Digging at the McDonald Ranch

In June of 2020, the Central Oregon Rock Collectors club went on a field trip to the McDonald Ranch near Ashwood, Oregon. The McDonald Ranch offers petrified wood, angelwing agate, and thundereggs.

- BRUCE MCKAY

We met in downtown Madras, Oregon, in the morning and caravanned North on Highway 97. No carpooling was allowed due to COVID-19 concerns. We drove past the Richardson Rock Ranch and turned South on NE Pony Butte Road towards Ashwood. In 9 miles, we passed the polka-dotted trailer that marks the entrance of the Polka Dot Agate mine, and within a half-mile past that was the sign for the McDonald ranch at the first right turn after Polka Dot. The gravel road to the McDonald Ranch Agate Beds is well maintained and, at 5 miles in, ribbons mark the ranch entrance.