1
Whose land?
National Forest, BLM, a Park Service unit, CPW property, tribal land, private ground, or a mining claim can each have a different rule.
Outdoors · Foraging & Collecting
Foraging, rockhounding & collecting in Colorado
Colorado gives you plenty to find: wild mushrooms, berries, aquamarine, fossils, shed antlers, gold, and even a holiday tree. The catch is that public land is not always take-home land. The answer changes with the land manager, the thing you found, the amount, and what you plan to do with it.
How to think about it
Five questions decide if you can keep it
Run through these five before gathering anything. They will point you to the right part of the guide and the official office that can give you the final answer.
2
What is it?
Mushrooms, rocks, antlers, fossils, plants, feathers, and cultural objects are not treated the same way.
3
How much and why?
A small personal collection may be treated differently from bulk gathering or anything meant for sale.
4
What tool or impact?
Surface collecting is different from digging, cutting, moving a streambed, or using power equipment.
5
Is this spot open?
Closures, protected species, developed sites, permits, and mining claims can change the answer at the exact location.
Start here
What are you after?
Read the safety part
Wild mushrooms
Wild mushrooms can cause severe poisoning. Do not eat one unless a qualified expert has confirmed the identification.
Jump there →Rockhounding
Rocks, crystals & gold
Colorado has aquamarine, topaz, agate, and gold. The land, amount, disturbance, and mining-claim status all matter.
Jump there →Leave it in place
Artifacts & native bird feathers
Federal rules protect cultural items and most native bird feathers, including many feathers found on the ground.
Jump there →Wild pantry
Berries, greens & nuts
Some land managers allow small personal amounts. Positive identification and the exact unit rule still come first.
Jump there →Shed hunting
Shed antlers
Public land west of I-25 has a statewide winter closure, and some Gunnison Basin units add May hours.
Jump there →Cut your own
Firewood or a Christmas tree
Removing firewood or a holiday tree usually starts with a permit for a named forest, area, and date.
Jump there →Where the rules change
Land by land
Start here, because the same object can have a different rule across a boundary you cannot see on the ground. Always confirm with the specific manager.
National Forest (USFS)
Check the destination forest
A National Forest may allow limited personal gathering, require a forest-product permit, close certain areas, or set a species and quantity limit. Mushrooms, firewood, Christmas trees, plants, and rocks do not all follow one statewide rule. Use the destination forest or ranger district page before collecting.
BLM
Personal use, with limits
BLM generally allows small personal-use amounts of certain common plants and natural materials in most areas. It also allows up to 25 pounds of rocks or mineral specimens per day, with a 250-pound yearly limit, using hand tools and causing no more than minor disturbance. Developed sites, protected resources, special areas, closures, and mining claims can change that answer.
National Parks & NPS Monuments
Strict default, with named food exceptions
National Park Service rules generally protect natural and cultural objects from removal. A park superintendent may name limited fruits, berries, or nuts that visitors may gather for personal use. Check that unit's current compendium. Rocky Mountain National Park currently lists certain fruits and berries, but does not allow mushroom gathering.
Other national monuments
Follow that monument's plan
Not every national monument is a Park Service site. Browns Canyon, for example, is managed by BLM and the Forest Service. Start with the monument's managing agency and current plan instead of relying on the word "monument."
State Parks & Wildlife Areas (CPW)
Leave natural and cultural objects
CPW rules prohibit removing plants, wood, rocks, fossils, artifacts, and other natural or cultural objects from its parks and recreation lands unless a rule or posted area creates an exception. Posted exceptions include designated firewood areas and recreational gold mining in parts of Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area. State Wildlife Areas also have property-specific access rules.
Wilderness areas
The underlying manager still decides
A Wilderness designation does not create a general collecting permission. The Forest Service or BLM rule for that exact unit still applies, while motorized or mechanized equipment and surface disturbance face tighter limits. Ask the local office before gathering or prospecting.
Private land
Permission required
Get the surface owner's permission before entering or taking anything. Mineral ownership can be separate from surface ownership, and laws protecting wildlife, human remains, or cultural resources may still apply. Permission to walk there is not automatically permission to dig or collect.
Mining claims (on public land)
Check before collecting minerals
BLM says minerals on an existing mining claim may not be collected without the claimant's permission. Use BLM's Mineral & Land Records System, county records, posted notices, and the local land office. A recreation map by itself is not a claim-status check.
Tribal land (SW Colorado)
Ask the tribal government
The Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Tribes set access and resource rules on their lands. Do not treat a public-land app as permission to enter or gather. Check the tribal government's visitor or natural-resource office before the trip.
