Nevada is a fantastic state for rockhounding, both for the uniqueness of the specimens which can be found here and for the sheer number of prospective rockhounding sites. The history of commercial ore production is long and well documented, and the many mining districts across the state provide a great number of collecting sites for rockhounds if they can gain access. There are far too many old mines and prospects to list, some of which operate to this day.
In addition to these metal ores, there are many opportunities for rockhounds searching for gemstones and crystals. Nevada is well regarded for its high-quality opal which is some of the most valued in the entire world. If you know where to look, there are many rockhounding opportunities for enthusiasts to explore all over the state.
The best places to rockhound in Nevada are the mines and prospects across the state which contain ores of precious metals. The most popular sites are in Virgin Valley where several opal mines operate and are open to the public. Other notable rockhounding sites are Garnet Hill and Black Rock Desert.
| State Symbols | |
|---|---|
| State Mineral | Silver |
| State Rock | Sandstone |
| State Gemstone | Black Fire Opal and Turquoise |
| State Fossil | Shonisaurus popularis |
This article will dive deeper into the many great rockhounding sites across the state (along with maps), but I’d like to highlight a few standouts here. The top 10 rockhounding sites in Nevada:
- Virgin Valley – This area is world-famous for its amazing, high-quality fire opal specimens. There are a handful of mines open to the public where, for a small fee, you can spend a day digging through tailings and finding fantastic opal specimens.
- Black Rock Desert – Nearly the entire area of the Black Rock Desert has the potential to yield fire opal and opalized wood.
- Garnet Hill – This public recreation area offers everyone the chance to search for garnet (and other minerals) absolutely free of charge. Try searching the exposed rhyolites all over the area to find high-quality, deep red garnets.
- Fish Lake Valley – The large area of Fish Lake Valley is well known for yielding opalite specimens (among other great finds).
- Royston Turquoise Mine – If you’re searching for turquoise and want to give yourself the best shot at finding some, then the Royston Turquoise Mine is the place to go. It is one of a select few mines open to the public in the U.S. where turquoise can be found.
- Aurora Ghost Town – The washes, draws, and gravels in the area surrounding this old ghost town have historically contained quartz crystals, jasper, and other quartz minerals.
- Agate Point – This appropriately named hill is known to produce nice specimens of semiprecious gemstones including agate, chalcedony, chert, flint, jasper, and other quartz-family minerals.
- Tuscarora– The area all around Tuscarora contains citrine and rose quartz crystals, as well as wondestone. Try searching in gravels and in the talus of area outcrops.
- Walker Lake – If you walk the shores and the area surrounding the lake you may find a nice variety of specimens including agate, chalcedony, petrified wood, and turquoise.
- Valley of Fire State Park – This fantastic state park to the northeast of Las Vegas has several locations where rockhounds can find nice specimens of wonderstone and chalcedony.
Due to Nevada’s complex geology and mountainous terrain, the state has a long history of industrial precious metal production and continues to produce ores of copper, gold, iron, silver, and other metallic minerals to this day. Nevada is still commercially focused on those commercial ores, but other interesting minerals are available for rockhounds to find including a wide variety of precious and semiprecious gemstones and crystals.
The most commonly found minerals in Nevada are:
- Turquoise
- Opal
- Garnet
- Variscite
- Precious metal ores
- Wonderstone
- Jasper
- Petrified wood
- Quartz
- Agate
If you’ve already found a rock and you’re not sure what it is, I would highly recommend checking out my Practical Rock Identification System. This bundle of information includes a book, videos, and online tools. It is, simply put, the most comprehensive and easy-to-understand rock identification system you’ll find anywhere.
You can also read through my free rock identification guide and mineral identification guide which are filled with useful information and tools.
Through quite a bit of research and cross-referencing of available literature, I have compiled this list of some prospective locations in Nevada which I would recommend to people looking to do some rockhounding. These are mostly comprised of old mining prospects, washes, streams, and historically known rock and mineral collecting sites. For additional reading, I’d highly recommend these books you can find on Amazon:
Please remember that rock collecting locations are constantly changing. Specimens may become depleted from other collectors, the location may have been built on or altered, locality information in literature may be inaccurate, and property ownership may have changed hands. Joining up with a local rockhounding club for a group trip can often get you access to otherwise off-limits locations like privately owned mines and quarries. Though there are many locations listed here, this list is far from exhaustive. A location’s listing here is not a guarantee of accuracy. Be safe, never go underground, and make sure to get permission from the landowner to search for and collect specimens.
If you’re planning on heading to the field, make sure you have all the gear you’ll need! To get started, you can check out my recommended gear page which contains my full reviews for every Geologist’s favorite rock hammer and the best hiking backpack I’ve ever owned.
Rockhounding Sites in Nevada
Important Disclaimer: I have not been to these locations myself, and I do not know if they are currently open for collecting. Use this resource as a guide to get you started. Follow posted signage and always get permission from the landowner to collect.
NOTE: All the locations listed in these tables are clickable, and will take you to the location on Google Maps.
I’ll break up the state into the four regions shown below for ease of reference and so that I can discuss the rockhounding sites in each area bit more in-depth.
