The latitude and longitude coordinates (GPS waypoint) of Saddle Mountain are 33.4333729 (North), -113.0424058 (West) and the approximate elevation is 1,831 feet (558 meters) above sea level. Look no further than rockhounding! Maricopa County Saddle Mountain 51 Burro Creek Campground Apache Tears 177. This includes gloves, a pickaxe, a bucket, and a tarp to put your rocks on. Due to the severe wash outs at some wash crossings, this trail is more suited to vehicles with good departure angles. 65. The Sami Fine Jewelry Four Peaks Amethyst Mine Tour comprises transportation, lunch, a 30-minute tour of the amethyst mine with the workers and operators, and an Amethyst keepsake. Fluorite, Malachite, and Other Gemstones in Tucson, Arizona. A 4WD vehicle with high clearance and an experienced driver are recommended. The area is open year-round. Scan for abandoned holes and start digging. Location: 24 N San Francisco St, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Saddle Mountains Fire Agate 154. Found in the Saddle Mountain area of Arizona, this agate boasts stunning colors and patterns, along with a fiery iridescence that sets it apart from other agates. Detailed description: How to get there is as follows: From Phoenix, Arizona, take Highway 17 north. Phoenix and the surrounding areas offer a wealth of opportunities for rockhounds of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned experts. A three-mile trail leads from the parking lot at the base of Saddle Mountain, to the forest fire lookout at the summit. Share YOUR roads!We'vemorethan 13.000 roads but we want more! Lake Superior agate - best locations. Where To Find Desert Rose Rock In Arizona, Rockhounding in Arizona! North America. At the mine, no flowing water or electricity is accessible, and all digging is done manually. Volcanoes, Fire Agate, & Petroglyphs, OH MY! Definitely add me, looks full so I'll takestandby, all about rock hounding! This doable in a stock rig? You may get lucky and find both gold and agate as well. I know there are a few of them..Oatman, Saddle Mtnwhich location has the best shot of getting a good piece or two of the beautiful agate? When rockhounding in the wilderness, you should try to be fully equipped: pick and shovel to dig the hole, a hammer to break the rocks, and some buckets, as well as the usual desert necessities, such as plenty of water, food, a first-aid kit, mobile phone maps, and anything else you feel necessary that doesnt add too much weight. 837 followers Arizona Gems . The fire agate in this area often requires hammer and shovel to collect, and the terrain is rugged. Table Mountain Jasper 172. These areas are often rich in rocks and minerals. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has two designated collection sites that are open to the public year-round. If you decide to visit some of these abandoned mines, be sure to obtain permission from the homeowners, avoid going underground, and exercise extreme caution at all times. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. When you arrive at Saddle Mountain, there are a few things that you can do in addition to rockhounding. The miners walk nine miles in total to and from work and reside there for a few weeks at a time. 5552430. 398 KB. (Or a Mixture? This fire agate mineral collecting site, located off I-10 near Tonopah, has some fire agate as well as an abundant supply of chalcedony and quartz specimens for the rock collector. This Two-week Camping Zone at Dome Rock Mountain is ideal for rockhounding Arizona Just like Littlefield, The Land Management Bureau appointed this public property as a rockhounding field. Overall, this trail is extremely scenic and can be the basis for a great day or weekend trip. It's a rough road and the area right around the parking area is pretty well picked over but found some nice stuff in the hills surrounding. Throughout this place, people can find decent discharged quartz crystals. Saddle Mountain is known for its especially beautiful scenery and ruggedness. Stay left as the trail curves through wash and a washed out area at 9.0 miles and then rejoins the main trail at 9.1 miles. Rockhounding Around The WorldScience QuestionsLearn About Different Kinds of Rocks, About UsPrivacy PolicyTerms Of UseArchives, Is Ammonia A Pure Substance? The BLM allows up to 25 pounds of specimens to be collected per day, 250 pounds per year. However, if youre up for a longer and more remote trip, take the whole 15 mile loop around Saddle Mountain. While many of these sites are on National Forest land, several (particularly the mines) are potentially private property, so do your investigation and get approval before venturing on any property forrockhounding near Phoenix. Azurite, Fluorite, Pyrite, Copper minerals, and calcite are only a few of the minerals that can be found if you know where to look. Near the town of Safford, Arizona lies your ticket to finding fire agate, a brilliant gemstone found only in the southwest. You can start or contribute to your rock array by visiting any of these fantastic rock hunting locations. 