Rockhounding Near Omaha, Nebraska: Places To Hunt Rocks, Crystals, and Fossils

Are you visiting Omaha, Nebraska, any time soon?

If so, you might be looking for some places to rock collect different crystals and other minerals. In the following article, you’ll find nine places to go rockhounding near Omaha, Nebraska.

Rockhounding Near Omaha, Nebraska

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.

1. The Platte River State Park

Just 36 minutes away from Omaha and not too far from Lincoln, Nebraska, is the Platte River State Park.

There is a park entry fee of $6.00 for a vehicle with a Nebraska license plate and $12.00 for those without a Nebraska license plate.

There are cramp grounds nearby, and many people enjoy visiting Crawdad Creek to collect craw daddies.

There are ten trails within the park, including Fawn Creek Run, Red Oak Return, and Bur Oak Trail.

These are considered to be the simplest trails to hike on.

Around the west side area of the park are the best places to dig for rocks and other minerals.

Some of the minerals you can find are agate, chalcedony, jasper, and petrified wood.

2. The Platte Center

While at the state park, make a quick stop at the small village known as Platte Center. It is an hour and thirty minutes away from the city of Omaha.

The village has a population of 336 and once had a railroad run through the town. Within the countryside of the village, you can find the minerals agate, chalcedony, jasper, and silicified wood.

3. The Loup River

The Loup River is worth the two-hour drive as plenty of minerals are found within this area.

The river is a tributary of the Platte River and is about 68 miles long.

You can hike along the Loup River Path, which is about 3.50 miles long.

It is an easy route and takes a little over an hour to complete.

Along the trail, you can find places to dig for some rocks and other minerals.

Some of the minerals you can find are moss agate, chert, flint, chalcedony, agatized wood, and opalized wood.

4. Papillon City

Just a 22-minute drive west of Omaha, Nebraska, is the city of Papillion.

The city is small, but it is a popular place to go to enjoy outdoor recreational activities.

Many people say the best time to visit this small city is during the months of May to September.

Near the Winterset Limestone Quarry is the best place to dig for rocks and other minerals.

Some of the stones and minerals you can find are sedentary rocks such as limestone and shale.

You can also find petrified palm wood within the area.

5. Steele City

A little over an hour and forty minutes away from Omaha is the small village known as Steele City.

In the 1800s, the village thrived due to a railroad company, but the population went down to 61 people after it went out of business.

Within the gravels and pits of the small village are the places you want to dig for rocks and crystals.

Some of the minerals you can find are agate, chalcedony, jasper, and petrified wood.

6. Fairbury Town

Fairbury is not too far from Steele City and is an hour away from the city of Omaha.

It has a population of a little over 3,000 and was once known for its railroads.

Once again, to find the city’s gems, you’ll have to go digging within the gravel and pits.

Some of the minerals you can find are petrified wood, chalcedony, jasper, and agate.

7. The Little Nemaha River

The Little Nemaha River is an hour’s drive away from the city of Omaha, Nebraska.

The river has an elevation of 883 feet and is situated between the streams of Whisky Run and Jarvis Creek.

You can hike along the Indian Cave Trails to find spots to dig for rocks and crystals.

Some of the minerals you can find in the area are moss agate, petrified wood, jasper, and chalcedony.

People have also found unique minerals such as agatized wood, opalized wood, arrowheads, and silicified mastodon tusks.

8. The City of Fremont

Fremont is west of Omaha, Nebraska, just a 33-minute drive away.

The city is a decent size with a population of 26,000.

It is a popular area for those who enjoy history and antique collecting.

The city is also a hot spot to find different kinds of agate in the creeks and gravels.

Some of the minerals you can find are blue agate or blue chalcedony, moss agate, jasper, and prairie agate.

9. Lake Manawa State Park

The Lake Manaw State Park is a part of the Omaha and Council Bluffs metropolitan community.

It is approximately 15 minutes away from the city of Omaha, Nebraska.

The park has 1,529 acres of land for you to explore that surrounds the 753 acres of Lake Manawa.

The lake was naturally formed during a flood in 1881 and has become a popular recreation spot for people wanting to escape to the outdoors.

Lake Manawa State Park is open for a specific time period in the year.

It opens on Memorial Day weekend and closes on the weekend of Labor Day.

The hours are seven days a week, between 11 AM to 7 PM during the operational months.

There are no entry fees for the park, but if you plan on staying there, you have to reserve a room ahead of time.

The trails you can hike along are the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge and Wabash Trace Trail, which connects to the park’s center.

Also, there are unpaved routes you can take to find different places to go rock collecting.

The minerals and rocks you can find include agate, moss agate, jasper, chalcedony, celestite, geodes, and quartz.

Wrapping Up

These areas are not the only places you can go rock hunting in Nebraska.

However, you can consider these the top nine places to go rockhounding near Omaha, Nebraska.

Maybe you’ll find some fossils containing mammoths’ remains within these spots.