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| Below detailed localities, but also on the Wiki: |
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| California |
What this area is known for:
| Biggest finds in this area:
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| Local appraisers: Name, contact info/website | Local geocaching/treasure hunting clubs: |
| 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)
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| Have a question about treasure hunting or geocaching in this region? | |
| 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 Sur 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 Cryo-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. |
| Location #5: San Gabriel River Placer Gold Near Los Angeles This is a local recreation area where gold has been mined from the river gravels for more than 100 years. People are up here panning, sluicing and dredging for gold almost every weekend - gold is still being found. General description: | How to get there: Take the San Gabriel Canyon Road (Hwy 39) north out of Azusa. Turn right to go up the east fork. Gold was and still is mined all along the river here, including gravel benches now located above the river. |
| Grade this location: (A to F): B - its free and open to the public, but sometimes there can be loads of folks here on weekends. | GPS coordinates: W 117.79483; N 34.23769 |
| Handy to bring along: 1. Gold Pan and a shovel 2. Sluice box 3. Dredge | Helpful notes to newcomers: You probably wont strike it rich, but you can find some nice gold here. For more info, history and a map, check out this website: San Gabriel Placer Gold Mines |
| Location #6: Mineral Bar Campground - Placer gold panning near Sacramento Mineral Bar is a campground run by the BLM - gold has been mined here since 1849. The campground is at an old mining site on the North Fork of the American River. General description: | How to get there: Take I-80 to Colfax, California. Take the Iowa Hill Road to the bridge over the American River. Turn left into Mineral Bar Campground. Gold has been found up and down the river here for miles. |
| Grade this location: (A to F): A - Free gold panning, and a beautiful location. | GPS coordinates: W 120.92531; N 39.10434 |
| Handy to bring along: 1. Gold Pan, pick and shovel. 2. Gold sluice box 3. Camping Equipment | Helpful notes to newcomers: For more info on the mineral Bar area and how to find gold here, Check out the following web page: Mineral Bar Free Gold Panning |
| Location #7: Mule Mountains Fire Agate General description: Opal Hill Mine, Fire agate mine | How to get there: I-10 west of Blythe, Wiley Wells Road exit. Just over 12 miles south is a sign pointing to the C o o n Hollow BLM camp ground. Park here, and start hiking east. A trail leads to the fire agate digs, ( approx 9/10 mile from the end of the road) |
| Grade this location: (A to F):A | GPS coordinates: www.wiitaminingandexploration.com |
| Handy to bring along: 1.Sledge hammer 2.Cold chisels 3.Bucket | Helpful notes to newcomers This is a winter site ONLY! Never attempt this in the summer, it gets over 120 degrees. Limited water and out houses are available at the camp grounds. Warning to visitors to this area, When you leave Highway 10, you'll have to wind around the outside of the state prison. DO NOT PICK UP HITCH HIKERS IN THIS AREA. |
| Location #8 Wiley Wells Agate Nodules and Geodes General description - This is the famous Wiley Wells collecting area. Here, in addition to Geodes and Agate nodules you can find very nice vein agate, jasper, Sardonyx, common opal in a nice shade of orange, and with luck a few pieces of fire agate. | How to get there: I - 10 west of Blythe, or 29 miles east of desert center. Take the Wiley Well road exit south for 14 miles to the Black Hills Road, and turn west for just over 4 miles. At this point you can take any of the side roads and trails. Look for areas that look like giant golphers have been working. Start digging, and good luck. |
| Grade this location: (A to F): A+++ | |
