A Bounty Of Quartz & Geodes Await In Canyon West Of Twin Falls

Summer is the best time of year for exploring the Idaho landscape for precious and non-precious stones. About a 90-minutes drive west of Twin Falls is one of the Gem State's best sites for rockhounds to gather geodes and quartz crystals.

Hunting for unique stones in Idaho is both a fun and exhilarating experience. The state offers several different types of gems and stones for the finding, including ruby, sapphire, diamond, amethyst, and Idaho's most prized rock, the star garnet.

Bruneau is a vast area of canyons and desert that stretches for miles across the southwestern region of the Gem State. The Bruneau landscape blends into the Owyhee Uplands Back Country, which is where you'll eventually stumble across the Pole Creek Wilderness, which extends into the eastern Oregon border.

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From Twin Falls to the Pole Creek Wilderness is less than a two-hour drive west, or approximately 120 miles. The region is a top rockhounding site for geodes and quartz crystal, which are two of the most desirable stones enthusiasts collect. Once cleaned and polished, these rocks are visually stunning.

The Pole Creek Wilderness is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), so gathering stones in most of this area of the state is perfectly legal. The exceptions are of course private property and land that is known to possess Native American artifacts. Removing such items from these areas can result in fines or even jail time.

Good luck exploring the Pole Creek Wilderness, and we hope you uncover some incredible finds.