Where To Rockhound In Arizona (and What You Can Find)

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases with no additional costs for you.

Arizona is a fantastic state to rockhound in. With its diversity of geological landforms and an arid climate, which means there is little to no soil covering the rocks and minerals you’re seeking, making them much easier to find. The weather, while brutally hot in summer, is mild and pleasant through much of the state in cooler times of the year. September and October are the best months to visit the state.

The best rockhounding spots in Arizona are:

Site	Public or Private	GPS Coordinates
Round Mountain Rockhound Area	Public	32.539002,-109.099909
Woodruff	Public	34.73946,-109.90678
Payson	Public	34.23083,-111.32444
Burro Creek Rockhounding Site	Public	34.53605, -113.45188
Four Peaks	Public	33.67731,-111.32794
Agua Fria and New Rivers	Public	33.643823, -112.315900
Cave Creek	Public	33.782423, -111.997905
Twin Buttes	Public	31.89306,-111.03500
Morristown	Public	33.953476, -112.490972
Black Hills Rockhound Area	Public	32.874, -109.395
Red Cloud Mine	Private	33.040929, -114.523945
Four Peaks Mining Company	Private	33.555786, -111.876355
Cuesta Fire Agate Mine	Private	35.037756, -114.335850

In Arizona, you can find nice specimens of turquoise, petrified wood, wulfenite, copper, Apache tears, peridot, amethyst, geodes, gold, and fire agate.

If you want to check out the best book about rockhounding in Arizona, you can find it here (Amazon link).

Rockhounding Regulation and Laws in Arizona

Rockhounding is permitted on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management for free and without needing a permit, provided the collected specimens are for personal use (you can’t sell what you find), are less than 25lbs collected per day up to 250lbs per year.

This covers mineral specimens, and no power equipment may be used. This covers mineral specimens, fossils of common invertebrates, semiprecious gems, rocks, and petrified wood. More details are available here.

It is not permitted to collect rocks from lands managed by the Arizona State Parks and the National Park Service land. Rockhounding is allowed on lands managed by the Arizona State Land Department, the Bureau of Land Management, and the US Forest Service. These places might require obtaining a permit before collecting on lands managed by them.

The Best Public Rockhounding Sites in Arizona

You can find the best public rockhounding spots in the following section.

Round Mountain Rockhound Area

Not far from the town of Duncan lies the BLM Round Mountain Rockhound Area, which is one of the few places in the world where the uncommon and spectacular fire agate can be found, often lying right on the surface of the ground.

The Bureau of Land Management permits camping at this site, and a four-wheel drive car is recommended to reach the rockhounding area. The site is on Bureau of Land Management land. A map to the site can be found here on the BLM’s website.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Fire Agate	Occasional

Woodruff

Woodruff is a good place to head if you’re looking to find petrified wood, being located near the Petrified National Forest. South of the town, on the nearby mesas and river valley, are the best places to look. This area does require the rockhounder to get an Arizona State Land Permit. You can find the permit application here.

To reach this site, take Arizona 77 south from Holbrook. Take the Woodruff turnoff, heading east. When the road forks, take the left branch. Approximately three miles from the bridge, there will be a windmill on your left. Turn onto that road and drive for a bit over a mile. At a second fork in the road you’ll want to take the right branch. Stop there. The best collection site is on the hill on your left, and another is on a hill about a quarter mile further down the road.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Petrified Wood	Common

Payson

If you’re looking to find fossils, a good place to start is at a place called The Paleo Site. Despite this being an easy-to-access and open-to-the-public site, there is no shortage of interesting fossils to be found.

The site can be found on highway 260 just before the turnoff to Kohl’s Ranch, about thirteen miles east of the town of Payson. While fossils can be found throughout the site, the best place to look is around a wall of red rock about halfway up the hill. There is a trail that leads to the fossil site.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Fossils	Common

Burro Creek Rockhounding Site

Situated approximately sixty miles to the northwest of the town of Wickenburg lies the Burro Creek Rockhounding Site. This is an excellent location on BLM land to rockhound, where you can find a lot of different types of rocks and minerals in the same area. This is among the best rockhounding sites in the state. The closest town to the site is Weikiup, which lies about 20 miles away.

There is a campground at this site, and you do not even have to venture far from the campsite to find good rock and mineral specimens. In addition to rockhounding, the creek is a good place to wade and to cool off, and the nature is nice, in particular for those keen on birding and photography.

