Rock hunting Montana agates: Rockhounding the Yellowstone River near Billings

[@samuelfiore7949]

Thanks for taking the time to record your hunt.

[@Mike-br8vb]

The feeling of being lost can be terrifying. I once was lost in the deep woods, on an old quad trail nearly 50km from anything. Luckily I did have my compass on me and headed west back to camp. That could've been really bad in my case. Glad you made it out, and that Jasper at the end was deadly!

[@yunmeigao8875]

You are so amazingly brave and tough for walking so far by yourself.

[@lilalightandlove421]

My mom always said you’re never lost if you have gas in your tank! Keep on rockhounding!

[@KatyDidRocks]

Ha, right? :D

[@patriciamckean4186]

Glad you found your way. A compass would be a great addition.

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

You never get lost till you run out of water, gas or are loaded down. Glad you found your way. Havagudun Kate.

[@KatyDidRocks]

I must say that I have experienced all of those. :)

[@jokesterk5302]

Glad you could get home allright,I certainly would not this brave and daring to take such a risk,it was very interesting anyway, thanks for sharing!

[@KatyDidRocks]

LOL, this was such a silly hunt! I can't believe I got so turned around.

[@rebeccaofsunnybrookefarm8469]

I enjoyed the variety of this one... sorry you got lost. Happy you found your way back.. I did that just one time and I was 7 miles from my car. And I had to call back up and build a campfire to be found...

[@KatyDidRocks]

:D I was only a little misplaced.

[@truckerenoch8824]

I went out to Billings 3 years ago and searched a place called "Mystic Park", right on the river and found quite a few agates, jaspers, pyrite nodules, fossils and a *lot* of petrified wood. I thought I found a lot of cool stuff in northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan, but Montana is on a whole other level!!!

[@KatyDidRocks]

Pyrite nodules, really?! I'll check it out next summer. :)

[@KatyDidRocks]

And yes, Montana is crazy rich in rocks. It's not called the Treasure State for nothing!

[@truckerenoch8824]

@@KatyDidRocks The pyrite nodules look like flattened eggs made of rusty iron and they have a skin on the outside of them about a quarter of an inch thick (sometimes with little leopard spots on them). They don't look like the typical fools gold pyrite, but I think they're really cool looking and I have one of mine displed with my nicest fossils and crystals. Also, the skin is usually broken in at least one area exposing the core. They come in a few different varieties though.

[@KatyDidRocks]

@@truckerenoch8824 I think I've seen those! I just thought they were rusty iron. Thanks for the heads up!

[@hockeyrace]

Oh, Goodness! I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve gotten lost on several occasions. I could feel your, Craptastic, thought. 🤦‍♀️. I hiked so far once, I had to call my mom (way too old to be calling my mom) to pick me up because it got dark and I was lost. Thank god for GPS coordinates and my mom 😆😂. Embarrassing. That moment of panic is frustrating. You got some cool rocks out of it though! Yea!! A chessboard sounds neat 🤩♟ Thanks for the 🎥 Stay Crystal 💫

[@KatyDidRocks]

:D

[@karapoole4070]

At 5:11 is ruby in matrix. You find it NC a lot. That's a nice one. I should say Corundum in zoisite.

[@KatyDidRocks]

Interesting!

[@jamesmorrison358]

We found agates just down from the KOA a few days ago. My friend got a big one like the size of a grapefruit.

[@wayne1959]

i never call it lost Katy..i like to call it an extended adventure..love your work buddy.

[@KatyDidRocks]

Thank you so much! And.. yeah, I really wasn't lost, just misplaced. :D

[@mtcoiner7994]

I find very cool rocks and gems while prospecting for gold near three forks down to helena. The missouri headwaters area has alot to offer. Amazing what I find below the dams as well.

[@KatyDidRocks]

I see another road trip in our future! Looking for gems is addictive.

[@jeremyinthewild]

Haha great video! I'm glad you made it back :) Love the attitude of not complaining about carrying the weight; even heavy burdens can be carried light-heartedly.

[@KatyDidRocks]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lovingnature1151]

😄💖 I really enjoyed the video and I share your deep passion for rocks! The desire to see what is inside is so thrilling and a special blessing.

[@KatyDidRocks]

I am so pleased you enjoyed it! :) My dad was a rockhound, and I inherited the passion from him. We spent many family vacations on rock hunting adventures. Now I have his rock saw in my garage, and am using it daily. My "rock pile" is growing alarmingly large, but hey - winter is coming, I'll have nothing to do but cut, cut, cut! :D Thanks again for watching.

