Rockhounding in Washington

1 location in Washington checked against the rules of the agency that manages each one: 1 unconfirmed. Each page gives the permit requirements, limits, restrictions and penalties, with the primary sources it was checked against.

Rules last checked in October 2026

1 Unclear

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Hansen Creek

Washington, King·Rockhounding

Hand-tool crystal digging is allowed on open Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest land at Hansen Creek, but active mining claims cover much of the classic dig area, so whether a given spot is open is unclear. Check claims first.

On open Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest land, collecting mineral specimens with hand tools needs no notice of intent (36 CFR 228.4(a)(1)(ii)), and Forest Service policy allows personal, non-commercial rockhounding
BLM's records show five active lode claims around Hansen Creek (Hansen Creek #1, #2 and #3, The Mole Holes and Sahalie Ridge), including the north half of Section 22, the classic upper crystal ground; collecting there needs the claimant's permission

Laws That Apply to These Sites

Mining Claims: What Rockhounds, Gold Panners and Detectorists Need to Know (and How to Check)

An unpatented mining claim is still public land, but the minerals it was located for belong, in practice, to the claimant. BLM's own guidance ranges from "collect anything but the claimed mineral" to "generally not allowed," and placer claims almost always cover the gold. Here's what a claim does and doesn't give its holder, what happens if you collect on one, and how to check BLM's MLRS map before you go.

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