Is It Illegal to Collect Rocks From State Parks?
Like national parks, most state parks don’t allow visitors to remove rocks even for personal use. States prohibit rockhounding to protect their parks from potential damage. In states where rock collecting is legal, a permit may be required and may only be available for certain groups. A few states have parks especially dedicated to collecting rocks. Laws/ rules can change over time, so always check with park officials before taking anything to avoid legal issues. Here’s a rundown on each of the 50 states at the close of 2021.
fossils, collected for personal use and not for resale, and gathered by hand or with small nonpowered hand tools resulting in negligible disturbance.”
Collecting vertebrate fossils, or collecting any type of fossil, for research purposes on USFS lands requires a permit. Schumacher said if a person isn’t sure whether a fossil is common, they should report the find to the local Forest Service office before disturbing it. Individuals also can collect limited quantities of petrified wood under a free use permit for personal use but bartering/selling the wood is prohibited. Local Forest Service units have designated collection areas and varying limits on how much petrified wood can be collected.
Illegal Rock Collecting
Collecting rocks where it’s illegal to do so could lead to legal consequences. Penalties vary by jurisdiction and may be severe.
“Violators may be subject to criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment not to exceed six months,” said Hernandez of the NPS.
Johnson said, “Depending on the locality, land status, amount of disturbance and volume of material taken, a person could be cited or charged for damage to a natural feature or removal of other property of the United States … other criminal charges could include fines, imprisonment or restitution for repairs.”
Citations or other legal consequences are likely from the USFS for damaging or removing any heritage or archaeological resources. Also, removing valuable minerals from a mining claim could result in legal action for mineral trespass in the state court system.
The BLM said, “Causing resource damage or unnecessary and undue degradation on public lands can be punished with up to a $100,000 fine and/or 12 months in prison.”
To ensure compliance with all rules and regulations, always seek permission to collect rock in an area of interest if it’s not explicitly noted that it’s okay. Even with permission, whether implied or through verbal or written consent, rock collectors should also be familiar with any conditions or limitations tied to a site, specimen or planned activity that could turn legal rock hunting into illegal activity.
Moira McGhee is an amateur rockhound who loves hunting on California’s beaches for sea glass and Oklahoma’s red dirt plains for rose rocks, but only where it’s legal to do so. She’s been a professional writer since 1999. Collecting rocks is just one of the many hobbies she’s been fortunate enough to get to write about.