W017 / Washington

Saddle Mountains petrified wood

Silicified fossil wood; locality group

Start with preserved wood structure. Color varies, so grain, growth patterns and the original label matter more than a single shade.

← Western Lapidary Materials
Verified reference photograph pending

What it is

Silicified fossil wood; locality group

What to look for

Start with preserved wood structure. Color varies, so grain, growth patterns and the original label matter more than a single shade.

At the cutting bench

Inspect the actual piece for fractures, voids and cutting orientation. Deposit-specific yield and polish data are UNKNOWN.

Under the loupe

Wood from other western localities can resemble these pieces. A wood species or exact locality cannot normally be settled from a casual slab photograph.

Source & collecting access

NPS identifies recreational collecting on parts of BLM-managed land and warns about intermixed private property. Contact BLM for current limits.

Status checked 2026-10-01

The market notebook

UNKNOWN — no verified completed-sales sample sufficient for a range

Market researched 2026-10-01

Open the field notes

Color comparison tags

Brown/Tan, White/Cream/Clear, Multicolor

Geology & evidence limits

Washington sources document fossil forests associated with volcanic burial. WSU’s Jacklin collection includes Saddle Mountains material.

Collecting & trade history

NPS identifies recreational collecting on parts of BLM-managed land and warns about intermixed private property. Contact BLM for current limits.

Reading old-stock material

Preserve the estate label, wrapping, purchase record and associated pieces. Old-stock status alone does not authenticate origin or imply a premium.

What we know—and what we don’t

Visual resemblance is a comparison clue, not proof of material identity, locality or documented provenance. Keep source labels and estate records separate from your visual assessment.

C&C Reference Collection

Reference photograph pending. Do not substitute an unlicensed dealer image or a similar-looking specimen of uncertain identity.

Sources & Further Reading
  1. NPS: Saddle Mountains

    Updated 2023; BLM/private boundary and limits must still be checked

  2. Washington DNR: Rockhounding

    Primary statewide overview; not blanket permission

  3. WSU: Jacklin Collection

    Museum collection history; image permission not established

Cut and polish with appropriate wet methods and silica-dust controls. Historic directions and mine names are not current permission to collect.