Rockhunting Graveyard Point, Owyhee Canyons

[@Mike-br8vb]

Wow! Those were some amazing finds!! I would love to get my hands on some of those specimens!!! And now I'm subscribed!

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks for the view and comment sir. Much appreciated! Maybe one day i'll edit some more content to post. (just not good at the editing part) The hunt for pretty stuff is truly my favorite part of the hobby...just wandering around remote locations and stumbling upon something really beautiful is very exhilarating IMO. And we get some really interesting and unique silica and feldspar based semi-precious stones out here to choose from and after the years I've been hunting have learned to become quite selective. I've got my trips planned and will be back out in the deserts and forests of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada and possibly northern California this summer to meander the land in hopes of finding something really unique and beautiful, maybe will run into you. (and if you live far away well, there's always the us postal service! 🙂)

[@Mike-br8vb]

@BackcountrywithShaughn That's so cool, Shaughn! I'm looking forward to checking out more of your videos! And yea, Canada is a little ways away. 🍻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Rookie_Rockounding]

6:28 “gonna need a bigger saw”! Man the pieces there are just massive. Just absolutely massive! 7:09... 😫 perfect example, “but these aren’t the size pieces that I’m looking for, I’m gonna go head and throw those back...” holy geeze man! I’d loose my stools finding something that big in the creeks! This is lawlessness hahahahaha! I absolutely love it with envy and wonder brother. Thank you for showing us the amazingness that some places expose!!!

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Haha, thanks for the view and comment sir, very much appreciated! Yeah, just came back from another trip down there, was very much the same except more snakes! haha 🤦‍♂️ Lotsa beautiful goodies i've been cutting like crazy since returning and am thankful to have found such a great group of locations to find unique specimen. ✔ One of these days will have to put together another vid and post? haha 🤔😉 As always, wishing you and yours the best and if circumstances ever change would thoroughly enjoy an adventure with my friend from the other side of the ocean!!! Take care brother and look forward to seeing whatcha upto lately on your next post!

[@Rookie_Rockounding]

Dude Shaughn I am soooooo sorry man! I didn’t even know these videos were up! I’m excited! I get to do some backcountry watchin! Heck yes! I’ll be bingin tonight 👊🍻

[@rockandfound]

Great finds

[@AgateAngler]

MAN! I would love to explore that place for a few hours! Seems like the jasper and agate is just outstanding.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks for the view and comment AA. Am going back for Memorial Day weekend and you are welcome to join us. Just on the other side of Idaho! haha

[@magapickle01]

You need a few days then check out succor creek canyon and the owahees . Probably spelled that wrong

[@japanrockhunt8277]

Great view for morning. It is totally different than Japan. I mean Japan is beautiful country but your place have another beauty. Really nice pieces of Jasper and agates, thanks for sharing.

[@christineritchie5580]

going tomorrow for a whole week.. Super excited. 3rd time to Graveyard Point.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

That's really awesome, thanks for sharing! Hopefully it didn't/won't rain and get sloppy out there for ya!🤞🙏 I went out there a few years ago about 11pm at night right after a rain and the mud seriously caked the interior of the jeeps wheel wells and if I'd been a much more passive driver the vehicle would've gotten stuck but went Baha till I was on top of a hill then camped for the night. The next day had to knock down the dried mud in those wheel wells just to turn the steering wheel. The place is also getting claimed up by private parties so if you're ever gonna get a chance to meander those hills and find some nice stuff it'll be sooner rather than later~ Thanks again for the comment!

[@kegelcompare]

nice, we are headed out this coming week!

[@magapickle01]

@@BackcountrywithShaughn those places should stay open to the public . The blm has had many letters and people log complaints . It's supposed to all be open to public except mineral claims . Agate wood and Jasper and obsidian was never on the list on Oregon .

