Hunting for Geodes near Stockton Lake
As someone that grew up in southwest Missouri, geodes have always been more of a myth. Sure, you could find some druzy, but a geode? And honest-to-god, hollow geode? Not here.
Turns out though, I’m just too negative. On a recent trip to Stockton Lake, I thought I would do some proper research. This forum post seemed to have some good information.
On east bound Hwy 32 (still in town) turn lt on J Hwy. Go about 2.5 miles to the third dirt road to your left. Start looking in the ditches, there are geodes (some with nice crystals, some taht are polish material, and others just plain ugly), horn coral that some can be sliced and polished, and coral colonies, that if solid can be polished.
So I loaded up the rockhound and headed north! We drove all over the backroads, trying to find a good place to park. I don’t know what it is about a new area but I hate finding a first place to stop. Finally, we stumbled upon Old Union Missionary Baptist Church.
This seemed as good a place as any, especially since there was clearly water nearby and that tends to be a good sign. The rockhound and I got out of the car and started walking.
It started with a sparkle, something under my car. The further I walked, the more I realized, THEY WERE EVERYWHERE. Every step, you could see round little geodes. In the ditch, in the road, everywhere.
Alright, so clearly there are geodes near Stockton Lake. Not only that, they are very strange. The outside of the geode is identifiable by it’s smoothness, the quartz goes all the way to the outside, not encrusted in a layer of other rock.
Needless to say, I was stoked. Now how far could I go and still find geodes?
This is going to take some more research as I slowly expand my radius, wandering through ditches in the countryside to see how many shiny rocks I can find.
Author: Celeste
Rocks!