where to find geodes in northern california

California is one of the best states in the U.S. for rockhounding due to its extraordinarily diverse geology and wide diverseness of minerals. The land contains many singled-out geological provinces, each with its ain complicated history and associated rocks and minerals. Even before the famed gilded rush, California had get famous for its high-quality gem pegmatites – well-nigh notably the tourmalines of San Diego County.

The beaches all forth the coast have long been favorite rockhounding destinations for their loftier quality specimens. California also has the significant do good of fantastic weather condition nearly year-circular in big portions of the country, which increases the window of opportunity for rockhounding.

The best places to rockhound in California include the areas around San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, Crescent City, and Eureka. The land contains thousands of rockhounding locations which include mines, quarries, body of water beaches, and stream beds.

Land Symbols
Land Mineral	Gilt
Land Stone	Serpentine
State Gemstone	Benitoite
State Fossil	Saber-toothed true cat

California: Source

California contains a diverse assortment of rock and mineral specimens such every bit serpentine, benitoite, jade, agate, jasper, moonstone, quartz, epidote, and rhodonite. Famous for the gold blitz, there remain many places in California where rockhounds tin hope to notice gold and native copper.

If you lot've already found a rock and you're not sure what it is, I'd highly recommend that y'all go take a expect at my rock identification guide which is filled with useful data and tools.

Through quite a bit of research and cantankerous-referencing of available literature, I have compiled this listing of some prospective locations in California which I would recommend to people looking to exercise some rockhounding. These are mostly comprised of erstwhile mining prospects, beaches, streams, and historically known stone and mineral collecting sites. For boosted reading, I'd highly recommend these books yous can notice on Amazon:

Rockhounding California
Gem Trails of Northern California
Gem Trails of Southern California

If you're planning on heading to the field, brand sure you have all the gear yous'll need! To get started, you can cheque out my recommended gear page which contains my total reviews for every Geologist's favorite stone hammer and the all-time hiking backpack I've ever owned.

Please remember that rock collecting locations are constantly changing. Specimens may become depleted from other collectors, the location may have been built on or altered, locality information in literature may be inaccurate, and property buying may have changed hands. Though at that place are many locations listed here, this listing is far from exhaustive. A location's listing here is not a guarantee of accuracy. Be safety, never go hugger-mugger, and make sure to get permission from the landowner to search for and collect specimens.

California Rockhounding Locations

Of import Disclaimer: I have not been to these locations myself, and I do not know if they are currently open for collecting. Apply this resources as a guide to get you started. Follow posted signage and always get permission from the landowner to collect.

Rockhounding Locations in Northern California

The best places to rockhound in Northern California include locations nearly the towns of Crescent Urban center and Eureka, besides every bit Siskiyou, Trinity, Modoc, and Mendocino Counties. A wide variety of rocks and minerals can be found in local streams and rivers including agate, jasper, gold, and jade.

Notation: All the locations listed in these tables are clickable, and will take you to the location on Google Maps.

Crescent City, CA

Crescent City and the surrounding area of Del Norte County is home to some very nice prospective rockhounding locations. Specially of note are the beaches in Crescent City such as Pebble Beach which produce dainty agates and jaspers. Former mines along nearby creeks are known to have produced copper and golden.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Multiple ocean beaches in Crescent City	Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Moonstone, Petrified woods
Prospects near Diamond Creek	Native copper
Keystone Mine in the Rockland district	Copper nuggets
Area mines near Shelly Creek & upper Monkey Creek	Gold, Arsenopyrite
Surface area gravels of the Smith River	Diamond (occasional)

Eureka, CA

The town of Eureka and surrounding Humboldt County have many great rockhounding locations, peculiarly the beaches of Patrick'southward Point State Park which are famous for their agates and jaspers. Mines and riverbeds in the surface area also produce specimens of many minerals including diamonds, platinum, and jade.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Gravels all forth the Trinity River	Diamond, Platinum nuggets
Woods Mine, 12 mi. Northward of Blocksburg	Bementite, Neotocite, Rhodochrosite
Area exposures on Equus caballus Mt	Chromite
W side of Horse Mt in schists	Large prisms of Epidote (with Calcite)
Beaches in Patrick's Point State Park (Agate Beach)	Agate, Jasper, Brecciated Jasper, Pyrite
Gravels in the Trinity River near Willow Creek	Jade