Rocks / MInerals	Rarity
Apache Tears	Common
Jasper	Common
Agate	Common
Opalite	Occasional

Four Peaks

The Four Peaks region of the Mazatzal Mountains is a wonderful place to hunt for rocks and minerals, but be advised, reaching this site can be an adventure. Amethyst crystals can be found in the loose dirt here. These crystals are unique to the area and have the name Four Peaks amethyst. These gems are vividly purple and have fantastic clarity.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Amethyst	Common
Quartz	Common

Agua Fria and New Rivers

There are many good rockhounding sites not too far from Phoenix. In particular, the banks of the Agua Fria and New rivers are good places to look for nice specimens of agate, chalcedony, and jasper. Being located near to a large city, this is a good place for rockhounding excursions with the family.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Agate	Common
Chalcedony	Occasional
Jasper	Common

Cave Creek

The town of Cave Creek lies to the northeast of Phoenix and is an excellent rockhounding location. There is a wide variety of rocks and minerals to be found here.

This site sits nearby to housing developments, and its ease of access makes this place a good one to take the family to and perhaps picnic while hunting for rocks and minerals. The banks and gravels of Cave Creek are a good place to start your search. In many places near Cave Creek, interesting specimens can be found lying on the surface.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Quartz	Common
Agate	Common
Gold	Rare
Jasper	Common

BTW: Do you want to know more about rock and mineral identification? The books listed below are the best ones you can find on the internet (Amazon links):

• Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals
• Gemstone & Crystal Properties (Quick Study Home)
• Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals (National Geographic Kids)

Twin Buttes

The area around Tucson is a fine place to do some rockhounding. In particular, the Twin Buttes area is a good place to look for rocks and minerals. This site is southwest of the city of Tucson. This is a good place to look for fluorescent minerals and rocks if you’re keen to do some nighttime rock hunting.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Fluorescent minerals	Occasional
Copper	Occasional
Pyrite	Common

Morristown

Situated to the northwest of Phoenix stands the town of Morristown. The area around Morristown is a good rockhounding environment, in particular, both sides of the road that links Morristown with Castle Hot Springs. As the site is not far from Phoenix and other towns, this makes this place an excellent day trip destination.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Agate	Common
Chalcedony	Occasoinal
Chert	Common
Jasper	Common
Schorl	Occasional
Calcite	Common

Black Hills Rockhounding Area

An excellent day trip excursion place, the Black Hills Rockhounding Area is a location known for fire agates. These rocks are only found in a small part of the world that includes the deserts of California, Arizona, and central Mexico.

Fire agate is the main interesting rock to be found in this location, but other interesting specimens can be found now and then. This Bureau of Land Management site does not require a permit, nor is a fee charged. Camping is permitted for up to two weeks.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Fire Agate	Occasional

Best Pay-to-Dig Sites for Rockhounds in Arizona

If you’re looking for a guided experience, consider visiting a place that offers instruction and tools, such as these locations that offer guided rockhounding excursions.

Cuesta Fire Agate Mine

At the Cuesta Fire Agate Mine, you can find nice specimens of fire agate as well as the occasional piece of chalcedony and desert rose. The mine is open all year, but remember the heat in the Arizona summer can be overwhelming. Upon arrival, you will be taken to the claim and shown where to find fire agates and how to dig for them. Tools are available to rent if you do not have your own. Picking up natural materials of any sort requires permission from the claim owner. The mine has a claim on 80 acres.

You can collect up to a five-gallon bucket’s worth of finds per day. The Cuesta Fire Agate Mine also offers lessons in how to work fire agate.

Additionally, the natural setting of the claims is beautiful and is very well suited to photography.

The mine is located off Route 66 between Kingman and Oatman. Their website can be found here.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Fire Agate	Occasional
Desert Rose	Occasional
Chalcedony	Occasional

Four Peaks Mining Company

Have you ever wanted to take a helicopter to visit remote sites and to reach the best rockhounding areas? The Four Peaks Mining Company offers just that! They offer tours of the mine, which involve a helicopter ride and a short hike to reach the mine entrance. Once inside, you can dig for your own amethysts. Private tours are available. The public tours cost $600, and participants must be at least 12 years old.

Their website can be found here.

Red Cloud Mine

The well-known Red Cloud Mine can be found in western Arizona, not too far from Yuma. They charge a fee of $35 per person per day. This gives you access to the mine dumps and tailings. Fluorescent mineral collecting is available at a rate of $50 per five-gallon bucket.

