Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Preface xi
Introduction 1
The Landscape 1
Earthquake Country 5
Sites to See 6
California Wildlife 10
Desert Travel 10
California's Mineral Highlights 11
Legends and Lore of Gems and Minerals 14
Rockhound's Vocabulary 15
Rockhound Rules 18
Rockhound Access to Commercial Mines 21
How to UseThis Guide 22
Map Legend 24
Rockhounding Sites in Southern California
1 Fire Agate at Opal Hill Mine 25
2 Pebble Terrace 28
3 Black and Paisley Agate 30
4 Crystal-Filled Amygdules 33
5 Hauser Geode Beds 36
6 Psilomelane Near Wileys Well 39
7 Chalcedony Rose Garden and Grossular Crystals at Augustine Pass 42
8 Chuckwalla Well Agate and Jasper 44
9 Psilomelane at Arlington Mine 46
10 Orocopia Bloodstone 49
11 Orocopia Fluorspar 51
12 Big River Botxyoidal Chalcedony with Drusy Quartz, Jasper, and Agate 53
13 Turde Mountains Snowy Chalcedony Roses 56
14 Lake Havasu Agate 59
15 Dendritic White Opalite at Gofis 61
16 Danby Opalite and Agate 64
17 Fossil Trilobites and Marble at Cadiz 66
18 Marble Mountains Garnet and Hematite 68
19 Kelbaker Road Nodules and Chalcedony 70
20 Providence Mountains Iron Minerals 72
21 Old Camp Carnelian and Chalcedony Roses 74
22 Ludlow Gems 76
23 West of Ludlow Chalcedony, Calcite, and More 79
24 Hector Agates and Jasper 81
25 Pisgah Crater Volcanic Adventure 84
26 Lavic Siding Jasper and Agate 87
27 West of Hector Blue Chalcedony, Jasper, and Agate 89
28 Newberry Nodules 91
29 Orbicular Rhyolite at Grandview Mine 93
30 Marble Quarry off Stoddard Wells Road 95
31 Opal Mountain Opal and Agate 98
32 Onyx and Borate Minerals in Mule Canyon 101
33 Hilltop Agate and Jasper at Mineola Road 104
34 Alvord Mine Copper Minerals and Calcite 106
35 Field Road Agates 108
36 Afton Canyon Collectibles 111
37 Turquoise at OldToltec Mine 114
38 Clark Mountain Copper and Lead Minerals 116
39 Old Zabriskie Station Precious Opal 118
40 SperryWash Fossils, Petrified Wood, and Agate 121
41 Gem Hill Agate, Rhyolite, and Common Opal 123
42 San Gabriel River Gold 126
43 Wrightwood Actinolite 129
44 In-Ko-Pah Asterated Quartz and Moonstone Feldspar 131
45 Coyote Mountains Fossils and More 133
Rockhounding Sites in Coastal California
46 Patrick's Point Beach Agates 135
47 Agate Beach Jasper, Agate, and Petrified Wood 137
48 Beach-Washed Jade and Actinolite at Jade Cove 140
49 Moonstone Beach 143
50 Jalama Beach Agate and Marcasite 146
51 Gaviota Beach Minerals 149
52 Southern Coast Beachcombing 151
53 PalosVerdes Beach Barite Crystals 153
Rockhounding Sites in Northern California
54 Anderson Lake Agate and Jasper 156
55 Mother Lode Mariposite 158
56 Eureka Valley Smoky Quartz Crystals 160
57 Peterson Mountain Quartz Crystals 163
58 Antelope Lake Rose Quartz 166
59 Taylorville Fossils 169
60 Buck's Lake Serpentine 171
61 Pulga Californite in Serpentine 173
62 Feather River Gold 175
63 Feather River Serpentine 177
64 Willard Creek Agate and Jasper 179
65 Susanville Agates and Petrified Wood 181
66 Cedarville Petrified Wood 184
67 Davis Creek Obsidian Varieties 187
68 Lassen Creek Rainbow and Green-Sheen Obsidian 192
69 Shasta Area Copper Minerals 194
70 Eel River Jade and Crocidolite 196
71 Colorful Jasper and Jade Near Covelo 198
72 Hearst Collectibles 200
73 Black Butte Reservoir Showy Jasper 202
74 Goat Mountain Moss Agate 205
Appendix A Sources Used for This Guide 208
Appendix B Further Reading and Information 209
Appendix C Rockhound Clubs and Organizations 210
Index 219
About the Author 227
About the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies 228