| Handy to bring along: 1: A sturdy shovel to dig in the soft ash 2: A rock hammer or small pick 3: Buckets to carry your treasures in 4: Lots of water. This is open desert, and can get hot even in winter. | Helpful notes to newcomers: This is a site for late fall to early spring. There are 2 BLM camp sites in the area with limited water and out houses. The first is the Wiley Well site, 9 miles south of I - 10. The second is 3 miles further south at C o o n Hollow. Both offer good, level camp sites. I would highly suggest that anyone new to this area to buy a copy of Desert Gem Trails by Mary Frances Strong. It has excellent maps of the whole desert area. Special Note: There are rattle snakes, mountain lions, and coyotes in this area. Use proper caution. If lucky. you may get to see some wild burrows. Stay clear of dry washes during rainy weather. Flash floods can ruin your day. |
| Location #9 Lavic Siding Jasper / Jasp Agate General Description: This is some of the most beautiful jasper found in the California deserts. The colors are mostly reds and yellows, with stringers of white, clear and blue chalcedony. This material cuts beautiful cabs, and takes a high polish. | How to get there: Take U.S. highway 40 to the Ludlow exit and get off. Go under the overpass to old Rt.66, and travel west for 8.3 miles. Here you will pass back under U.S.40. Travel south for .9 miles to a set of rail road tracks. Use caution crossing these tracks, as the crossing is not maintained. Trains travel at a very high rate of speed through this area, so be sure to check both ways before crossing the tracks. Once across the tracks, continue another 1.5 miles south to the heart of the collecting area. |
| Grade this location (A to F): A+ | |
| Handy to bring along 1: Rock hammer 2: Bucket to carry your treasures 3: Water. | Helpful notes for newcomers: This is another area for fall through spring hunting. A good camp site is on the level desert floor in the heart of the collecting area. There is no water or wood available here. Gas, food and a motel are at Ludlow. Much of the jasper will be coated with a brown or black desert tarnish. It may be necessary to chip a corner to see the color. Special Note: This site is only 1 mile north of the 29 Palms Marine Gunnery Range.on a good day, you can get a show of our military might as they make bomb and rocket runs on targets on the desert floor. Do not try to go beyond the posted boundries of the base. Big Brother Is Watching. Also there may be live ordinance lying around to blow a leg off or worse. |
| Location #10 Newberry Nodules: General Description: Agate nodules and geodes. Most are golf ball size and smaller. occasionally larger nodules up to softball size are found. There are also veins of chalcedony and dogtooth calcite found in this area | How to get there: From Interstate 15 just South of Barstow turn East on interstate 40. At about 5 or 6 miles, take the Newberry Springs offramp. Continue East for 2.1 miles. Turn South on Newberry Rd., and follow it to its end. Park here and follow the trail up a narrow canyon for about half a mile. On the South wall of the canyon, about 100 feet up, you'll see blue and white layers of volcanic ash. This is where the nodules are found. A few nodules that have weathered out may be found on the canyon floor. |
| Grade this location: (A to F) B | |
| Handy to bring along: 1: A small pick or rock hammer 2: A bucket to carry your treasures | Helpful notes for newcomers: This is an easy site to reach, and special tools aren't needed as the ash is quite soft. If you plan to stay for more than one day, a good camp site is at the roads end where you park. Food and other supplies are available at Newberry Springs. |
| Location #11 Black Jack Silver Mine: (Abandoned) General Description: Cutting quality Dumortierite will be found in the mine tailings. Watch for small clusters of Dumortierite crystals in a very deep blue. Also watch for discarded mining artifacts in the tailings. | How to get there: From the town of Amboy on old Rt.66, travel 5.9 miles east to the Kel - Baker road. Go north on the Kel - Baker road for just over a mile. Watch for the mine head frame and tailings on the west side of the road. A dirt road leads up to the mine, but may be washed out. It's best to park near the bottom and hike the short distance to the mine. |
| Grade This Location: (A to F) B | |
| Handy to bring along: 1: rock hammer to dig through tailings 2: A bucket to carry your treasures in 3: Tissue paper to wrap any crystals you find 4: Drinking water | Helpful notes to newcomers: This is a very old and unstable mine. Do Not enter the mine. If you have children with you, do not allow them to get too close to the head frame. It's a very long way to the bottom, straight down. Gas and limited supplies are available at Amboy. A very nice camp ground with clean bathrooms and showers, and some trailer hookups will be found on the North side of Rt. 66, just a few miles East of the Kel - Baker Rd. Looking west from the camp grounds, you can see the mine head frame on the side of a low hill. |
