Can I Take Rocks from a River?

yes. You can take rocks and minerals from public lands. But there are a number of things that you need to keep in mind. For example, you can only collect rocks on BLM lands if it's for personal use and not used to sell.

Can you take stones from a river?

The riverbed is owned by the landowner (although the water isn't), so removing rocks (or any other item) from the riverbed is the same as removing them from anywhere else on the land. In other words, it's probably theft, so NOT legal. If you're concerned about it, ask the landowner's permission.

Is it against the law to remove rocks from a river?

The U.S. National Park Service deems it illegal since it violates code § 2.1 for the Preservation of Natural, Cultural, and Archeological Resources and can subject violators to criminal penalties. Despite it being illegal in private parks, you can take rocks from public parks.