[@rebeccaj.2606]

Wish I had known back when I lived in Plevna. I'm in a neighboring state now. I still have big chunks of petrified wood that I found out along some country roads.

[@KatyDidRocks]

The neighboring states to Montana have lots of treasures of their own - check them out! :)

[@upnorthadventureswithccc]

Awesome looking rocks ! I really enjoyed the tour but worried you were lost . Then again I knew you made it back to your car, you posted this video :) Happy Rock Hunting :)

[@KatyDidRocks]

Ha, Cherry, I really was just "misplaced." :D

[@KatyDidRocks]

Chocolate Cherry Coins there are SO many different kinds of rocks - and there all fun to find. 😊 I’m just glad I didn’t have to dig them out of a foot of snow, like you did!

[@SamsonsamSim]

2:37 would be a keeper because sometimes there are white outsides but on the inside cool rock. I have found a jasper like that. I'm curious about 5:15 as well! Have never seen that before. I would be in trouble on the Yellowstone! Hopefully you kept the one at 7:25.....15:46 is way cool! Glad you made it back to your car! You took the scenic route :')

[@KatyDidRocks]

:D I never was actually "lost," just misplaced.

[@elainebates6967]

But you found so many great rocks.

[@yoopermann7942]

yup, KATYDID , you need a G.P.S. and a tracking device so JIM can find you when you get lost!! i never been lost before but i been turned around quit a few times though! great video! now you need to show how those rocks cut

[@KatyDidRocks]

Jim can track my phone on his, and vice versa. Very handy. :)

[@yoopermann7942]

@@KatyDidRocks i only have a land line so i didnt think about them cell phones ..

[@pattaylor4407]

Maybe you could show us one of your agate chessboards you’re working on? I would love to see one. Wonderful video! Love to hear you talk about rocks!

[@KatyDidRocks]

Unfortunately, they are coming along SLOWLY. I'll for sure put something up when I finally get it figured out. Thanks for watching!

[@seajayballard2113]

LOL, Kate!!! I have found myself your shoes too many times!! I learned to drop a pin at my car's location before going on a hunt in a unknown (to me) location!! I know how your back was feeling when you finally got back to your car!!

[@KatyDidRocks]

An excellent plan. I even had cell service for this one.

[@tinastoddard5411]

You picked up some really cool rocks. I think I might have been a little panicked, but I've only started hunting.

[@KatyDidRocks]

I was between the river and the city - so while I was “lost,” I really was just misplaced. 😊 I did wonder about the lack of agates - I’ll have to go back now trust I’m back in practice.

[@mary-anneswanson9931]

That was a long trek you took . I think the fact that you found your way out to any campground was pretty phenomenal ..I would have been hopelessly lost lol. Beautiful area and you looked and sounded like you were having fun . See you next video :)

[@KatyDidRocks]

It was so funny when I thought I'd found the campground and was really trespassing on a different one! The lady who saw me crawl over the fence must have been very puzzled. :D

[@chalcedonychris7310]

cool video! That looks like a great spot, very similar to what we get here in New Zealand

[@KatyDidRocks]

I have enjoyed watching NZ vids. :)

[@truckerenoch8824]

The one @ 4:20 kinda looks like unikite. Also, when I'm searching areas that have been picked over, with no new deposits, I search along the grass (and sometimes just underneath) where it meets the rocks. 😉

[@KatyDidRocks]

Great idea! I also have found that looking in the harder areas, such as where the silt covers the rocks, can be productive, as long as I have plenty of time and patience. :)

[@troydean5702]

I find that in areas that get pick over pretty good that I do so much better if I try to focus on the second layer of gravel after a quick scan of the top layer. If I know I am going to an area that's been pounded by rockhounders I will bring a rake. Most people will just do a quick search and cherry pick the obvious stuff. I am glad they do because agates will work there way down because they are heavier that most other material. If you ever find fishing lead or fishing weights then your in the right layer. If you find any magnetite go ahead and take that with you but the gold nuggets go ahead and leave those for me please. Oh you know what? Time is tight for me right now. If you wouldn't mind grabbing those gold nuggets and sending them to me that would even be better. I am just trying to help you out, by doing this your not giving up your super secret agate hunting area to me. Thank you in advance for all the gold nuggets, also please ship those overnight. It will cost you more but it's a small price you'll pay for me not telling everyone your secret agate hunting spots. Take care.

[@jeannemason5803]

Just for fun..u can set your GPS to find your car..might save you some walking! LOL...enjoyed your video!. Blessings

[@KatyDidRocks]

Amusingly, I have a Fitbit, so all those extra steps just make me feel good about myself. :'D Thanks for watching... take care.