3 Baths. Many collectors have found enough pieces to satisfy them on the lower slopes. Speaking ofwhere to find rocks near Phoenix, old mines and prospects clutter the area around this city in western Arizona. This is especially important if you are going to be picking around rocks, as you may end up with cuts on your hands or arms. There is a cleared parking area with some fire rings. Artisan Rockhound. Or Compound? Volcanoes, Fire Agate, & Petroglyphs, OH MY! Slaughter Mountain, Arizona (Mine) Oatman, Arizona ("Cuesta Fire Agate Mine", pay-to-dig, $30-$50 entry fee) Though some of these sites have been used for decades as rockhounding locations, you . Stay on Courthouse Road for 1.8 miles until you come to a dirt road on the left. The website is for information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as a result of the information provided here. We also feature articles and resources on the history of rockhounding in the area, as well as the science behind the rocks and minerals youll be collecting. I hiked up in and around the mountain and had a nice time even tho I didn't turn up much in the way of Fire. Rockhounding Arizona Location: 9049 Oatman Rd (Old Route 66), Golden Valley, AZ 86413. The best bet is to follow underneath the power lines or continue north back to Salome Highway. It is one of several semi-precious gems found in abundance here. Our marketplace also has thousands of "close out" domains, at even lower prices! Sami Fine Jewelry offers Amethyst Mine Tours on a regular basis, allowing guests to get up close and personal with the Arizona Four Peaks Amethyst. (Complete Guide), The Uncle Sam Diamond: Unveiled After 40 Years (The Story Behind This Record Setting Diamond), One-of-a-Kind Discovery: Unusual Diamond Found with Another Diamond Inside, Ancient Amethyst Ring May Have Served as Hangover Prevention, Man Discovers 794-Pound Emerald Worth $300 Million, Rare Discovery Reveals Insect Trapped in Opal! ). Luckily, there are many excellent areas in Arizona where you can do your rock collecting and acquire very lovely samples. The average industry sales price is approximately $30,000. Optimistic rockhounds that are capable of following the edges and pick beautiful crystals out from the rock layers discover the perfect bits. This particular place youll just be searching and picking at loose sediment, mostly. Clifton, Arizona, is a little town northeast of Tucson in proximity to the New Mexico border with promising rockhounding prospects. Visitors are encouraged to explore the west end of the Saddle Mountains due to the amount of private land intermixed with BLM-managed lands on the east end. Asarco, on the other hand, has excellent Azurite, Chrysocolla, and Malachite specimens. Beautiful day though windy and join us as I show you where we hunt and how to go about it.. Beautiful day though windy and join us as I show you where we hunt and how to go about it. ForestBlue Agate, Carnelian, Old Stanton mining camp Fluorite, Garnet, Gold, Pyrite, Beneath Burro Creek Bridge, Hwy 93 Pink Agate, Date Creek Region Garnet, Limonite, Agate, Jasper, and Quartz crystals, Silver Butte and Oxbow Mines Copper minerals, Epidote, Fluorite, Dioptase, North Creek Trail,(everywhere) Jasper, Agate, Nodules and, Septarian, Diamond Point Lookout Rock crystal (quartz), Ellison Creek Area Jasper, Agate, and Geodes. Opal Hill is well known for its beautiful and rare fire agate, opal eggs and quartz crystals. To arrive there, take HWY 19 south from Tucson and exit at Pima Mine Road, exit 80. Adventurous visitors can enjoy opportunities to hike, horseback ride, collect petrified wood, and drive motorized vehicles on the rugged roads and trails through the sagebrush. Agate Mountain is a peak in Arizona and has an elevation of 4,892 feet. While GPS technology allows us to pinpoint any location on the planet, mark the location, and share it with others, Waymarking is the toolset for categorizing and adding unique . There are also a number of privately-owned mines that allow limited public participation for a fee. Allow for at least half a day to do this trail. Saddle Mountain lies 45 miles west of Phoenix and just southwest of Tonopah, Arizona. Location: 2995 Dome Rock Rd W, Quartzsite, AZ 85346. . Saddle Mountain, Arizona, Fire Agate Mineral Location Page: This popular outdoor recreation and fire agate rockhounding area is located outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Traveling with friends is a good idea, too. . You