt Safety Glasses are cheap and comfortable

6 - Head protection: Malta's Safety Helmet has been our go-to

7 - Jewelers lens with at least 20x magnification: Jarlink's Jewelers Loop is perfect

The agate-finding books that we use most

There are also a few books that have been extremely helpful in the search for gems. These books have great recommendations and tips:

National Audubon Society Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals: North America 

Northwest Treasure Hunter's Gem & Mineral Guide 

Earth Treasures: The Northwestern Quadrant 

We provide links to find these tools on Amazon but some can also be found at your local hardware stores. For more recommendations check out the link to our full tool guide above.

The Best Spots To Find Agates in Wyoming

We wrote down where we think you can find agates in these fantastic locations in the state. There are many fun places to find gems in Wyoming, but not all have agates.

Absaroka Mountains

The Absaroka Mountains are a beautiful range in Wyoming. They are a part of the Rocky Mountains, stretch into Montana, and even touch Yellowstone National Park. The area’s unique geology, which includes a lot of volcanic activity, has made it the perfect place for agates to form.

This area has some of the most beautiful scenery in the American West. It has rough peaks, dense forests, and fast-moving rivers. Different kinds of rock in the location give rise to varying types of agate, from moss to Fairburn, each with its patterns and colors.

Where we found agates in the Absaroka Mountains

Focus on regions with a history of volcanic activity or where water has worn away at the surrounding rock, as these areas are more likely to expose agates. Stream beds, riverbanks, and gravel bars in rivers that flow through or near the Absaroka Mountains are good places to start your search.

Greybull River

As it flows through the Bighorn Basin and the Absaroka Mountains in Wyoming, the Greybull River offers a mix of beautiful scenery and fascinating geology. The river starts in the high-altitude wilderness and flows through various landscapes, including forested slopes, open plains, and rocky outcrops.

This makes it a great place for people who like to be outside. The Greybull River is a great place to go if you want agates. Because the river flows through old volcanic land, there are a lot of agates, including moss and Fairburn types, on the gravel bars and along the riverbanks.

Where we found agates at Greybull River

The best place to look for these semiprecious stones is along the Greybull River’s gravel bars and riverbanks. Over time, the river’s eroding power has brought out many agates that were once hidden in the rocks around it.

Laramie Mountains

In Wyoming, the Laramie Mountains make a beautiful backdrop for many outdoor activities, like hiking, camping, fishing, and looking for wildlife. As a subrange of the Rocky Mountains, they run through southeastern Wyoming and into northern Colorado.

They have a lot of different types of rocks and geology. It’s a great place to look for agates, which is very exciting for people who like rocks. With sedimentary and metamorphic rock formations in their geological history, these mountains have the right conditions for different kinds of this exciting mineral.

Where we found agates at the Laramie Mountains

Places where water erosion has exposed older rock layers, are good places for agate hunters to look for these gems. Most of the time, creek beds, washouts, and even road cuts are good places to start looking.

Red Desert

The Red Desert in Wyoming is a large, high-altitude basin with sagebrush and dunes spread over about 9,320 square miles. This area is known for its unique landscapes, such as the Killpecker Sand Dunes and the Great Divide Basin.

It has a stark beauty and is full of natural wonders. The area is a haven for many kinds of wildlife and an excellent place for geology fans, especially those who like to collect rocks. Agates, especially moss and banded agate, are some of the desert’s most interesting rocks.

Where we found agates in the Red Desert

Agates are often found in dry creek beds, washouts, and other places where erosion has exposed older rock layers. These are places where wind and water have worked together to bring out minerals, like agates, that were hidden.

Sage Hen Creek

Sage Hen Creek is a hidden gem in the state. It flows through a beautiful landscape of open plains, rough hills, and dense sagebrush groves. This creek is in an area known for its wildlife and peaceful views.

The creek flows through many rock formations, including mineral-rich sedimentary layers perfect for agate growth. Over time, erosion from the water flow has moved these agates, which are now in the creek bed and on the sides of the creek.

Where we found agates at Sage Hen Creek

Agates are often found where erosion has worn away at older rock layers, revealing mineral-rich layers that were hidden before. In particular, the creek bed and the banks next to it are great places to start your search.

Other Great Places To Find Agates in Wyoming

We’ve already told you where you should look for agates in Wyoming. We want you to find what you’re looking for, so we’ll give you more places in the state where you can look. We’ve listed them below by county:

Our recommendations by county

Additional areas you can find agates

Here are a few more specific places where agates can be found. Because Wyoming is a big state, we want to help you find these.

Rivers and riverbanks

Rivers and riverbanks are a natural place for people to look for agates, which can lead to interesting geological discoveries. The erosion process is a big reason these places are great places to find agates.

Over time, the force of the water wears down the rocks around it, revealing hidden treasures like agates. When these stones move, they often end up on riverbanks and gravel beds, which are accessible for collectors to find.

Streams and creeks

For several reasons, streams and creeks are popular places for people looking for agates. The eroding power of moving water acts as a natural sieve, sorting through sediment and rock layers to reveal agates hiding underneath.

These waterways carry the loose gemstones and leave them in gravel bars, bends, and the edges of the stream or creek. This means that collectors can quickly look over the surface or dig a little below to find their prize in these smaller bodies of water.

Washes and ravines

Washes and ravines are natural ways for water to move, especially when it rains a lot or suddenly. This sporadic rush of water makes it easy to find geological treasures, making these places interesting for agate hunters.

The water slowly wears away the rock, revealing minerals that were once hidden. This often brings agates closer to the surface, where collectors can find them easier. Agates are often found in the sediment deposits that build up in the low points or turns of washes and ravines.

Common Agate-Hunting Questions

When people go to Wyoming to look for agates, they ask these questions most often.

Is it illegal to collect agate in Wyoming?

If you follow the rules, you can look for agates in Wyoming. Get permission to go into private land and take samples when you are there.

The Best Places To Buy Agates In Wyoming

Not everyone likes to spend a hot day hunting for agates outside. Sometimes, you only need one piece to add to your collection or give as a gift. Here are some Wyoming rock shops where agates are easy to find:

• Antares Minerals & Pottery – 431 Front St, Evanston, WY 82930, United States
• Avas Silver & Rock Shop – 631 Shoshoni St, Thermopolis, WY 82443, United States
•  J L Gray Rock Shop – 614 3rd St, Big Piney, WY 83113, United States
• Star Valley Rock Shop – 300 Stockhorn, Thayne, WY 83127, United States
• Torrington Rock Shop – 4102 US-26 #85, Torrington, WY 82240, United States