How to check the land and claim
Start with an official BLM or Forest Service map for the surface manager. A phone map can help you get oriented, but it is not proof that collecting is allowed. In Colorado, the surface and the minerals below it can have different owners. That is called split estate. For mining claims, use BLM's Mineral & Land Records System (MLRS), county records, posted notices, and the local land office. If the map, boundary, or sign is unclear, stop and ask before collecting.
Wild mushrooms
Colorado forests hold porcini, chanterelles, morels, and many other mushrooms. People often look near spruce forests or old burn areas, but access and closures can change. Burn scars can also hide unstable trees and deep holes. Check the area before the trip, and treat identification as a separate safety question.
The rule that matters more than any other
Do not eat a wild mushroom until a qualified expert has confirmed it.
Poisonous mushrooms can look like edible ones, and the most dangerous poisonings may not cause symptoms for several hours. A phone photo, one visual feature, or a common name is not enough. Learn in person from an experienced mycologist or trained foray leader. If someone may have eaten a questionable mushroom, do not wait for symptoms. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Call 911 if the person collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or cannot be awakened.
Do you need a permit?
- National Forests: rules vary by forest and ranger district. Check the destination forest's current forest-product page for a permit, quantity limit, season, and closed areas. Selling or bartering uses a commercial rule.
- BLM: small amounts for personal use are generally allowed in most areas, but protected species, closures, and special areas still apply.
- CPW parks and recreation lands: the general rule bars removing plants and other natural objects unless a posted exception applies.
- National Park Service units: check the current park compendium. Rocky Mountain National Park does not allow mushroom gathering.
Where to learn
The safest learning happens in person with an experienced mycologist, local mushroom club, or trained foray leader. Use field guides and apps to learn, not as the final reason to eat a mushroom. Legal collecting questions still go to the land manager.
Wild edibles: berries, greens & nuts
Depending on the place and season, Colorado can offer raspberries, currants, serviceberries, chokecherries, wild strawberries, edible greens, and piñon nuts. This page is not a plant-identification guide. Make the land-rule check and the food-safety check separately.
- On BLM land, small personal-use amounts of common berries, nuts, seeds, flowers, and similar plant parts are allowed in most areas. Protected plants and local closures are exceptions.
- On National Forest land, the forest and ranger district set the product, amount, area, and permit rule.
- On CPW land, leave natural objects unless the current rule or a posted area clearly allows removal.
- In a National Park Service unit, use the current park compendium. Rocky Mountain National Park lists certain fruits and berries for personal use, with a one-quart daily limit per person, but does not allow mushrooms.
Positive identification takes more than one clue. Some edible plants have dangerous look-alikes. Do not rely on color, smell, leaf shape, or a phone app by itself. Learn from a qualified person before eating a wild plant, take only what the rule allows, and leave enough for wildlife and regrowth.
Rocks, gems & minerals (rockhounding)
Colorado Geological Survey lists more than 30 gemstone varieties in the state. Well-known examples include aquamarine high on Mount Antero, topaz and amazonite in the Pikes Peak region, and agate and jasper in several parts of the state. A good geologic lead is only the start. You still need to check the surface manager, special designation, and mining-claim status.
The rules
- BLM land: BLM allows personal, noncommercial collecting of rocks, mineral specimens, and gemstones with hand tools and no more than minor surface disturbance. The general limit is 25 pounds per day and 250 pounds per person per year. Developed sites, protected or special areas, closures, and mining claims are exceptions.
- National Forest land: small, low-value common samples for personal use may qualify as casual collecting. Surface collecting with little disturbance is the clearest case. Digging, power equipment, large amounts, commercial use, and special areas can require authorization or be closed. Check the ranger district.
- Mining claims: BLM says minerals on an existing claim may not be collected without the claimant's permission. Check MLRS, county records, field notices, and the local office before digging or panning.
- Park and protected land: National Park Service units and CPW parks generally do not allow removing rocks or minerals. Wilderness and other special designations use their own manager's rule and tighter disturbance limits.
- Private fee digs: these can remove some public-land guesswork, but read the operator's current access, safety, and take-home rules before paying or traveling.
Colorado's claims to fame
State gem
Aquamarine
Colorado Geological Survey places the best-known deposits high on Mount Antero. Much of the productive ground is claimed or private.
State mineral
Rhodochrosite
The rosy-red mineral has notable gem-quality deposits at the Sweet Home Mine in the Alma mining district.
State rock
Yule marble
Quarried near the town of Marble, this Colorado stone was used in the Lincoln Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Gold panning & prospecting
Yes, people still pan for gold in Colorado. A pan does not create access. First confirm the surface manager, mineral status, claim status, and local stream rule.