will have a whale of a time, especially since the variety of gems in this area is vast. Each individual is allowed to dig up a maximum of twenty-five pounds of material per day and 250 lbs in total annually. Big River Agate 170. It's a loop drive around Saddle Mountain, pretty difficult and lightly traveled. Phone service is often unreliable in these areas. If you want to go rockhounding, the Tucson area is a fantastic place to go. Many gem-quality stones have been unearthed at the site. A rockhound might go insane just gazing around, but at the end of the trip, the collector will scour through a tailings pile for samples. These one-hour walking tours are established on the book Stone Landmarks, written by Marie Jackson, a local-based author in Flagstaff. Item Information. Amid the third and fourth peaks is where the mine is situated. 48 Salome Highway Specular Hematite 165. Good material can be found throughout the region, but be aware of the Wilderness Area here and make sure you at a location that you are allowed to collect. Buy Now. This area is also popular for rock-hounders who will find both fire agate and chalcedony on the north side of the range. Gemstones, mineral samples, and lapidary fire agate rough. During and after a storm the road may be impassable, even with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Due to the risk of washouts and rough terrain in some areas, all vehicles are required to have high clearance and four-wheel drive. Primarily rockysediment with some smooth dirt tracks, Narrow in some areas with pin-striping possible, 4"obstacles" at a fewof the 2 dozen wash crossings we will make, All vehicles are required to meet state legal requirements, (i.e. 27 febrero, 2023 . Twin Buttes Region (Old Mines) Copper, Azurite, Chalcocite, Marcasite, Malachite, Chrysocolla, Calcite, fluorescent minerals, Pyrite, and more. 3 stars. Petrified wood mineral specimens, minerals, semi-precious stones, as well as invertebrate fossils can all be found here. Its even better if youre an amateur rock collector because youre always guaranteed to collect a few gems, even along some roadways. Saddle Mountain. We'll check out a site known for rock hounding to see if we can scrounge up some fire agate or chalcedony, We'll take a 14 mile loop of the mountain with a brief side trip into the heart of the mountain where we will be surrounded on all sides by gorgeous views and canyon walls. The recreation area is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm. Location: 16704 Avenue of the Fountains #100, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268. Price: US $188.00. Merikanite Obsidian is a semi-precious rock. We want your experiences too! Amateur prospectors have found thousands of ounces of gold in the Bradshaw Range north of Phoenix. Member since April 2012 Posts: 1,931. Size. You could get fortunate and come across a lovely specimen on the surface while wandering about. A type of Agate infused with iron and other elements in . Building a fabulous online presence starts with a top-quality domain name from DomainMarket.com. Open Location Code. Saddle Mountain can be reached from Youngs River Road, Astoria, or U.S. Highway 26 near the Necanicum Junction, 10 miles east . You are transported back to the starting point once youve seen the finishing process for the Amethyst production. The BLM has maps to help you get there. Bring water water water. Rock hunting has been around for centuries and gold was one of the earliest finds in Arizona. 50 Aguila Road Apache Tears 172. Agate is a common semiprecious silica mineral that has long been used as a gem and ornamental. Disclosure: These are links to Amazon. Again at 4.7, the trail narrows and continues. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. At 6 miles, the trail swings north and then gets rough again at 6.3. Other areas to find Jasper is the Plomosa region, southwest of Bouse, and Yuma south of the Quartzsite. The gem-type Saddle Mountain fire gates are a pleasant expansion to any mineral collection, as they are rare and hard to come by. Click the image for driving directions and a KML file. Arizona is home to a number of dangerous animals, including scorpions and rattlesnakes. The high quality of fire agate found in the Deer Creek area has led to several active mining ventures. Sunday 12/13 - Saddle Mountain | Rock Hounding | Petroglyphs | Easy to Moderate near Tonopah, AZ. Saddle Mountain is also a desert area, so it is also important to bring plenty of water and sunscreen. One item some rockhounds forget to pack is a first-aid kit. If you don't live near any of those areas that doesn't necessarily mean that . However, it is important to keep in mind that the weather can change quickly in Arizona, so be alert and stay prepared for severe weather events. 