| Location #12 Calico Mts. Petrified Palm: General Description: Petrified palm wood and fiber are abundant throughout the hills and valleys in this area. Also watch for agate, jasper jasp/agate and chalcedony. | How to get there: From Barstow, go east on the 15 freeway past the Yermo agricultural inspection station to the Minneola Rd. off ramp. Go under the freeway and turn east for 1/2 mile and turn north east on a good dirt road. Follow this for 9/10 mile to the power lines. The road forks here. Take the left fork. You will find yourself in a valley between the Calico Mts., and the Green Ash Hills. Park and hunt anywhere in this area. |
| Grade This Location: (A to F) B+ | |
| Handy to bring along: 1: Rock hammer 2: Bucket to carry your finds 3: Lots of drinking water. This is open desert. | Helpful notes to Newcomers: This is open desert. Carry water with you. The rocks you will be looking for will have a heavy black or dark brown desert tarnish. Look carefully at them. It may be necessary to take a small chip off of your finds to see what you have. This area has been heavily collected for many years. The further you go from the road, the better your chances of finding nice material. Special Note: Be sure to visit the Calico Ghost Town while in the area. It's a typical tourist trap, but a kick for the kids to visit And they have excellent meals at the restaurant during the day. The ghost town is closed at night. A small, but nice camp ground is just south of the ghost town, with water, toilets with showers, and several sites with trailer hook ups. This is open desert with plenty of good camping spots. No wood or water. Limited supplies are available at Yermo. |
| Location #13 | |
| Location #14 | |
| VIDEO FROM THIS AREA Upload a YouTube or Google video of geocaching or treasure hunting excursions from this area. |
 About this video: Mining for fire agate at the Opal Hill Mine Video submitted by: cswiita | About this video: Video submitted by: |
| About this video: Video submitted by: | About this video: Video submitted by: |
| PHOTOS FROM THIS AREA Upload pictures of your geocaching or treasure hunting excursions from this area. |
 About this photo: Photo submitted by: | About this photo: Photo submitted by: |
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Latest page update: made by jakesrocks
, Oct 29 2009, 10:36 PM EDT
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mudd1973 | Historic California Gem Mine For Sale (page: 1 2) | 25 | Oct 29 2009, 7:18 PM EDT by leonscabin | ||
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Thread started: Jul 7 2008, 8:54 PM EDT
Watch
The Fano Mine on Little Cahuilla Mountain in Anza, California (Riverside County) has been put up for sale. This is a tourmaline mine and some of the history is listed on the realty page - www.imrealty.biz
I was putting together a display case for my club's show which includes an aquamarine specimen from this mine. When I googled the name, the second entry listed the mine as being for sale. What a dream-come-true that would be to own a real mine. However, investing in 3 sons in college leaves very little spare change - so if there is anyone out there who would like to be "silent partner" - I can muster up plenty of free manpower to co-operatively work this mine on weekends. Ellen
Do you find this valuable?
Keyword tags:
tourmaline mine california
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| dynamojoe66 | how far is it to cryo-genie mine | 11 | Jul 22 2009, 5:14 PM EDT by pvjjh | ||
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Thread started: Jun 12 2009, 7:20 PM EDT
Watch
can sombody tell me how long it would take to get to the cryo-mine from palm springs.and of the thee tormaline mines on this web site which one would would you suggest for a day
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| elexem | Cryo-Genie was FUN! | 12 | Jul 4 2009, 7:43 PM EDT by pvjjh | ||
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Thread started: Jun 29 2008, 12:31 AM EDT
Watch
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!
7
out of
7 found this valuable.
Do you?
Keyword tags:
Cryo-Genie
Pala
tourmaline
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