Siskiyou County

Siskiyou County has long been famous for its gold rush history. The thousands of former mines and the surrounding creek beds of the expanse produce a broad variety of minerals including gold, agate, jasper, and petrified wood. These are just a few of Siskiyou County'south many potential rockhounding destinations.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Agate Flat area	Agate, Bloodstone, Jasper, Petrified woods
Surface area Jade mines N of Happy Camp	Jade, Gold, Serpentine, Gold-laced jade
Along Jenny Creek	Agate, Carnelian, Petrified wood, Fossils
Jones Beach, Fort Jones	Olivine crystals on diabase boulders
Expanse gravels of Hungry Creek	Cassiterite crystals, Native copper in slate

Trinity Canton

The all-time place to rockhound in Trinity canton is in the gravels of the Trinity River, which comprise spectacular specimens of chalcedony, jasper, jade, petrified wood, and even golden and platinum. The area is also well known for its rhodonite which tin be plant in select stream beds.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Gravels all along the Trinity River	Chalcedony, Gold, Jasper, Jade, Petrified Wood, Platinum nuggets, Serpentine
Golden Jubilee Mine, NW of Carrville	Limonite, Quartz, Pyrite
Coffee Creek expanse 1 mi. N of Carrville	Anthophyllite, in veins in serpentine
Surface area stream beds well-nigh Dedrick	Rhodonite nodules
Indian Creek gravels, N of Helena	Rhodonite

Modoc County

Modoc Canton, particularly the area around Goose Lake, is i of the best places in Northern California to collect agate and jasper. The area surrounding Drinking glass Mountain in the eastern part of the canton is also well known for its obsidian which comes in an array of colors.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
12 mi South of Adin, 4 mi. E of Hwy 139	Wonderstone rhyolite
Deep Creek area SW of Cedarville	Agate, Opalized wood
Fandango Pass between Fort Bidwell and Pine Creek	Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Quartzite
Area around Goose Lake	Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper
Glass Mount	Obsidian (many colors)

Mendocino Canton

Mendocino county contains quite a few prospective rockhounding locations. The Eel river and its tributaries are known to comprise several variations of jade, jadeite, and nephrite. Leech Lake and the surrounding expanse has historically produced specimens of nephrite, calcite, and jadeite.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Gravels along the Eel River	Jadeite, Nephrite
Surface area around Leech Lake	Pectolite, Nephrite, Calcite, Jadeite
Impassable Stone	Rhodochrosite, Inesite, Bemetite, Neotocite
Boulders in N Fork Eel River	Nephrite jade, Crocidolite, Jadeite
Road Cutting iii mi. NW of Pieta	Actinolite prisms

Rockhounding Locations in Central California & the Bay Expanse

The best places to rockhound in Central California and the Bay Area include locations in Fresno, San Francisco, Mariposa, Placer, San Jose, and Monterey Counties. Local streams, mines, and beaches incorporate many varieties of rocks and minerals including jade, nephrite, serpentine, jasper, and agate.

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco isn't unremarkably thought of as a rockhounding destination, only if y'all alive in the surface area you don't have to arrive to find some decent rocks and minerals. In the areas surrounding San Francisco and even in the heart of the city you can find specimens of chert, jasper, and chromite.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Coyote Point, N of yacht harbor	Chert, Jasper
Outcrop 1 mi. NE of Cliff House	Spherulitic Chert
Area effectually Fort Point, in veins in Serpentine	Diabase, Datolite, Basalt, Apophyllite, Aragonite, Barite, Calcite
US Mint on Duboce Ave, as veins in Serpentine	Chalcedony, Curtisite
Western Slope of Crystal Springs Reservoir	Chromite, as scattered masses

Fresno Canton

The all-time place to go rockhounding in Fresno County is the Clark Valley area, where large crystals of apatite, andalusite, and epidote have historically been constitute. In creek beds in the western portion of the county, you can detect specimens of jasper, petrified wood, and even fossilized coral.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Jacolitos Coulee, in creek bed	Jasper, Petrified Wood, Fossilized Coral
Aurora Mine	Serpentine (high quality, get permission from store in Idria)
Clark Valley in surface area pegmatites	Apatite and Andalusite crystals
Due north finish of Clark Valley	Epidote (large crystals)
1.v mi. S of Hawkins School, Watts Valley	Grossular garnet, Vesuvianite

Mariposa County

There are several skillful places to rockhound in Mariposa County, most of them at old mines or historical claims. The expanse effectually Coulterville is a peculiarly skillful area to wait for rocks and minerals. Y'all tin can find a diverseness of specimens including jade, chromite, mariposite, and spessartine.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
2.5 mi. NE of Bagby	Jade
Purcell-Griffin Mine	Chromite
North side of road, ane mi. W of Coulterville	Mariposite
Surprise Claim, Due north of Mariposa	Rhodochrosite, Rhodonite, Spessartine garnet