Additionally, wulfenite can be found at their South Geronimo Mine, where they charge $60 per day per person. Camping and amenities are available on site, and rock and mineral specimens are available for purchase.

Rocks / Minerals	Rarity
Wulfenite	Occasional
Vanadinite	Occasional

Other Notable Rockhounding Spots in Arizona

In addition to the sites listed above, here are more places that are good locations to look for rocks and minerals.

Spots in Eastern Arizona

Here are some additional rockhounding sites that you can find in eastern Arizona.

Site	Public / Pay	GPS Location	Common Rocks / Minerals
Both Sides of Mule Creek Road	Public	33.102651, -109.060702	Chalcedony, geodes
York Area	Public	32.894015, -109.212876	Fire agate, banded agate, jasper, carnelian
Ward Canyon	Public	33.040103, -109.285863	Red agate
Limestone gulch	Public	33.076183, -109.291580	Agate
Coronado Trail Mine Dumps	Public	33.095223, -109.378786	Chrysocolla, turquoise
Sunset Peak Foothills	Public	33.115935, -109.267835	Agate, blue jasper, black jasper

Spots in Southern Arizona

Here are some additional rockhounding sites that can be found in southern Arizona.

Site	Public / Pay	GPS Location	Common Rocks / Minerals
South of Yuma Mine	Public	32.314749, -111.122109	Willemite crystals
Neptune Mine near Grays Spring	Public	31.906389, -111.208056	Fluorite
Old Mine Dumps in the Sierrita Mountains	Public	31.877716, -111.194978	Melanterite, copper, pyrite
Dumps near Esperanza Mine	Public	31.867028, -111.129846	Copper, molybdenum

BTW: If you are looking for the best UV light for rockhounding, find out my picks below (Amazon links):

• BEST OPTION: Convoy 8+ 365nm UV LED Flashlight with Patented Glass Filter
• BUDGET OPTION: Karrong Rechargeable 1200 Lumen 395nm UV Flashlight
• OPTION FOR INDOOR USAGE: Prime Upgraded Big Chip 396nm UV

Spots in Western Arizona

Here are some additional rockhounding sites that you can find in western Arizona.

Site	Public / Pay	GPS Location	Common Rocks / Minerals
Burro Creek Bridge	Public	34.544811, -113.443189	Pink agate
Adair Range	Public	32.773423, -114.425797	Quartz, azurite, malachite, selenite, calcite
Laguna Dam	Public	32.815192, -114.486053	Gold, silver

Spots in Northern Arizona

Here you can find additional rockhounding sites in northern Arizona.

Site	Public / Pay	GPS Location	Common Rocks / Minerals
Meadow Creek Pass	Public	34.897145, -114.183762	Fire agate, grape agate, chalcedony, jasper
BiMetal Gold Mine	Public	35.155909, -114.081909	Placer gold
Kingman Feldspar Mine	Public	35.269609, -114.061120	Allanite, Microcline, quartz
Golden Gem and Vanderbilt Mines	Public	35.304927, -114.136007	Galena, pyrite, sphalerite, stibnite
Emerald Isle Mine	Public	35.363644, -114.191730	Chrysocolla, tenorite

Spots in Central Arizona

You can find additional rockhounding sites in central Arizona here.

Site	Public / Pay	GPS Location	Common Rocks / Minerals
Diamond Point Lookout	Public	34.286385, -111.193486	Quartz
North Creek Trail	Public	34.177454, -111.447593	Agate, jasper, septarian nodules
Date Creek Area	Public	34.212639, -113.049795	Agate, garnet, jasper, limonite, quartz
Congress Mine	Public	34.199190, -112.853469	Gold, pyrite
Old Stanton Mining Camp	Public	34.156873, -112.736218	Fluorite, garnet, gold, pyrite
Rich Hill	Public	34.172805, -112.710444	Gold
San Domingo Wash	Public	33.886975, -112.662349	Gold
New River Area Streams	Public	33.919423, -112.104740	Agate, chalcedony, jasper
Go John Mine Area	Public	33.825682, -111.992997	Gold, silver, copper, jasper, blue quartz

TIP: Check out the article below if you are interested in the complete guide on gold prospecting in Arizona:Gold Prospecting in Arizona: 7 Best Locations & Laws

Rockhounding Clubs in Arizona

If you’re new to rockhounding in Arizona, getting in contact with the local rockhounding clubs can be a good place to find out where to look and what to expect when you get there. These clubs are excellent ways to make new rock hunting friends and are fantastic resources for where the best local sites.

