Idaho · parks, monuments, refuges
Idaho parks, monuments and refuges: can you collect?
Idaho's National Park Service units include two of the state's most famous geology sites. None allows collecting under 36 CFR 2.1. Refuges and Reclamation land around reservoirs have their own no-removal rules.
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
About 750,000 acres, managed cooperatively by the NPS and BLM. The NPS FAQ: “Taking rocks or other items (bones, flowers, plants, antlers, artifacts, etc.) from Craters of the Moon is illegal.” The NPS fees page lists $20 per private vehicle and $10 per person without a vehicle, each good for 7 days, with youth 15 and under free (an older BLM page still shows $15 and $7). Passes are bought from the NPS, separately. The visitor center is 18 miles west of Arco on U.S. 20/26/93; visitor center 208-527-1335. The BLM part of the monument is managed from the Shoshone Field Office (208-732-7200); no BLM statement on rock collecting there was found, so ask and treat it as no. Verify.
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
The NPS FAQ says “public collecting or digging for fossils is never allowed in the monument.” The monument protects more than 200 species from more than 600 fossil sites, and the Hagerman horse is Idaho's state fossil. Monument: 208-933-4105.
City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks
A national reserve created in 1988 and managed with Idaho Parks and Recreation under both NPS regulations and Idaho rules. Castle Rocks State Park next door falls under the state parks rule (no removal). Reserve: 208-824-5901.
Wildlife refuges and Reclamation land
- Refuges such as Bear Lake, Camas, Deer Flat, Grays Lake, Kootenai, Minidoka and Oxford Slough: 50 CFR 27.61 prohibits “the unauthorized removal of any public property including natural objects.” None of the refuge pages checked offers rockhounding.
- Reclamation land around many reservoirs: 43 CFR 423.29 prohibits removing, searching for or disturbing natural resources (including geologic features and fossils) except as authorized, and bars metal detectors outside narrow exceptions. Many reservoirs are run day to day by other agencies, so posted rules can differ. Verify.
Compare: Oregon parks and monuments · Nevada parks and monuments · Arizona monuments and parks.
Sources: 36 CFR 2.1; NPS, Idaho; NPS, Craters of the Moon FAQ; NPS, Craters of the Moon contacts; NPS, Craters of the Moon fees; BLM, Craters of the Moon; NPS, Hagerman Fossil Beds FAQ; NPS, City of Rocks laws and policies; IDAPA 26.01.20; 50 CFR 27.61; USFWS, Idaho refuges; 43 CFR 423.
Informational only — not legal advice. Rules, boundaries and seasons change. Confirm with the managing agency for the exact parcel before you collect. Last verified November 2, 2026.