Agates in Alaska: A Guide To the 6 Most Likely Places To Find Them

Alaska is rich with agates and some of the most liberal rock hounding rules you’ll find.

Agates in Alaska (A Guide)

Disclaimer

The information provided in this article by YesDirt.com is for informational purposes and is subject to change. Laws are updated. Accessibility guidelines and restrictions change. Be sure to confirm the land status and collection rules before you travel to an unfamiliar location or collect any material.

While recreational collecting is banned in most National Parks, there are exceptions in Alaska that make it an ideal place to search and discover.

The only caveat to collecting in certain Alaska national parks is that you can’t use shovels, pickaxes, or any kind of tool, according to the National Park Service.

You can only collect by hand.

If you can handle Alaska’s tough terrain, there is plenty of agate treasure to be found.

You’ll want to stick close to where water meets the ground to find the best specimens.

There’s a handy guide for any recreation fees for adventures in Alaska.

Any location along the Cook Inlet is a great spot to find agates, but let’s look at some of the top spots by agate-searching experts.

Captain Cook State Recreation Area

Let’s start with the safest route and bet.

You’ll be aghast at the number of agates you can find at Captain Cooke State Recreation Area that partially hugs the shoreline of Cook Inlet.

Nearly 3500 areas are waiting to be explored.

It’s a 3 1/2 hour drive from Anchorage, but it’s a safe journey to the shores unlike some other treacherous terrain in Alaska.

Head for Bishop Creek.

Even the Alaska Parks Division says it is a “virtually undiscovered area” by tourists and also brags it’s popular with agate hunters.

You won’t need tools to find agates, just a keen beach-combing eye.

Go inland still while staying in Captain Cook State Recreation Area to Stormy Lake for more agate treasures.

You’ll be secluded in a beautiful area with plenty of wandering time to look for agates among the rocks and other unique things that line the shores.

Call (907)522-8368 for more information about this exciting area.

Entry is $5 to park and $20 per campsite.

Point Waronzof

This nearly 200-acre municipal park is at the north end of the Ted Stevens International Airport, so be prepared for magnificent views of planes taking off and landing and the accompanying noise of an airport while you search.

It’s a beautiful view either looking at the airport or nature, but it’s rocky terrain, so wear sturdy shoes.

This is just a 15-minute drive from downtown Anchorage.

There is a parking lot at the point, or you can hop on a bike and take the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.

Low tide is the ideal time to search for agates.

Tools won’t be needed, you’ll just find them among the rocks and mud.

A random aside, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says this is one of the best places to spot a moose in the city, so keep your eyes open for that.

Fire Island

For the more adventurous travelers, you might hear about Fire Island.

Getting there is risky at best and downright dangerous at worst.

You can get there by boat or foot. It’s critical to watch the tide schedule.

At low tide, a rockhounder will need to trek through the mudflats, a dangerous and tricky maneuver.

The mud is similar to quicksand and the harder you try to get out, the deeper you can get stuck.

This is the only island that’s part of the Anchorage municipality.

There’s a wind farm there and zero population, so you won’t have any locals around while you rockhound.

Honestly, while people do find agates here, we don’t recommend going to this location.

This is a dangerous trek and permission is not allowed by any entity.

Even if you go rogue, getting there is risky at best and downright dangerous at worst.

At low tide, there are mudflats that equal the intensity of quicksand and when the tide comes in you can be stuck in fast-rising water.

Ask any local and they’ll tell you to avoid this area, despite the internet forums saying it’s a great place to find agates.

There are too many other options to take this risk.

Port Heiden

Looking to get away from it all?

Port Heiden might be a great option.

It’s located near Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, one of the least visited places in the entire national park system.

It’s a haul to get there as it’s located on the Alaska Peninsula about 425 miles southwest of Anchorage.

This is operated by the Alaska Peninsula Corporate and you’ll need a Land Use Permit to access this area.

Costs range from $100 – $200. Contact APC’s Lands & Resources management at (907)274-2433 for more specific information.

There is lodging and shopping availability in the Port Heiden area, so you can stay longer in this off-the-beaten-path region.

When looking for agates at Port Heiden near the waterline, search through the gravel beach areas near the southwest end.

This is bear country, so be on the lookout and keep food and beverages tightly packed away.

For more information, call the Village of Port Heiden at (907)837-2296.

Mendenhall Lake

Located just 12 miles from Juneau, this year-round scenic attraction limits any food or drink other than water due to bears in the area.

This area is open around the clock from May 15 – September 15.

It’s a busy area so be prepared for others to be searching the waterline as well.

You’ll also find crowds canvassing the ice caves in the area and taking in the spectacular sights of the Mendenhall Glacier.

While you can search and collect agates here, you cannot do so for commercial purposes.

Signs should be throughout the trails to let you know what you can and cannot do in certain parts of the Mendenhall Lake area.

Stop by the visitor center on the way in to ask any questions you have, and a fun aside – the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center was the first one in the nation through the Forest Service.

You can call (907) 789-0097 for more information.

The Mouth of the Chuitna River

This is another popular spot for agate hunters.

Some people will refer to this as the Chuit River.

The mouth of the river is on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Lands.

There is a rule that “casual use” is allowed but this requires minimal disturbance to the land.

This is important because “Casual Use” means you don’t need a Land Use Permit.

A very detailed map shows the “Casual Use” areas in the region.

This area lies on both sides of the cook inlet, so you might have to get to your preferred location by boat or air.

From the Anchorage airport, it’s nearly 160 miles to the Kenai Municipal Airport.

You can contact the Kenai Peninsula Borough at (907) 262-4441 for more information.

Identifying Agates

Now that you’ve gone through all the trouble to plan your agate adventure, be sure you know the difference between agate and very similar-looking rocks.

Agate is made of quartz crystals, but the hallmark is that agate is banded, showing various layers of colors throughout its body.

There are 16 types of agates known at this time.

Agates have a waxy or glassy texture and are translucent.

You can use a flashlight to backlight the stone and see if there is translucency.

They can be confused with jasper or flint.

Good luck in the search, and watch out for wildlife!