[@406findings]

Yeah I been there a few time fishing and rock hounding so might not be much left...lol but there is a lot of agates and fossils in billings I have a good collection and you found a septerian nadule with calcite in it there around as well

[@KatyDidRocks]

Temulent 406 I recently went to Mystic Park and found an incredible jasper, and a teeny agate. It was beautiful. 😊

[@406findings]

@@KatyDidRocks I have all sorts of rocks and fossils I have found in the billings area id like to show you do you have a face book?

[@michaelvandyke6715]

Great video of your hounding.. I find material over by Laurel too..

[@KatyDidRocks]

Thank you, Michael! This hunt in Billings wasn't too fruitful - but I've since discovered that there ARE agates there, I just didn't spot them. :)

[@michaelvandyke6715]

@@KatyDidRocks , I lived in Roundup for many years, now living in Oregon (rock heaven) here too. . We head to Montana every other year to visit family and hound rocks and fossils.

[@michaelvandyke6715]

Check out my KZbin videos on rockhounding.... Your very welcome to look....

[@АлександрПерчов-ж9у]

@@KatyDidRocks up between Big Timber to upstream of Springdale, along the Yellowstone there is Montana Blue Sky agate, jasper & petrified wood...Stay away from the fishing accesses; cuz that's where most people rockhound, and they have always seemed pretty well picked over, over the years.... Float if you can; we were floating on a Cataraft from Livingston to Big Timber one day; fishing for browns & also rock hounding islands & gravel bar's on the way down; we did pretty good w/ about 30 lbs. of nice material each that we found...Along w/ some beautiful fish....

[@KatyDidRocks]

I plan on floating next summer. Thanks! 😊

[@TheMogjo]

The green looks like epidote to me -- we have TONS of unakite here in Michigan, unakite is an altered granite. It is made up of feldspar and epidote. Note, there is also Epidosite

[@KatyDidRocks]

It looks like Montana has epidote, at least in some areas. Thanks for the new knowledge!

[@AgateDad]

Will have to hunt the Yellowstone someday!!

[@KatyDidRocks]

And I will have to hunt for Lake Superior agates. Perhaps we will pass each other on the interstate. :D

[@AgateDad]

@@KatyDidRocks hope so! Swap stories and agates haha!

[@KatyDidRocks]

Well, if you ever get out Montana way, let me know - I'll point you to all the hot spots. :D

[@gregjones2217]

There are agates and petrified wood all the way to the head of the Yellowstone in Wyoming. Some pieces of wood weigh thousands of pounds.

[@KatyDidRocks]

I have found massive stumps - but they aren't agatized. :)

[@gregjones2217]

@@KatyDidRocks in the upper Yellowstone river there are logs of agatized wood dating from late eocene times. They are however about 40 miles in and in the wilderness area. I just visit them when I can.

[@jarmyvicious]

I recall finding a few pieces of light blue quartzite stone that was very sparkly on the Yellowstone River, and my failure at finding a large piece. Any idea what I may have found?

[@jarmyvicious]

Yes, I hunted states over in Livingston and Bozeman.

[@jarmyvicious]

Agates

[@KatyDidRocks]

Maybe common opal? It has a bluish tinge. But I'm not overly familiar with the rocks in that area, so I could be wrong.

[@jarmyvicious]

@@KatyDidRocks I don't think so, it is a very hard quartzite that has a sheen to it. I have one seen it in Montana... the biggest piece I found... I am guessing, is it Grand Falls, about 30 minutes east of Livingston? Very light, silvery pastel blue... thanks for answering!

[@professionalpainthuffer]

Blue quartz is a thing, actually. The blue color can be caused by mineral inclusions or by tyndall scattering, but if it looks like quartz and it's blue, it's probably blue quartz.

[@marielmaxted4287]

Hello fellow Montanan! From my understanding, some of the agates of the Yellowstone are products of the volcanic activity of the Yellowstone Caldera. I've heard of people hunting agates near Emigrant and Big Timber. So, to answer your question, YES! I think you can find agates along the whole length. I'm curious to the origins of Eastern Montana agates. I cant imagine that they too are also products of the Yellowstone Caldera, but maybe they are!?

