A little curiosity. A great day outside.
Rockhounding guides for your next great find.
Find places to explore, get to know your rocks, and choose gear that earns its place in your pack.
- 31 location guides
- 39 mineral profiles
- Source-backed gear advice
Out in the field
Find somewhere worth exploring
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.
The gear guide
Pack with a little more confidence
![4 Best Rock Collection Display Cases [2026]](/_next/image?url=%2Fimages%2Fminerals%2Fquartz-1.jpg&w=3840&q=75&dpl=dpl_5s3L5u5MNbMa4tBkKinxx161WYke)
4 Best Rock Collection Display Cases [2026]
Compare four rock collection display cases by usable space, adjustable dividers and display style. Check which box fits your small stones and minerals.
Read article →![Rock Tumbling Grit: 4 Stages & Dosage Chart [2026]](/_next/image?url=%2Fhomepage%2Fhero-rockhounding-mobile.jpg&w=3840&q=75&dpl=dpl_5s3L5u5MNbMa4tBkKinxx161WYke)
Rock Tumbling Grit: 4 Stages & Dosage Chart [2026]
Rock tumbling grit stages and dosage charts, with Lortone and Polly Plastics instructions, rotary versus vibratory guidance, and refill buying tips.
Read article →8 Best Rock Tumblers for Rockhounding [2026]
Compare 8 rock tumblers, with picks under $100 and $250. Check barrels, controls, starter supplies and spare parts before choosing your setup.
Read article →Look a little closer
Get to know your finds
Quartz
How to tell quartz apart from look-alikes, what clear quartz and quartz clusters are, how quartz crystals grow, and places in the US where you can dig them.
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.
Matrix Crystals
A guide to matrix crystals — what the term means, why many collectors value attached specimens, and how matrix changes the way a crystal is judged and prepared.
Chalcedony
A practical guide to chalcedony — how to identify cryptocrystalline quartz, how it differs from agate and jasper, and where collectors typically encounter it.
Amethyst
The purple variety of quartz, colored by trace iron and natural irradiation. One of the most popular collector minerals worldwide.
Azurite
A complete guide to azurite - how to identify it, how it forms, where it is found, common lookalikes, and what collectors should know before heading into the field.
One step at a time
New to rockhounding? Start here.
Best Time to Go Rockhounding [Season & Terrain Guide]
A seasonal rockhounding guide covering the best times to collect by region, terrain type, and target mineral. Includes spring, summer, fall, and winter strategies for productive trips.
Read article →
3 Types of Rocks: Identification & Examples
Compare the 3 types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Find examples, a formation chart, and field clues to help tell them apart.
Read article →Rockhounding for Beginners: Getting Started [2026]
Learn what to look for when rockhounding, record your finds, choose a legal site, and plan your first field kit.
Read article →
Mohs Hardness Scale: Chart & 3-Step Field Test
A Mohs scale chart, careful scratch-test instructions, and a free one-page field card in US Letter and A4. Includes sources and test limitations.
Read article →From the notebook
Latest field notes
Where to Find Geodes in California [Sites & Access]
A practical guide to geode collecting in California. Covers the Wiley Well district, Hauser Geode Beds, Cinnamon Beds, and other productive spots with access rules, tips, and seasonal advice.
Read article →10 Best States for Rockhounding in the US [2026]
The best US states for rockhounding, ranked by mineral diversity, public land access, and real collecting quality. Covers what each state is known for and where to start.
Read article →Best Time to Go Rockhounding [Season & Terrain Guide]
A seasonal rockhounding guide covering the best times to collect by region, terrain type, and target mineral. Includes spring, summer, fall, and winter strategies for productive trips.
Read article →Curiosity, with a little guidance.
Plan before you go
Start with access details and collecting rules, then check current conditions with the land manager.
See where advice comes from
Use the references in our guides to follow the specifications, geology and reasoning behind the advice.
Know how we work
Built by Marvin, a beginner rockhound learning in public. Our editorial policy explains how the site is put together.