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California
| TREASURE HUNTING IN CALIFORNIA Add what you know about this area to create a handy guide for other treasure hunters. |
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| What this area is known for: 1. Gold 2. Tourmaline 3. Agates 4. Jaspers 5. Turquoise | Biggest finds in this area: 1. Gold nugget that weighed 160 pounds found in Carson Hill in Calaveras County. 2. The Himalaya Mine's production was at least 5.5 metric tons of tourmaline in 1904. 3. |
| Local appraisers: 1. Name, contact info/website 2. 3. 4. | Local geocaching/treasure hunting clubs: 1. http://www.nhm.org/gmc/ 2. http://www.mineralsocal.org/ 3. http://www.searchersrocks.org/ 4. |
| Best time of year to go: The climate of California varies widely depending on location,elevation, and time of the year. Treasure hunting can be done somewhere just about year round. Check the conditions at the area that you are interested in. | Other helpful resources: (newspapers, websites, etc) 1. "Gem Trails of S California" By James R. Mitchell 2. "Gem Trails of N California" By James R. Mitchel 3. |
| Have a question about treasure hunting or geocaching in this region? Post a comment for fellow treasure hunters below! | |
| THE BEST PLACES TO HUNT Regions can have multiple good spots to go — add details to build a complete guide. |
| Location #1: Bureau of Land Management Rockhound Sites General description: The BLM lists eight sites in the Barstow area of California for the recreational collecting of rocks and minerals. An additional eight sites are listed for the Needles area. | How to get there: The following links provide information on the rules for collecting on BLM land and gives directions to sixteen sites that agates, jaspers,turquoise, and other minerals can be found. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/rock.html http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/needles/rock.html |
| Grade this location: (A to F): A | GPS coordinates: |
| Handy to bring along: 1. Buckets or rock bag 2. Tools - rock hammer, hand pick 3. Safety glasses 4. First aid kit | Helpful notes to newcomers: "Desert Access Guide Maps showing the distribution of public and private lands are available for sale at BLM offices. These maps can be purchased at any BLM office." (BLM) Please leave the sites better than you found them. |
| Location #2: Jade Cove General Description: Jade Cove is one of my personal favorite spots in California. Not just because pieces of jade can be found but because of the incredibly beautiful scenery of the Big Spur Area. One of my fondest memories is collecting at sunrise along the beaches. The jade is the mineral nephrite. Pure jade is white but impurities tint the jade a variety of colors including the rich dark green most people associate with jade. Jade has a wax like appearance and is harder than a similar in appearance mineral, serpentine. Small pebbles of Jade can be collected from the beach but better material can be found scuba diving. | How to get there: Approximately 10 miles south of Lucia at the southern end of Monterey County on scenic Highway 1. Stop at the Forest Service sign which marks the beach. |
| Grade this location: (A to F): A | Coordinates: Lat N 35° 54.824 Lon W 121° 28.102 |
| Handy to bring along: 1. Small hand tool 2. Collecting bag or bucket 3.Only loose pieces can be collected For regulations concerning collecting see: http://jrabold.net/bigsur/roadpt1300.htm | Helpful notes to newcomers: The water is rough and swimming is not recommended unless the activity is an organized scuba dive. There are no facilities at the beach. The following link provides information on diving in Jade Cove: http://www.saintbrendan.com/cdnfeb/montery2.html |
| Read the Cash & Trasure report on the visit to Jade Cove: http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Cash_and_Treasures/ci.Jade_Toolkit.show?vgnextfmt=show |
| Location #3: Dentritic Agate & Petrified Palm Wood General description: Red, blue translucent agate is plentiful at this site. The Palm wood is not as plentiful as the agate but is quite attractive. The material is not fractured and makes for good lapidary cutting rough. | How to get there: At Mojave take Highway 58 east for 34 miles to junction with Highway 395 at Four Corners. Turn right (south) on Highway 395 and go .2 mile. Turn left onto well traveled dirt road paralleling high power lines. Follow this road 2.3 miles. Here the telephone line and high power line cross. Turn right and follow road along telephone lines for 1.3 miles. This will put you next to telephone pole with metal tags identifying it 183-2, L/24. Turn right here onto good dirt tracks for .4 mile to rocky top of gentle rise. The agate is found in float on this knoll and in the nearby vein. The palm and bog will be found in the same general area. Thanks to High Desert Insider http://www.highdesertinsider.com/html/fourcorn.htm |
| Grade this location: (A to F): | GPS coordinates: |
| Handy to bring along: Rock hammer; sledge hammer and chisels 1. Rock hammer 2. Small sledge and chisels 3. Safety glasses 4. Rock bag | Helpful notes to newcomers: Be prepared with adequate supplies and let someone know where you are going. I use the buddy system in the desert or wilderness county. If something does happen there is someone to help. |
| Location #4: Cryo-Genie Mine General description: For a rewarding experience in touring a tourmaline mine and working the tailing visit the Cry-Genie Mine in San Diego County. This site was featured in "Rock & Gem" magazine. We recently visited the Cryo-Genie mine & had a blast (pun fully intended). Dana, the mine owner, gave our family of 4 a private mine tour & then let us dig in the tailings. The tour was absolutely fascinating & Dana was such a hospitable host. We had fun digging in the tailings & there were probably only about 4 other people around digging with us. It was very cold at the end of May when we were there, but we stayed until our fingers were too numb to move. Of course, we didn't find anything gigantic, but we found several pencil-lead sized tourmaline pieces - one was even pink + green! I can't wait to make this an annual trip! Thanks, Dana! | How to get there: The mine is located on HWY 79 or HWY 76 in Warmer Springs. See the following link for further information: http://www.cryo-geniemine.com/CGDirectionsPage.htm |
Grade this location: (A to F): | GPS coordinates: |
| Handy to bring along: 1. Shovel 2. Hand pick 3. Rock Hammer 4, safety glasses | Helpful notes to newcomers: Call Dave or Dana directly for a tour of a working pegmatite mine. (714) 336-4467. A short notice should be given as to not conflict with their blasting time. |
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| Location #6: (Local beach, park, etc) General description: | How to get there: |
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| Location #7: (Local beach, park, etc) General description: | How to get there: |
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| VIDEO FROM THIS AREA Upload a YouTube or Google video of geocaching or treasuring hunting excursions from this area. |
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| PHOTOS FROM THIS AREA Upload pictures of your geocaching or treasuring hunting excursions from this area. |
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Latest page update: made by aubreyreynolds9@gmai
, Jun 29 2008, 2:45 PM EDT
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