[@donblevins1181]

btw you should always have a bell on your walking stick because it scares critters off

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Great idea! Thank you for sharing sir, hope you have a super day~

[@juliemckenna514]

Wowza!!❤️

[@outdooradventureswithfayde6832]

Holy mother! Those are AWESOME finds. Curious of the story behind Graveyard Point. Definitely gonna have to research this incredible rock hunting spot! Thanks for sharing. 😁👍

[@williamfrost9313]

I stumbled upon an area where there is a solid agate probably 30 feet in diameter, don’t know how deep it goes. It’s locked up now because it’s in the “wilderness” area. But you can walk to it in about 3 or 4 hours

[@victoriabriseno1846]

Thank you for sharing this video. Lots of beautiful agates. I am totally bummed out I didn’t get to this video on time, my lady friend and I who just started rock hunting would of loved to join.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

That sure is a pretty area, I love it down there.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks for the view and comment sir, very much appreciated. FYI...am heading down to the Owyhee area again for Memorial day. So far 5 people have committed for the trip. would be great if you were able to join us down there and get multiple videos of the hunt/finds. Shoot me a follow up if you are interested and I'll get you my contact info/digits etc. I believe you are in the tri-cities, just a hop skip and jump down the gorge.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@BackcountrywithShaughn Yeah lets email, I'm down to head down there.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding [e-mail]

[@kellylovesrocks]

Nice finds!

[@mitchgillilan]

Wow, this place looks amazing! Looks like theres enough material there for all!! Your slideshow at the end was phenomenal, some truly top shelf pieces of plume agate and the bands on that blue one were out of this world!!! Nice coconuts :)

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Hi Mitch, thank you very much for the view and comment, really appreciate it. Yes, it's one of those truly rare places on earth that I've been fortunate enough in my lifetime to experience in a really cool way! 👍 The plume i've found and seen in beds out there is really second to none and the mixed variety of jasp/agate found in those two north south canyons is truly exceptional, allowing you to be choosy. The cracks in the valley ran east west so the hydrothermal fluids created these cool bands that all seem to run east west across the valley floor in the bedrock. But like anything special it seems it is definitely changing quickly. Last year there were excavators out there digging on the BLM land and now I'm seeing someone selling the random float material (not the prime seam agate) from out there on ebay cheaply by the lb. The only way for them to be profitable is for them to take more than the law allows, meaning they're filling truck fulls (2-3klbs) of the material on the weekends. (law is 25lbs a day 250lbs a year) As a collector, the illegal collection behavior makes me very sad. Anyway, off my soapbox and onto the next find! Yes, had to throw in some coconuts from the mine in Mexico, IMO they are really super pretty and one of my favorite rocks to expose the hearts of! Thanks again sir and best to you and yours~

[@mitchgillilan]

@@BackcountrywithShaughn oh man that is awful! I'm really bummed that people are sneaking out way more material than allowed, that really makes me upset. Leave it to humans to take a good thing and completely destroy it in a short period of time. This happens with any industry where people are taking from the land and get greedy and lose sight of the big picture 😥

[@markweiss2307]

Wowzer! Beautiful stuff! Need to set aside some time to visit!!

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks for the view and comment Mark, yes is really worth the time to go out there and walk around, just amazing stuff to be found~ Have a nice rest of your week!

[@MontanaRockMom]

Haha my car looks just like yours when I head out! 😜 Those slices are outstanding Shaughn.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks MRM, very much appreciate the view and comment. Didn't see this when you originally posted. Yeah, it's funny finding those unique places where you just can't seem to pull yourself away from all the goodies just laying around! 😁😁 Hope you have a very nice weekend ahead~

[@rachaelb9164]

That area is just so massive. We went in November and were on the Idaho side right next to the Oregon border. Fairly close by the main “entrance” we found a hill just covered in jasper, agate, and seam agate pieces. It’s was horribly cold when we were there and the ground was frozen so digging was out. I’d like to go back and explore the area more.

[@magapickle01]

Soo many roads up there . I just got back last week lots of virgin ground

[@thirstfast1025]

I notice you go from no shin guards to wearing shin guards. I like to imagine there's a very dramatic, life-threatening situation that made you put 'em on. LOL! That's funny, while you were collecting I was thinking "man, lots of jasper.", then we see the slide-show, and yeah, it was worth it! Botryoidal, geodes (that one with the crystal in the geode...), 'waterline', dendritic, you found great specimens off all of it! Nice hunt! Hahahaa, of course I'm interested in going with in May, but I kinda doubt it'll actually happen! Who knows though? If I get off my butt and get my passport again (I dropped my last one, and even though someone found it and turned it in to police, police had to turn it over to government, who destroyed it because it had been 'compromised'...) Great work as usual Shaughn!