- BLM: hand panning, a shovel, and other simple hand tools may qualify as casual prospecting when the activity causes no more than minor disturbance and the land is open.
- National Forest: low-impact hobby panning may be allowed on land open to mineral entry. Digging, mechanized equipment, or more than minor disturbance can require agency review or a plan.
- Mining claims: do not collect minerals from an existing claim without the claimant's permission. Use MLRS and the local BLM office, and check county records too.
- Streams and access: do not cross private land without permission or assume public water means public streambed access. Avoid bank damage, diversion, or work that changes the channel.
- A named public exception: CPW rules allow recreational gold mining in Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area except where posted signs prohibit it. Check the recreation area's current rule before choosing a spot or tool.
- More equipment means more questions. Suction dredges, highbankers, pumps, and larger disturbance can bring federal, state, and local permits or restrictions into play. Ask before bringing them.
Fossils
Colorado has many fossils, and the rule depends on the kind of fossil and the land manager:
- Common plant and invertebrate fossils on BLM land: casual collectors may take up to 25 pounds per person per day for personal use with non-powered hand tools and negligible disturbance. They may not be sold or bartered. Special or sensitive areas may be closed.
- Petrified wood on BLM land: the limit is 25 pounds plus one piece per day, with no more than 250 pounds per person per year. Local restrictions still apply.
- National Forest land: common plant and invertebrate fossils may qualify for limited casual collection, but check the forest because the place, amount, method, and special designation matter.
- Vertebrate and uncommon fossils on federal land: leave dinosaur, fish, mammal, reptile, trackway, and other unusual finds in place unless you hold the required research permit. Photograph the find, record the location privately, and report it to the land manager.
- National Park Service units: leave fossils where they are, including at Florissant Fossil Beds and Dinosaur National Monument.
The rule that surprises people
Shed antlers: a big winter closure west of I-25
Shed hunting means looking for antlers and horns that animals drop naturally. CPW prohibits collection and possession on all public land west of I-25 from January 1 through April 30 each year. The rule reduces stress on big game during winter. East of I-25, CPW has no statewide seasonal shed closure, but the surface manager can still add a local restriction.
- Gunnison Basin extra rule: in GMUs 54, 55, 66, 67, and 551, collection and possession are also prohibited between legal sunset and 10 a.m. from May 1 through May 15.
- Penalties can stack: CPW treats the act of shed hunting and possession of each shed as separate offenses, with fines and license-suspension points. Check the live CPW page for the current penalty schedule.
- Private land is outside the statewide seasonal closure, but lawful access is required and the owner may set additional conditions.
- Other rules can still apply: the surface manager may close an area, restrict travel, or protect winter range beyond the CPW calendar. Check current signs and closures.
- If you see a shed in a closed area or time, leave it in place. CPW advises this because an officer may not be able to distinguish a casual visitor from someone who entered to collect.
Firewood & Christmas trees
Firewood
- To cut or haul firewood home from National Forest or BLM land, start with the local office. A personal-use fuelwood permit, cutting map, season, species rule, and load limit may apply.
- BLM allows reasonable dead-and-down wood for an immediate campfire in many areas unless a fire restriction or posted rule says otherwise. National Forest and campground rules vary, so check before gathering even at camp.
- Buy or gather firewood near where you will burn it. CPW recommends local wood because moving it can spread tree pests. The camping guide covers current fire restrictions.
Christmas trees (a beloved Colorado tradition)
- You can cut a holiday tree in participating National Forests with a permit. Choose the forest on Recreation.gov, then read that permit's cutting area, dates, tree species, size, access, and safety rules.
- Fourth graders: an Every Kid Outdoors pass can qualify the student for one free holiday-tree permit through a participating National Forest. An online processing fee may still apply, and redemption steps vary.
- These can be snowy trips with little cell service. Check road conditions, use a vehicle suited to the route, carry winter gear, tell someone your plan, and leave enough daylight to get back.
Plants, flowers & transplants
- CPW parks and National Park Service units: leave flowers and plants unless the current written rule names a narrow gathering exception.
- Transplants: digging a plant on National Forest or BLM land can require a forest-product permit and a designated area. Ask the local office before digging.
- Protected plants: threatened, endangered, special-status, and state-protected species stay in place. A common plant elsewhere may also be protected in a special area.
- Good gathering is light gathering: stay within the official amount, avoid trampling, never strip a patch, and leave enough for wildlife and regrowth.