Placer Canton

The best places to rockhound in Placer County are the gravels of stream beds where you can find specimens of garnet, rock crystal, serpentine, rhodonite, and more than. The expanse likewise contains several old mines that take historically produced many minerals including asbestos and galena.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Gravels of Shady Run	Garnet, Rock Crystal (with Chlorite), Serpentine
Wolf Creek, 12 mi. N of Auburn	Pyrolusite, Rhodonite
vii mi. SE of Newcastle	Chromite coated in Uvarovite
Alabama Mine	Argentite, Gilt quartz, Galena

San Jose, CA

San Jose and Santa Clara County contain several fantastic rockhounding locations. Peculiarly of note is the Morgan Colina area which is famous for its beautiful 'poppy jasper'. Other minerals to be found in the area include siderite, chert, cinnabar, and agate.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Coyote Creek, Eastward of Madrone	Siderite
Alum Rock Park, in boulders	Albandite, Hausmannite, Tephoroite
Creeks NW of Morgan Hill	Poppy Jasper, known as Morgan Hill Chert
Surface area mines most New Almaden	Chert, Cinnabar, Apophyllite, Gyrolite
Guadeloupe Creek, Guadeloupe Mine	Dendritic Agate

Monterey Canton

The best places to rockhound in Monterey Canton are in the beach gravels nearly the mouths of area streams. This area is home to some of the best rockhounding in all of California. Defended rockhounds can hope to find quality specimens of minerals including Jade, Nephrite, Serpentine, and Rhodonite.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Big Sur area, in stream gravels	Jade, Nephrite, Serpentine
Body of water beach gravels near San Simeon Creek	Jade
Simply Due south of oral cavity of Willow Creek	Jewel quality Nephrite Jade, Serpentine
Beaches near oral fissure of Limekiln Creek	Rhodonite boulders, Axinite crystals (with Epidote and Quartz), Nephrite Jade

Rockhounding Locations in Southern California

The best places to rockhound in Southern California include locations in San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside County, San Bernardina County, and Kern County. Local streams, mines, and beaches contain many varieties of rocks and minerals including tourmaline, quartz crystals, agate, jasper, and chalcedony.

NOTE: All the GPS coordinates listed in these tables are clickable, and volition take y'all to the location on Google Maps.

San Diego, CA

The area surrounding San Diego is globe-famous for its first-class rockhounding, particularly for its tourmaline and other pegmatite minerals. The all-time places to rockhound near San Diego are established mines, most of which are privately endemic. As e'er, make sure to get permission before collecting.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Mine dumps W of Lake Henshaw virtually Hwy	Aquamarine, Beryl, Lepidolite, Quartz crystals, Smoky Quartz, Tourmaline
On hill two mi. NW of Pala	Allanite, as black masses in quartz veins
Many area mines NE of Pala, Tourmaline Queen Mt.	Apatite, Aquamarine, Beryl, Quartz crystals, Rose Quartz, Tourmaline, and more
Stewart Mine	Bismuth, sometimes capping Tourmaline
Ware Mine	Beryl, Lepidolite, Quartz crystals, Schorl, Topaz, Tourmaline
Victor Mine	Cookeite, Albite, Bismuth, Lepidolite, Orthoclase

Los Angeles, CA

The Los Angeles area is home to many fantastic rockhounding destinations, particularly some local ocean beaches and streambeds. Among others, high quality specimens of agate, bloodstone, moonstone, and even amethyst geodes tin can be found. Catalina island is dwelling to two locations for albite specimens.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
SW of Acton, area streams & hillsides	Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Quartz
In Escondido Canyon, W of Acton	Amethyst Geodes, Agate (banded, green moss, etc), Bloodstone, Jasper
Area deposits well-nigh Portal Ridge	Rhodonite (massive, deep pinkish)
Area near Malibu Lake	Analcite, in basalt seams
Northward of Redondo Embankment, depression-tide gravels	Precious stone-quality Moonstone
Howlands Landing, in nearby pegmatite outcrop. As well Westward tip of isle	Albite crystals (clear, upwards to ane″)
Tick Coulee, on area hillsides	Chalcedony, Banded Agate, Bloodstone