Northeastern Nevada Rockhounding Locations
Some of the best rockhounding sites in the state are in northeastern Nevada. Much like the rest of the state, there are countless mines and metamorphic veins (many more than could possibly be listed here) which produce a wealth of precious metallic minerals such as gold, copper, and silver, along with their many associated minerals. The most notable rockhounding locations in northeastern Nevada are in Virgin Valley where many opal mines are open to the public for digging. Other great rockhounding sites include the Black Rock Desert and Agate Point where you can find specimens like opalized wood, geodes, agate, and jasper.
| Location | Rocks & Minerals |
|---|---|
| Copper King Mine, near Carlin | Turquoise (Faustite, green variant) |
| Cobre, E of town in quartzites and limestones | Copper, Lead Iron |
| Elko County, many area mines in metamorphic veins | Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Platinum, and Zinc minerals |
| Mountain City, area mines | Azurite, Malachite, other Copper minerals |
| Gold Creek near Island Mountain, in placers and veins | Gold, Platinum, Silver |
| Tuscarora, area surfaces, gravels, and outcrops | Citrine, Quartz (rose quartz), Wonderstone |
| Mineral Hill, in veins | Copper, Lead, Silver, and Zinc minerals |
| Mt. Hope, area mines | Lead, Silver, and Zinc minerals |
| Beowawe, area mines | Cinnabar |
| Eureka, mines of several nearby mining districts | Arsenic, Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, and Zinc minerals |
| Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine | Opal (precious, black fire, common), Opalized wood, Rhodonite |
| Virgin Valley, area on E side | Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Flint, Jasper, Opal, Silicified lignite, Opalized wood, Petrified wood |
| Greenfire Opal Mine | Opal (gem-quality, black, fire, common) |
| Golconda, veins and area mines | Gold, Copper, Iron, Lead, Manganese, Tungsten, and Zinc minerals |
| McDermitt, area veins and mines | Copper, Lead, Silver, Gold, and Lead minerals, Agate (purple sagenitic) |
| Willow Creek near Orovada, in placers and veins | Gold, Platinum, Silver |
| Agate Point | Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Flint, Jasper, etc. |
| Paradise Valley, area mines, placers, and veins | Gold, Platinum, Silver |
| Black Rock Desert, area surfaces | Opalized wood, Petrified wood, Agate, Fire Opal, Geodes, Gypsum, Obsidian, Tourmaline, Malachite, Epidote, Barite, Azurite |
| Sulphur, area mines | Antimony, Copper, Mercury, Gold, Lead, and Silver minerals |
| Winnemucca, area mines, veins, and placers | Copper, Gold, Silver, Zinc, Lead, Platinum, and Silver minerals |
| Lander County, nearly all regional washes, draws, surfaces, etc. | Chalcedony, Jasper, Opal, Opalite, etc. |
| Austin, area mines and veins | Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead, and Antimony minerals |
| Battle Mountain, area mines, placers, and veins | Arsenic, Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Zinc, Antimony, and Platinum minerals |
| Fox Mine and other nearby mines | Turquoise |
| Golconda, area creek beds and gravels | Chalcedony, Petrified wood |
| Silver Could Mine, in dumps | Cinnabar |
| Little High Rock Canyon, headwaters area | Obsidian nodules |
| Bald Mountain, mines and placers | Copper, Mercury, Platinum, Silver, Tungsten |
| Snake Range, E flank mines and veins near Utah | Silver and Tungsten minerals |
| White Pine County, many regional mines and veins | Copper, Mercury, Platinum, Silver, Tungsten, Gold, Lead, and Manganese minerals |
| Little Antelope Summit, area surfaces | Wonderstone |
| Garnet Hill, in area rhyolites | Garnet |
| Goose Creek, area gravels and surfaces | Petrified wood |
Northwestern Nevada Rockhounding Locations
Northwestern Nevada is home to many rockhounding sites that contain a wide variety of rocks and minerals including agate, chert, jasper, wonderstone, turquoise, and precious metals. In addition to the many mines that dot the landscape (far too many to list in their entirety) the best places to rockhound in northwestern Nevada are Walker Lake, Aurora Ghost Town, Lahontan Reservoir, and the slopes of several nearby mountains.
Central Nevada Rockhounding Locations
There are hundreds of mines in central Nevada that can make for great rockhounding destinations, but this part of the state also contains many sites that are more readily accessible. Some of the best places to rockhound in central Nevada are Alkali Flat, Coaldale, Fish Lake Valley, Gold Mountain, and Yucca Mountain. You can find the usual precious metals like copper, gold, lead, and silver and their accessory minerals, but there are also high quality specimens of gemstones like agate, opal, jasper, and turquoise.