Leave it where it lies
Two finds to leave in place
Cultural objects and native bird feathers have federal protections that are easy to miss. The safest useful move is to photograph the find without disturbing it and leave it where you found it.
Artifacts (arrowheads, pottery, old tools)
BLM and Forest Service rules prohibit removing arrowheads, pottery, stone tools, historic bottles, historic mining objects, and other cultural materials from federal land. The setting around an object is part of what makes it useful to archaeologists, so do not move it for a better photo. Federal laws, including the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, add protection for archaeological resources. Record the location privately and report the find to the land manager. If you may have found human remains or a burial, do not touch anything and contact local law enforcement.
Feathers, nests & eggs
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Migratory Bird Treaty Act generally prohibits possession of feathers and other parts from protected native North American birds without authorization. That includes molted feathers and feathers from road- or window-killed birds. Separate rules and exceptions exist for legally hunted migratory game birds, permitted research or education, and certain tribal uses. If you cannot identify both the species and the rule that applies, admire it, photograph it, and leave it.
Colorado quirks
Things people get wrong
These are the small details that can change an otherwise good plan.
Shed season changes at I-25
CPW closes collection and possession on public land west of I-25 from January 1 through April 30. Some Gunnison Basin units also limit collection hours from May 1 through May 15.
Mushroom symptoms may be delayed
Some dangerous mushroom poisonings do not cause symptoms right away. If someone may have eaten a questionable mushroom, call Poison Control now instead of waiting to see what happens.
Most native bird feathers stay where you found them
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the federal rule covers feathers regardless of how they were obtained, including molted feathers. Exceptions exist, but appearance alone does not prove one.
An arrowhead is not a souvenir
BLM and Forest Service rules protect arrowheads and other cultural objects on federal land. Leave the item and its setting in place, then tell the land manager.
A park compendium can name a narrow food exception
The Park Service default is strict, but a superintendent may list certain fruits, berries, or nuts for limited personal gathering. Read the exact park's current compendium.
Colorado's state rock built the Lincoln Memorial
Yule marble, from the town of Marble.
Low-impact gold panning may count as casual use
BLM and Forest Service guidance allows some low-impact hand panning on open land. A claim, withdrawal, special area, stream rule, or greater disturbance can change the answer.
A fossil leaf and a dinosaur bone follow different rules
Federal agencies may allow limited casual collecting of common plant and invertebrate fossils. Vertebrate fossils and uncommon finds stay in place and should be reported.
A holiday tree permit is a map and rule sheet
The permit tells you the forest, cutting area, dates, species, and size. Those details change by forest and season, so the permit matters more than an old price or date.
BLM rock collecting has a weight limit
BLM's current general limit is 25 pounds of rocks or mineral specimens per day and no more than 250 pounds per person per year. Local closures and claims still apply.
Personal use is not a universal pass
Personal use can qualify for simpler rules, but the land manager may still require a permit, set a limit, or close an area. Sale, barter, or bulk gathering uses a different rule.
Metal detecting depends on the purpose and place
Federal guidance treats mineral prospecting differently from searching for cultural objects. Check the unit rule before digging, and leave any artifact in place.
One plant feature is never enough
Color, smell, leaf shape, or a phone photo can all mislead you. Use trained, in-person identification before eating any wild plant or mushroom.
Stay safe out there
Safety in the high country
Questionable food means call now
Wild mushrooms and plants can cause severe poisoning. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away if someone may have eaten a questionable one. Do not wait for symptoms. Call 911 for collapse, seizure, trouble breathing, or if the person cannot be awakened.
Altitude & lightning
Many gem and foraging areas are high. Acclimate, carry water, watch the sky, and turn around when storms start building.
Rattlesnakes
They live in lower, rocky and grassy collecting areas. Watch where you put your hands and feet, and give every snake room.
Claims & trespass
Check both the surface owner and mineral status. Public access does not always include collecting, and a mining claim gives the claimant rights to the minerals.
Tell someone your plan
Cell service is often zero where the good stuff is. Leave your route and return time with someone.
The jargon, decoded
The words you'll see everywhere
A little foraging and rockhounding vocabulary.
Forage
To gather wild food such as mushrooms, berries, greens, or nuts.
Rockhounding
Collecting rocks, minerals, and gems as a hobby.
Personal use vs. commercial
Gathering for yourself is different from gathering to sell or barter. Personal use can still have a permit, place, amount, or species limit.
Tell the land office what you want to gather and what you plan to do with it.
Permit
Written permission from the land manager to gather a named product in a named place, amount, and time.
Mining claim
A right to develop and remove certain minerals on public land. Check claim status before collecting rocks or panning.