Riverside County

The best places to rockhound in Riverside County are pegmatite outcrops, erstwhile quarries, hillsides, and streambeds. Joshua Tree National Park contains many great rocks and minerals simply is off-limits for collecting. Minerals found in Riverside Canton include fire agate, chalcedony, and rose quartz.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Rouse Colina pegmatite outcrops	Amazonite, Idocrase, Rose Quartz, Tourmaline
Area, Mule Mountains W of Ripley	Chalcedony, Fire Agate
Just West of Jensen Quarry	Hornblende (dark green crystals)
Erstwhile quarry in Due north Loma	Axinite (big purple crystals)

San Bernardino Canton

San Bernardino has some of the best places for rockhounding in the entire country of California. The area around Amboy is especially notable. The canyons and dry out lakes of the area contain myriad rocks and minerals including agate, opal, thundereggs, and calcite.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Wingate Pass surface area	Sagenite Agate
Amboy Crater	Boltwoodite (fluorescent), Jasper, Obsidian
Bristol Dry Lake	Celestite concretions
Afton Canyon	Opalite, Jasper
Surface area of Eagle Crags	Blue Agate, Bentonite, Calcite, Chalcedony, Jasper, Opal, Siderite, Wonderstone
Due north side of colina virtually Lead Pipe Spring	Blue Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Opal, Thundereggs
Mesas and gullies around Midway	Lavic Jasper (gem-quality)
Searles Lake	Borax, Aphthitalite, Halite, Hanksite, and more

Kern County

Kern County is a very popular rockhounding destination. The hills and canyons in the eastern portion of the canton are especially notable, with many locations that produce specimens of agate, jasper, opal, and quartz. The Gem Hill location and the El Paso mountains look particularly prospective.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
SE foothills of Castle Butte	Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper, Petrified Wood
Little Acorn Mine (too Huckabay Mine)	Epidote, Quartz crystals, Smoky Quartz, Scheelite
Pine Tree Coulee	Barite crystals
Horse Canyon Agate Beds	Agate ('Horse Coulee agate'), Fossilized equus caballus basic
El Paso Mts, surrounding area	Agate, Opal, Jasper, Gold, Petrified wood. Surface float or minor excavation
Gem Hill	Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Uraninite, Obsidian

San Luis Obispo County

The best places to rockhound in San Luis Obispo County are ocean beaches and their associated gravels. Defended searchers can hope to detect specimens of several minerals including jadeite, moonstone, and agate. The farm fields in the county are as well known to plow upwardly agate and jasper when plowed.

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Fields E of Nipomo	Agate (moss, sagenite), Jasper, Petrified wood, Stibnite
Paso Robles area creek gravels	Jadeite
Bounding main beaches, in gravels	'California' Jade
San Simeon beaches above high tide marking	Moonstone

Fee-to-Dig Sites

California is dwelling house to many fee-to-dig rockhounding sites where enthusiasts can go and hope to find almost whatsoever mineral they tin can retrieve of. Here is a brief list of some of the more popular fee-to-dig sites in California and where you can find more information about them.

Site Proper name	Boondocks	Best Contact
Himalaya Mine	San Ysabel	Website
Oceanview & Pala Chief Mines	Pala	Website
Beniitoite Mining Company	Coalinga	Website
Modoc National Woods	Ambrose	Website
Roaring Camp Mining Company	Pine Grove	Website

Tip: Check out my Complete Stone Tumbling Guide to make your rocks and gemstones actually shine!

California Rockhounding Laws & Regulations

I of the most common questions rockhounds take is whether or not they are allowed to collect at a certain location. It is the responsibility of each rockhound to obtain permission from a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property.

The ownership and status of country can and does change frequently, making information technology impossible to document accurate information on this page. However, I have compiled a listing of resources hither and then that you may investigate and obtain permission for any locations (found hither or elsewhere) for yourself.

Public Land Resource

I have written unabridged manufactures which encompass the rockhounding laws and regulations for nearly every type of public land you tin can think of. I encourage you lot to cheque them out if you lot are curious about the legalities of rock and mineral collecting.

Rockhounding on Public Land: Laws and Regulations
Can You Collect Rocks in Land Parks? All 50 States Answered

To determine what type of public land a particular location is on, I would recommend the California State Geoportal which keeps accurate maps of every kind of public land in the state.

Private Land Resources

As with almost states, each county in California will have records of who owns each slice of property. Unfortunately for rockhounds, the constabulary prohibits them from publishing their names or contact information online. You lot can become the landowner's name and address past visiting the county records role. This site contains a detailed process for accessing as much information as possible through these means.

Source: https://rockhoundresource.com/california-rockhounding-location-guide/

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