[@KatyDidRocks]

Actually, I think they are! At least, that's what I've read. The Yellowstone volcano was BIG - and of course the rivers and seas have ebbed and flowed over millions of years to distribute them. But weirdly, if you look at Montana Agate web sites (where to find, etc.), they mainly list from Forsyth to Glendive as prime hunting spots. Where are you from, fellow Montanan? :)

[@marielmaxted4287]

@@KatyDidRocks All over! Originally Frenchtown but I'm in Great Falls now. That's interesting and Glwndive agates are freon the same source! Very neat!

[@truckerenoch8824]

Some agates and jaspers were also brought down from Canada in glaciers, but believe most of them came from the Yellowstone caldera as well. If you're able to find an outcrop of basalt, you may find the host of those beauties! Just bring a rock hammer and chisel. A cordless hanmer drill would come in handy too, if you have access to one ...and don't forget your PPE (dust mask, safety glasses, etc). Happy hounding!!! 😁

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

Me too. My dad used to say that every time we hit a dead end lol

[@KatyDidRocks]

Ha!

[@montanatreasurehunter9600]

Hopefully you found some really good rock with that detour to make it worth it!

[@KatyDidRocks]

Pretty much none! But it's always a beautiful day on the river.

[@susanboggs1612]

Omg Katy, are you picking those? Lol.

[@KatyDidRocks]

:D

[@forddave5728]

Do u ever hunt rocks around headwaters state park in threeforks

[@KatyDidRocks]

I have not, at least not yet - but summer is coming, and sometime soon we should be able to move about again. What kind of rocks are there? Thanks for watching, and be well. :)

[@forddave5728]

@@KatyDidRocks well I'm new to picking rocks needed a hobby to get my mind off a couple bad habits so I'm going say alot of agate I'm just learning so I don't know the difference I wish I knew how to post a picture on here

[@KatyDidRocks]

@@forddave5728 You can't post a pic on KZbin - but if you go to my FB page you can post pictures there! facebook.com/KatyDid-Rocks-102919797994370

[@stanrosengren1369]

Do you use a compass?

[@KatyDidRocks]

:D I have a compass on my phone - but the real problem with this one is that I got one campground confused with another. :)

[@SamsonsamSim]

I bet the rock at 5:18 would tumble up....

[@KatyDidRocks]

I think so too!

[@jurassictactics941]

you need to spice up on rock ID, but it was an enjoyable video non the less

[@KatyDidRocks]

Glad you enjoyed it. If you have any IDs you want to share, I'd be glad to hear them!

[@metaoriteteker7188]

🙌🙌🙌👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@KatyDidRocks]

😊

[@charlenecooper2619]

how about carrying a back pack sprayer and water down a small area of interest

[@KatyDidRocks]

I have thought about that - but often the gravel bars are vast, and I would run out of water far too quickly.

[@JOANNAMARIEDSENIS]

Hi

[@KatyDidRocks]

Hello. :)

[@kountkavliefuhq5189]

its hard to "get lost" when youre IN the city of billings less than a mile away from your car

[@KatyDidRocks]

LOL, not for me!

[@benatchison6600]

Been enjoying watching ALL your videos, great info, nice shots, tks!! just 143 vid's to go! =O}-OooO

[@KatyDidRocks]

LOL, I am so happy you are enjoying them. I DO have a silly amount of videos...

[@DragonHeartTree]

Was there any place that WASNT part of a vast inland sea once? Lol

[@KatyDidRocks]

Hmmm. That's an interesting question. I'll have to look it up.

[@danabinkley7337]

Hi Kate! Just subscribed to you channel. Our kids live in Billings so we make a trek each year to visit. We love picking up agates, but during the times that we are there, usually in July, the Yellowstone is out of control to where we can't get near it. Are you in the Miles City area? We were also told that the best agates could be found around Pompeii's Pillar. Last year the kids sent us 40 lbs of agates for Christmas. Best Christmas gift ever! I would be interested to see what you are doing with your finds. We make jewelry. TdBinks.etsy.com

[@KatyDidRocks]

Wow, 40 pounds of agates - amazing! What a great gift. :) I live about the same distance to either Miles City or Billings, and have hunted agates all along the say. I haven't hunted near Pompey's Pillar, yet, although I bet it would be gorgeous. I keep reading that the best hunting is between Glendive and Sidney, but that's quite a trek for me, so I haven't made the trip yet. As of now, I am settling for slabbing the rocks and admiring their beauty. I may get my hands on a polisher/grinder over Christmas, and then I can begin to do some lapidary work. Your wire wrapped pendants are GORGEOUS, btw. I've tried wire wrapping, but I think I need to watch a few more KZbin videos on the subject and try again - my stones kept falling out! Anyway, welcome to the channel, and thanks for subscribing.