Vertebrate fossil
A fossil from an animal with a backbone, such as a dinosaur, fish, or mammal. Federal rules protect these finds from casual collecting.
ARPA
The Archaeological Resources Protection Act, one of the federal protections for archaeological resources on public and Indian lands.
Migratory Bird Treaty Act
The federal law protecting listed migratory birds. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says possession rules extend to feathers, nests, eggs, and other parts unless an exception or permit applies.
Shed (antler)
An antler an animal drops naturally each year. Collecting them is restricted by season west of I-25.
Pegmatite
A coarse rock that can hold Colorado gem crystals such as aquamarine, topaz, and amazonite.
Every Kid Outdoors
A federal fourth-grade pass. Participating National Forests offer the passholder one free holiday-tree permit, though an online processing fee may remain.
FAQ
Quick answers
Can I forage on public land in Colorado?
Sometimes, but public land is not one rule. BLM allows small personal-use amounts of certain common plants in most areas. National Forest requirements vary by forest and product. CPW generally prohibits removing natural objects from its parks unless an exception is posted. Park Service units generally prohibit collecting, but a current park compendium may name limited fruits, berries, or nuts. Check the exact manager, unit, product, amount, and purpose before gathering.
Do I need a permit to pick mushrooms or collect rocks?
It depends on the land manager and exact place. National Forest mushroom rules vary by forest and district, so use the destination forest's current forest-product page. BLM generally allows personal, noncommercial rock collecting with hand tools and minor disturbance, up to 25 pounds per day and 250 pounds per year. Local closures, developed sites, protected resources, and mining claims can still make a spot off-limits.
Can I keep a feather I found on the ground?
For most native North American birds, do not keep it unless you know a permit or legal exception applies. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the federal possession rule covers feathers regardless of how they were obtained, with no general exception for a molted feather or one from a road-killed bird. Separate exceptions exist for legally hunted migratory game birds and certain permitted uses. If the species and legal status are not clear, photograph the feather and leave it.
Can I keep an arrowhead or relic from public land?
Do not remove it from federal land. BLM and Forest Service rules protect arrowheads, pottery, tools, historic objects, and the place where they were found. Federal laws, including ARPA, add protection for archaeological resources. Leave the object and its setting alone, photograph it without moving it, record the location privately, and report it to the land manager.
When can I collect shed antlers?
CPW prohibits collection and possession on public land west of I-25 from January 1 through April 30 each year. In GMUs 54, 55, 66, 67, and 551, collection is also closed between legal sunset and 10 a.m. from May 1 through May 15. Private land is outside that seasonal closure, but lawful access is still required. East of I-25, CPW has no statewide seasonal shed closure, though a land manager may add a local restriction. Check CPW's live page before the trip.
Can I pan for gold?
Often, low-impact hand panning can qualify as casual mineral collecting on open BLM or National Forest land. That does not apply everywhere. A mining claim, private streambed, withdrawn or protected area, local closure, or more than minor disturbance can change the answer. Check the surface manager, BLM claim records, county records, and any water or equipment rules before working the stream.
The official signpost
Where the real rules live
The land manager, current unit rule, permit, protected-resource law, and claim record give you the answer to rely on. Match the source to the land and item in front of you.
Reviewed: July 2026 BLM: Can I Keep This? U.S. Forest Service: passes and forest-product permits U.S. Forest Service: Collecting on National Forest System Lands CPW: Parks and Outdoor Recreation Lands rules CPW: Shed Antler & Horn Collection Rocky Mountain National Park: current superintendent's compendium U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Feathers and the Law BLM: Mineral & Land Records System Recreation.gov: holiday-tree permits Colorado Geological Survey Colorado General Assembly: Yule marble Poison Control: immediate help
Use this carefully: The exact land manager, unit, item, amount, purpose, method, closure, protected-resource rule, and mining claim can change the answer. Use an official map and the current local rule before collecting. This page is not a food-identification guide. If someone may have eaten a questionable wild mushroom or plant, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
Outdoors · Foraging & Collecting
Where to wander after the foraging guide
Foraging is one part of getting outside here. Keep the wildlife rules close, read the public-land notes, then explore the places behind the guide.
Wildlife
Wildlife & animals
The shed-antler closures and feather laws this guide leans on, plus what to do if you meet a moose, bear, or lion.
Read wildlife ->Read on
Outdoors & public-land notes
Short notes on Colorado's forests, BLM ground, and the rules that come with them.
Browse the notes ->Go local
Chaffee County
Mount Antero's aquamarine and the Arkansas River make the county a natural next stop for this guide.
Explore Chaffee ->