Apache Junction Rock and Gem Club

The Apache Junction Rock and Gem Club is located in Apache Junction and offers members field trips during the cooler months. Those interested in rock and mineral collecting, lapidary, jewellery making, and other relevant crafts are encouraged to join the club. The club’s webpage can be found here. The club has a workshop available for members at a cost of $3 per hour or $100 per year for each adult.

Old Pueblo Lapidary Club

Based in Tucson, the Old Pueblo Lapidary Club has been around since 1970 and aims to share knowledge of lapidary skills, mineralogy, earth science, and metallurgy, among others. The club has excellent club-owned facilities, including a workshop and equipment, and they offer classes, meetings, and field trips. The club’s website can be found here.

Tucson Gem and Mineral Society

Established in 1946, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society’s mission is to grow interest in geology, mineralogy, lapidary, and the earth sciences. The society offers meetings which feature presentations on subjects as diverse as field collecting, the history of private and museum collections, mines and their environments, and scientific gem and mineral information. Membership is required for those interested in attending field trips, potlucks, and holiday parties. The website of the society can be found here.

Daisy Mountain Rock and Mineral Club

The Daisy Mountain Rock and Mineral Club is located in Anthem, Arizona, just north of Phoenix. The club’s meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month and include a presentation, a raffle, a silent auction, and a ‘show and tell’ of interesting rock and mineral finds from various members. The club aims to promote an interest in geology, mineralogy, and lapidary arts via education, field experience, and public service. The club hosts an annual rock and mineral show, which has a $5 entrance fee. The club’s website can be found here.

Rockhounding Tours in Arizona

If you’re new to the rockhounding hobby or if you’d like a more structured and guided approach to rockhounding, signing up for a professional tour can be a good way to get an introduction to the hobby.

Arizona Gem Hunting Tours

Arizona Gem Hunting Tours is based in Flagstaff. This tour company offers an individualised rockhounding experience. Their experienced guides will lead you on a tour based on your individual interests. Included in the tour are transportation from your hotel, a picnic lunch, day packs, trekking poles, and, of course, the knowledgeable, licensed geologist guides. Their website can be found here.

Four Peaks Mining Company

As mentioned earlier in the article, the Four Peaks Mining Company offers guests a very unique way to get around on a rockhounding tour – by helicopter! The tour includes a helicopter ride to the mine site and a walking tour of the mine. Public and private tours are available. The public tour costs $600 per person. Their website can be found here.

State Gem and Fossil, and Mineral

Arizona’s state gemstone is the instantly recognisable turquoise. Turquoise is an opaque, blue-green mineral whose name comes from Old French, meaning ‘Turkish’, as the mineral arrived in Europe via the Ottoman Empire. Often found near deposits of copper in Arizona, turquoise is a popular stone for use in jewellery. Turquoise can be found at a variety of sites spread across the state.

The state fossil of Arizona is petrified wood, in particular the fossilised wood from the extinct tree Araucarioxylon arizonicum. The large conifers, which grew up to two hundred feet, lived during the Triassic period (approximately 250 – 210 million years ago). The trees were buried under sediment, and as time passed, the trees’ cells were replaced by silica and are often vibrantly-coloured.

Wulfenite is the state mineral of Arizona. It is often found in the form of thin, tabular crystals and is commonly orange-red to yellow-orange in colouration. This mineral is found at various sites around the world, and a particularly noteworthy location in Arizona where wulfenite is found is the Red Cloud Mine.

Photo by Ivar Leidus – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127452260

Conclusion

Arizona is a particularly good place to look for rocks, minerals, and fossils. The varied geology of the state gives the rockhounder a wide variety of rocks and minerals to find. The arid climate makes it easy to find good specimens that are lying exposed on the ground, as there is relatively little soil to have to dig through.

Many of the listed sites are remote and some are not easy to get to, but that means better pickings for those who make the journey. Some of the sites are quite nearby to cities and towns, making them a good choice for day trips with the family.

If you’re new to rockhounding in Arizona a good place too start is contacting the various gem and mineral clubs; these are a fantastic place to meet others with a shared interest in rockhounding and they can give you information on where the best sites are.

With a state as geologically diverse as Arizona, finding rockhounding sites can be overwhelming for new rockhounds, members of the various clubs can be a fantastic beginner’s resource.

TIP: Although Arizona is brimming with unique rocks and minerals, it’s a challenging place to go rockhounding unless you have an idea of what you are looking for and where to find it.10 Common Rocks & Minerals You Can Find in Arizona