MISSISSIPPI

State Rock: Petrified Wood (1976)
State Fossil: Prehistoric Whales (1981)

Although Mississippi is a poor location for gemstones, Mississippi has a rich heritage of fossils as well as Petrified Wood. Much of the state contains sediments dating back to when ancient seas covered Mississippi. 

Mississippi is home to an ancient, extinct volcano. In fact, Mississippi is the only state that has a volcano below its capitol, the Jackson Volcano that has been extinct for about 65 million years.

Some of the best places to rockhound in Mississippi are the gravels and sands of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, like the Homochitto River basin where agates can be found. Petrified Wood can be found in northern Mississippi, while gravels across the entire state produce fossils in abundance.

Disclaimer

Please note that rock collecting locations are always changing so be sure to check with the site owner for the most current information before going.

Dig safe, never go underground, and make sure to get permission from the landowner to search for and collect rocks.