Your field guide
to rockhounding
Collecting sites with GPS coordinates, mineral identification you can use in the field, and honest gear reviews. Free and always growing.
100+
Field sites
50+
ID guides
30+
Gear reviews
Interactive Map
Browse all sites visually
Explore the Hub
One hub, every field resource
Location Guides
GPS coordinates, access info, and what to bring. Plan before you drive.
ID Guides
Streak, luster, hardness, crystal habit. Learn to identify in the field.
Gear Reviews
Real reviews of hammers, chisels, UV lights, and loupes — tested outdoors, not in a studio.
Field Notes
Seasonal tips, trip stories, and practical advice from real collectors.
Popular Destinations
Plan your next trip
Each guide includes GPS coordinates, road conditions, collecting tips, and what minerals you can expect to find.
Arizona
ModerateBlack Hills Rockhound Area
BLM-managed fire agate area near Safford and one of the clearest public rockhounding stops in Arizona. Best treated as a deliberate desert field day rather than a quick roadside stop.
Arizona
ModerateRound Mountain Rockhound Area
Second major BLM fire agate area in Arizona's Safford district. More remote than Black Hills and better planned as its own collecting day.
Arizona
ModerateDiamond Point
Tonto National Forest quartz locality near Payson, known for doubly terminated crystals and a cooler-season alternative to lower-desert collecting.
New here?We've got you covered.
Learn the basics first — what to bring, how to read a site, and which field tests save you the most time.
Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic: A Field Guide
12 min readThe Complete Beginner’s Guide to Rockhounding
14 min readUsing the Mohs Hardness Scale in the Field
8 min readHow to Identify Rocks and Minerals in the Field
10 min readMineral Reference
Identify your finds
Quick-reference profiles with real properties, lookalikes, and where each mineral is commonly found.
Quartz
A complete guide to quartz - how to identify silicon dioxide in the field, how quartz forms, where it is found, and how to separate it from common lookalikes.
Quartz Crystals
A field guide to quartz crystals — how to identify crystal-form quartz, what good terminations look like, where quartz crystals form, and what separates crystal material from plain massive quartz.
Clear Quartz
A guide to clear quartz — how to identify colorless quartz crystals, what affects clarity, where clear quartz forms, and how collectors judge specimen quality.
Quartz Clusters
A practical guide to quartz clusters — how intergrown quartz crystals form, what makes a cluster attractive, and how they differ from single terminated points.
Loose Quartz
A field guide to loose quartz — what collectors mean by the term, how weathered free pieces differ from in-place crystal growth, and when surface quartz is still worth your time.
Double-Terminated Quartz
A practical guide to double-terminated quartz — how to recognize natural terminations at both ends, how the habit forms, and what makes these crystals so desirable to collectors.
From the Field
Latest field notes
Trip planning, seasonal timing, and the practical details that make your next outing more rewarding.
Tumble Polishing: From Rough Rock to Polished Stone
A practical beginner guide to rotary tumbling — what rough works, how grit stages fit together, why cleaning matters, and what usually causes a bad polish.
Read article →
How to Read a Geological Map (and Why You Should)
A practical beginner guide to geological maps — how to read legends, unit labels, contacts, and map patterns so you can plan smarter rockhounding trips.
Read article →Rockhounding Ethics: Collecting Responsibly
A practical ethics guide for rockhounds — how to apply Leave No Trace, handle permission responsibly, limit site damage, and know when the right move is to leave material behind.
Read article →Why Trust This Site
Built by collectors, for collectors
Field-tested
Every guide reflects real collecting conditions — access, terrain, timing, and what to pack.
Fact-checked
Mineral data and safety guidance are verified against geological surveys and museum references.
Kept current
Access rules and road conditions change. Guides are reviewed as better information comes in.
Community-driven
Reader feedback and firsthand field notes help sharpen every guide over time.
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