Conata Basin
South Dakota
Find: Fairburn Agates, “bubblegum” agates, rose quartz, chalcedony, prairie agates
GPS: 43.71962, -102.18859
Nearest city: Rapid City, SD
Recommended Vehicle: Any
Summary:
Fairburn Agates are a coveted treasure of rockhounding trips across the Southwest corner of South Dakota. Known for their intricate bands and elusiveness to find, a good hunt for a Fairburn can lead you to some of the most beautiful and remote parts of the Great Plains.
This was a spot I chose to explore somewhat arbitrarily - Fairburn Agates are distributed irregularly across the Badlands region of South Dakota. This spot is in the small township of Conata, and it borders the National Park directly to the North. These GPS coordinates will take you to a gravel road that passes through the plains just South. When I visited in early 2025, the road had been recently graded and seems well-maintained.
Video Guide
Check out the video for a better look at what can be found when exploring this spot.
If I could only bring 3 tools…
Water Bladder
The warmer months are arid and dry in South Dakota. A water bladder is a great luxury to hike with. I covered a lot of distance while I was here.
Geology Pick
A geology pick is useful for flipping over embedded stones and prying them out of the ground.
Spray Bottle
A spray bottle is useful for getting a better look at banding in the dry stones you’ll find.