Oregon · Parks, monuments & refuges
Oregon parks, monuments and refuges: can you collect?
Oregon's best-known geology belongs to the National Park Service. Bring a camera, not a bag.
National parks and NPS monuments: no
36 CFR 2.1 prohibits “possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging, or disturbing from its natural state” mineral resources, paleontological specimens and cultural resources in any park area. There is no hobby limit.
- John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (Sheep Rock, Painted Hills, Clarno units). NPS FAQ: “Digging for fossils is not allowed within the monument.” If you find a fossil, leave it, photograph it and tell a ranger. 541-987-2333.
- Crater Lake National Park. Pumice, obsidian and rocks stay. 541-594-3000.
- Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. Cave formations are also protected by federal cave law. 541-592-5125.
The legal alternative the park points to: the John Day Fossil Beds FAQ says “fossil collecting is available behind Wheeler High School in Fossil, OR!” It is not federal or state public land. Check the site's current hours, fees and rules before you go. Verify
Newberry National Volcanic Monument: no
Newberry, south of Bend, is a Forest Service monument inside the Deschutes National Forest. Its 2025 visitor guide: “Damaging or removing even a small sample of rock degrades the resource and it's illegal (36 CFR 261.9 a and b).” That includes the obsidian of the Big Obsidian Flow. Lava Lands Visitor Center: 541-593-2421.
National forests: small amounts
Forest Service guidance on collecting: small amounts of common minerals such as quartz, agate and obsidian for non-commercial use, and “generally, a reasonable amount is up to 10 pounds.” Surface collecting for personal use needs no permit or notice. Contact the Forest Service before any digging, commercial use or landscape rock. The Ochoco National Forest says Crook County “is rightfully known as the rockhound capital of the world” and that its rockhound sites “are managed by both the Bureau of Land Management and the Ochoco National Forest”; collection there is for personal use only. Ochoco: 541-416-6500. Ask the district for the other ten forests. Verify
National wildlife refuges
50 CFR 27.61 prohibits the “unauthorized removal of any public property including natural objects” on any refuge. Only a refuge's own rules can allow collecting.
- Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge — limited. “Surface collection of up to seven (7) pounds of rock per person per day is allowed. Disturbing the ground or using tools or equipment as well as the collecting of arrowheads, stone tools, or any other type of artifact is strictly prohibited.” Vehicles on designated Open Routes only. Collecting firewood is prohibited. Refuge phones from a 2022 FWS sheet: 541-947-2731 or 541-947-3315 (verify).
- Malheur National Wildlife Refuge — no. “collecting natural objects such as plants, animals, minerals, antlers, objects of antiquity (including Indian artifacts) are prohibited.” 541-493-2612.
- Other Oregon refuges — no, unless that refuge's rules say otherwise. Ask the refuge.
See also: Oregon State Parks · Arizona parks and monuments · Nevada parks and monuments.
Sources: 36 CFR 2.1; NPS, John Day Fossil Beds; NPS, Crater Lake; NPS, Oregon Caves; USDA Forest Service, Collecting on National Forest Service Lands; Ochoco NF, Rocks & Minerals; Deschutes NF, Volcanic Vistas (Newberry NVM); 50 CFR 27.61; FWS, Hart Mountain NAR; FWS, Malheur NWR.
Informational only — not legal advice. Rules, boundaries and seasons change. Confirm with the managing agency for the exact parcel before you collect. Last verified October 26, 2026.