20 of the best rockhounding locations within driving distance from . when you come out to the Mine, you go to the claims and you can dig to your hearts content. S of Apache Nat. First labeled as "Cliffs" in the 1913 Arizona Road Map & Tour Book by 1917 Saddle Mountain was affixed to the location on the Maricopa Country Engineer's Map. Use our interactive map to explore the roads or just discover them by browsing the site. Turtle Mountain road off of Highway 95 provides access to this area. Since 1902, the location of this mine has consisted of four 20-acre claims held by one family. Accessibility guidelines and restrictions change. But regardless . A rockhound hopes to reach this massive geode 90 feet underground. 3.6. Travel a lightly used trail around Saddle Mountain west of Phoenix. The Four Peaks Amethyst mine continues to operate in a primitive manner due to its challenging location. Fire agate is now being called Arizonas unofficial state mineral. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Further research through the BLM resource would be helpful. Saddle Mountain is known for its especially beautiful scenery and ruggedness. Weve created an ultimate guide to gifts for rockhounds with helpful links directly to Amazon to make product evaluation and review easy! If so sign me up!! The Opal Hill Mine can be better described as a claim established on a hillside . Contact BLM for petrified wood collection limits. At 4.2, the trail enters a wash and roughens. It can only be collected for non-commercial objectives. The Black Mountains are located in close proximity to the town of Kingman in northwest Arizona. We looked but a fence prevents you from remaining on dirt back to the staging area. I am always amazed by nature and the earth, but these agates are over the top!Nugget Shooter Hats,https://nuggetshooter.com#!/HATS-and-T-SHIRTS/c/26703059/offset=0\u0026sort=normalMy Storehttps://nuggetshooter.comMailing Address:Bill SouthernPO BOX 576Morristown, AZ85342If you would like to help support our adventures and make an outing or two, check out my Patreon channel.My PATREON https://www.patreon.com/nuggetshooterjournalsIndestructible Shoes, Save your feet while Detecting, Exploring, Hiking! Always be respectful of privately-owned property and mines. It is inconsistent and gets rough at some points. A top-notch area in Arizona to gather rocks and minerals is near Congress Junction. 27%. Natural erosion such as wind and rain continue to help uncover new raw materials throughout the year. Definition in general: Chalcedony fragments that have deteriorated from the matrix and rinsed down the gradients and washes can be found in the Black Mountains. If you like to have a physical book in hand (like when theres no cell service), heres a few popular options: Rockhounding Arizona: A Guide To 75 Of The States Best Rockhounding Sites, Southwest Treasure Hunters Gem and Mineral Guide. I found a few nice pieces of fire agate, a bunch of nice regular agate and more chalcedony than I've found anyplace else. It is recommended to wear hiking boots and bring plenty of . If you like to have a physical book in hand (like when theres no cell service), heres a few popular options: Rockhounding Arizona: A Guide To 75 Of The States Best Rockhounding Sites, Southwest Treasure Hunters Gem and Mineral Guide. However, be cautious when exploring this region because it is densely covered in cholla cacti. A lock ( This area attracts a large number of tourists as it is close to Quartzsite and overall ease of access for your rockhounding Arizona expedition. The trail can be a bit rocky in places, but overall it is not too difficult to navigate. OpenStreetMap Feature. This mine offers the public access for a fee, mainly during cooler months of the year. Agate Semiprecious Silica Mineral. Make sure to pack bandages, disinfectants, and a few other supplies in case of an emergency. You can also take a trek and find geodes scattered about, even though they might not be of the highest quality. Arizonas climate is predominately arid, so bring plenty of water and dress accordingly. Never leave your essential gears and supplies like drinking water, a small shovel, gloves, a fully charged cellphone, and a bucket. Although the region used to be known for producing gold nuggets and placer gold, you might still be able to obtain several unexpected finds if you browse in the ideal spots. (A high SUV or other trucks can work too). The information provided in this article by YesDirt.com is for informational purposes and is subject to change. 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Place, people can find decent discharged quartz crystals Creek Campground Apache 177... A pickaxe, a brilliant gemstone found only in the Deer Creek area led...