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks for the view and comment TF, much appreciated! Yeah, if the temperature is below 21-24C or 70-75F I typically do not run into rattlesnakes out at all but once it warms up they come out and sun themselves and out there are very regular. Since I walk around looking for rocks my attention isn't on safety as much so I wear the guards to keep from dealing with a bad day! haha Am fortunate to have a source of such varied material relatively close to where I live...Would love to put together a hunt with all #thefinders involved someday in the near future with everyone taking their own videos collaborating, sharing and laughing. Maybe something we can start putting together for next year somewhere? My biggest hurdle is I am unable to fly due to injury. Anyway, am thankful for your comment and hope to share some of the workshop stuff coming up soon. Have a great day sir!

[@thirstfast1025]

@@BackcountrywithShaughn Cool! Very much looking forward to the workshop content! Interesting proposition about the collab. I suppose step one would be figuring out a location. Even if at first it's just pairings. Pair up a couple of geographically-close #thefinders and do a hunt together. I know Agate Dad is really close to me. Again, I need to solve my passport issue, but that is more a financial consideration than anything else. No reason I couldn't solve it this year to do some collaborating! I like the idea!

[@Robert_rocks]

There’s a daily limit on what you can collect unless you’re a claim owner there’s also a yearly limit on petrified wood the BLM allows you to buy all materials that are over the limit so collect responsibly

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Yup exactly, 25lbs a day plus 1 piece and up to 250lbs a year from blm land. I tell folks to focus on what they're gonna do with it and be choosy. Thx for the comment!

[@406findings]

Nice finds bud 🍻I'll be subscribing 👍

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks Temulent 406, Really appreciate the view and comment! Am very fortunate to have area like that within a days drive from home. Going back out there for Memorial day weekend! Hoping for more big specimens to use the wet angle grinder on!!!

[@406findings]

@@BackcountrywithShaughn yeah it helps having close areas to home so you can go anytime I live like 5 minutes from the Yellowstone river in Montana and I go hound as much as I can I get some nice pieces for being new to the rock and crystal stuff

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

@@406findings Sweet! Only been through that area twice when little and should get out there again sometime in the next couple years! Thanks for watching and commenting sir, hopefully see some of your stuff soon too!

[@406findings]

@@BackcountrywithShaughn not a problem I'll help a fellow rock hounded but I do have a couple of vids of stuff I found on the river on my channel when you got time take a look 👍

[@donblevins1181]

I can spell it also I grew up a few miles to the north of there. also I started rockhounding to the west of there for picture rock i am 64 and retired and rockhounding in montana

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks for your comment sir, much appreciated! I find the whole area from Vale through Nyssa and down to Homedale along the snake river to be quite beautiful and also helps that it's chock full of pretty stones~ Wishing you well out there in the great state of Montana!

[@billcolsen2]

Great video would love to rockhound there but can’t find access. I go to areas close but one day I’ll have to find access to the area. I live in Boise and let me know some time when you are out that way.

[@amyconnell84]

Us 95 to graveyard point rd ,South on sage rd when the road turns left go straight over the canal. Left to right private drive entrance to graveyard private drive private drive.

[@magapickle01]

When you going to go again ? I want to get a party up there with a bunch of you tubers and instagramers and have a few locations and lots of food and camping and maybe teach beginners about safety and have a blast ??

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Hi Jeff, unfortunately am still waiting to take ownership of a truck that was ordered back in August so don't think it'll be this year the way things currently stand. Maybe get out to check out more of the southern end of that area next Memorial Day depending on work and weather?

[@joshuajackson1458]

Did Graveyard Point Road say private on it when you went through? We were there this weekend, and the road said private, so we didn’t go down it and then we tried to go in the back entrance, and there was a river crossing that was too deep for my Tacoma.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Sorry to hear of the issues you faced. What I can tell you from the times I've been out there. You have to drive past the gun club and turn right at the rubber tires around the mailbox. When you turn across there, you'll see two homes on either side that put up signs that say private property...in between them is the public access road that transits out to GYP. It is just a tiny dirt road between the two homes fences then around and once you've passed under the power lines you are back in Oregon and at the BLM area. Google maps and such will will take you to a hill on the other side of the irrigation ditch that is the landmark for GYP but not the actual hunting grounds. I can understand the confusion though~ Hopefully you have another opportunity.

