2 legal places to look for agates in Montana — fees, seasons, and official sources below.
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Miles City, MT
montana moss agateagatejasper
Public land, rules apply · Free · Free, no permit. BLM lets rockhounds collect surface material — agates and the usual hobby stones — in reasonable quantities for personal, noncommercial use. Petrified wood is capped separately at 25 pounds plus one piece per day, up to 250 pounds a year. Power equipment and explosives need written authorization from the field office, and nothing you collect may be sold.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine & Gold Fever Rock Shop
Helena, MT
sapphiregarnetquartz
Fee dig · Fee · Concentrate bags run $100 (Monster Mine), $125 (El Dorado), and $150 (Motherlode). A guided dig is $85 total and includes one large concentrate plus a five-gallon bucket you dig yourself in the mine, taking three to four hours.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Start with the 2 legal places listed on this page — each shows what you can find, its fees, and its season, with a link to the official source. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Treat Montana's historic mines as history, not destinations. Most sit on private land or active mining claims, and old workings are dangerous even to walk. The state page's mineral record tells you what the ground holds — the directory tells you where you are welcome to look for it.