[@TheFoxygrandpa69]

Lol shoot dang I drive past that all the time goin out. Guess i should of stopped and walked. Saved some gas. If you or anybody else in the area needs an extra shovel and a strong lower back let me know haha. I'm semi new to hounding. Some more company would be nice. Desert gets a little lonely out there. Find yourself talking to rocks....I mean, my Precious...

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks Jer for the comment, yeah definitely worth a walk around there just to see what you can find. The old historical marker area is picked clean so go out into the desert southwest of that point, there is a dirt road off Sage road you can use to get out there. Hope that helps. Thanks again and have a nice day!

[@ScottBot2000]

Hi, I have been trying to find out where exactly to go to dig graveyard point but haven’t quite been able to pinpoint past where where google points to. Do you have any coordinates of where you would recommend me start looking?

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Hey ScottO, thanks for the view and comment. Start here and head south paying attention to avoid claims: 43.562049, -117.048131 Hope that helps~

[@shawnnorrell1686]

What state is graveyard pt in?

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

The Historic Marker for Graveyard point lies in Idaho but the best collecting areas I've found so far are after you cross back under the power lines/over the boarder back into Oregon. Hope that helps~

[@shelbynjakesdad]

Nice video, we went out hounding at Succor Creek this weekend but the water was running so high there wasn’t access to much of anything. We ran into a fellow rock hound that told us about Graveyard Point, so we stopped there briefly on our way back to Kuna. We looked around for a while but didn’t see anything... guess we were not in a good location (it’s such a vast area). We are total newbs at this, so probably just don’t know what to look for in the vast desert. We searched around the actual Graveyard Point “peak” and a little to the west. I’m planning to go back, any tips for us less knowledgeable? Thanks!

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thanks for the view and comment Dan, yes. The peak you speak of is the historical landmark and has been picked clean for years. To get to the actual hunting areas...There is a dirt road that goes into the BLM land off Sage road just past the trap shooting club. Scour the hillsides, the farther up you are going the better the material i've found. Hope that helps~ Have a great trip out there!

[@troydean5702]

Are all those slides from stuff you found at that location?

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Hi Troy, thanks for the comment, everything is from Graveyard point except the coconuts and pink plume (I just happened to polish the coconuts at the same time as the GYP stuff and the pink plume is from near Negro Rock a couple hours farther east) Edit: I mean a couple hours farther WEST

[@shaunramsey1577]

I live in the area and have just started exploring the region and am brand new to rock hounding. Any information you care to share would be amazing! I'd love to side-kick next time you are heading out there.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

thanks very much for the view and comment Shaun, much appreciated! Also..That's great to hear and congratulations on finding the addiction! haha So not sure what you want to know or what you already know but am happy to answer questions you may have. Also as an FYI am still planning on going with a group out to the desert for the Memorial day weekend if we aren't under strict lock down by the end of May. Anyway, shoot me a message with questions and will do my best! thanks again and have a great week!

[@larrymays5413]

You mentioned your not far from Graveyard point, May I ask where you live?

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Hey Larry, not far is relative. It's an 8 hour drive from my house outside Portland to GYP. Unfortunately I should tell you, commercial interests have stepped in and claimed virtually everywhere I have ever hunted in GYP and they use heavy equipment to strip out all the pretty stuff leaving nothing for future generations to enjoy. (Unless you buy it from them) The days of walking around finding pretty rocks seems to be quickly coming to an end in the interest of making a dollar. Folks are claiming up everything everywhere that I love to hunt rocks. If you have a chance get out there soon before it's all closed to the rest of us on OUR PUBLIC LAND.

[@chris21e]

Hey Shawn I'm planning to head there tomorrow any advice? Are there any active claims up there to stay clear from?

[@Ren-jq5gj]

ima just give you advice if ur still alive .,. be careful not stepping snakes

[@chris21e]

@@Ren-jq5gj weird comment bro get a life lol

[@jasonowens401]

what are the gloves for nerd?

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Thx for the comment. I'm like JB Pruitt and work as the worlds greatest hand model so I gotta protect these beauties.....actually, the gloves help protect my hands from the sharp edges of agates and jaspers, scorpion stings, cactus thorns and fire ants among other things. Getting cuts while out camping for days or weeks on end can lead to infection so I try to avoid that situation if at all possible, hence the gloves.

[@shawnnorrell1686]

What state is graveyard pt in?

[@rickbeal1544]

Idaho it on the Oregon border i went there and didn't have much luck .it's a big area think i know were they are now. It in rock books.