| Location | Rocks & Minerals |
|---|---|
| Alkali Flat Hot Spring, area thermal deposits | Calcium, Magnesium carbonates, Halite, etc. |
| Monte Cristo Range, mines and surfaces of E flank | Variscite |
| Lone Mountain, area mines and veins | Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, and Zinc minerals |
| Coaldale, area draws and washes | Agate, Chert, Opal (hyalite), Jasper, Turquoise |
| Fish Lake, area on W side | Apache tears |
| Rock Hill, area mines | Variscite |
| Fish Lake Valley, area | Cinnabar, Opalite |
| Goldfield, local mining dumps | Alum, Pyrite, Quartz crystals, Copper, Gold, Lead, Manganese, Silver, and Zinc Minerals |
| Montezuma Peak, area to S | Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper, Quartz crystals, Obsidian, Opalized wood |
| Esmerelda County, many regional mines and veins | Gold, Lead, Platinum, Silver, and Zinc minerals |
| Tokop, area mines and placers | Copper, Gold, Lead, Platinum, and Silver minerals |
| Gold Mountain, area surfaces | Citrine, Quartz crystals |
| Sugar Loaf Peak, area | Turquoise |
| Caliente, area mines and veins | Gold, Silver, Lead, Copper, and Manganese minerals |
| Panaca, area surfaces | Chalcedony, Chert, Flint |
| Pioche, area veins and mines | Copper, Gold, Lead, Manganese, Silver, Tungsten, and Zinc minerals |
| Yucca Mountain, area surfaces to N | Geodes, Nodules |
| Beatty, area mining dumps | Cinnabar, Opalite, plus Copper, Gold, Silver, Lead, Mercury, and Platinum minerals |
| Stokes Mine near Gabs | Iron minerals |
| Gabbs, many area mines | Copper, Gold, Silver, Lead, Mercury, and Tungsten minerals |
| Scotty’s Junction, area 6 mi. SE | Arrowheads, Obsidian, Apache Tears, Pumice |
| Tonopah, area ~11 mi. E | Petrified algae, Jade |
| San Antonio Mountains, area ~12 mi. N of Tonopah | Jade, Petrified wood, Wonderstone |
| Tonopah, many surrounding mining districts | Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Platinum, Mercury, and Tungsten minerals |
| Beatty, foothills area to SE | Quartz (blue), Marble, Phyllite |
| Veterans Memorial Highway, washes and area to N | Agate, Petrified wood, Chalcedony |
Southern Nevada and Las Vegas Rockhounding Locations
Las Vegas and southern Nevada are home to some fantastic rockhounding locations and an exciting assortment of rocks and minerals. There are many mining districts in the surrounding area that have historically produced precious metals, but the best rockhounding locations lie elsewhere. The best rockhounding locations in the Las Vegas area are White Basin, Las Vegas Wash, the Black Canyon, the south side of Crescent Peak, and the Valley of Fire State Park. These locations turn up a wide variety of minerals including ulexite, amethyst, garnet, wonderstone, and turquoise.
| Location | Rocks & Minerals |
|---|---|
| White Basin, in deposits | Ulexite (fibrous) |
| Black Mountain, area mines | Iron and Manganese minerals |
| Gold Butte, in veins outside park boundaries | Copper, Gold, Silver, and Zinc minerals |
| Henderson, area hills and surfaces SW of town | Chalcedony, Jasper, Onyx |
| Jean, area mines 8 mi. NW of town, in veins | Hydrozincite, Antimony, Cobalt, Copper, Gold, Lead, Nickel, Palladium, Platinum, Radium, Silver, and Zinc minerals |
| Las Vegas Wash, area gravels | Amethyst |
| Las Vegas, mining district ~20 mi. SE | Manganese minerals |
| Las Vegas, mining district ~40 mi. NW | Lead, Silver, and Zinc minerals |
| Nelson, 7 mi. E in Black Canyon gravels | Garnet (almandine) |
| Gass Peak, veins in area mines | Gold, Silver, and Zinc minerals |
| Searchlight, veins in area mines | Copper, Gold, Lead, and Silver minerals |
| Crescent Peak, S side in prospects | Turquoise, Copper, Gold, Lead, Molybdenum, Silver, and Vanadium minerals |
| Valley of Fire State Park, area | Wonderstone, Chalcedony |
Where to Find Opal in Nevada
Opal is probably the gemstone that Nevada is most well known for, and some of the varieties found in Nevada are among the most valued in the entire world. Many varieties can be found in the state, but the most sought-after and famous variety is fire opal. Rock and mineral collectors flock to the state in search of their own opal specimens, but even though it is (relatively) common in the state you need to know where to look. In addition to raw opal, you can find opalized wood in select locations. There are several opal mines that are open to the public, which are probably your best bet for finding your own opal specimens.
The best places to find opal in Nevada are:
- Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine – One of the most popular opal mines in the state. Open from Memorial Day to mid-September.
- Bonanza Opal Mines – Claims to have the brightest opals in the world. Open for public digging on weekends from late May through Labor Day.
- Kokopelli Opals – A lesser-known but enjoyable opal mine open to the public, nearby other notable mines.
- Royal Peacock Opal Mine – A very well-known and popular opal mine open to the public from May through the summer, with lodging available.
- Opal Negra Mining – Another opal mine in the area, open to the general public to dig for your own opal specimens for a fee.
- Black Rock Desert – Nearly the entire area of the Black Rock Desert has the potential to yield fire opal and opalized wood.
- Lander County – Opal and opalite can be found on almost any surface in Lander County. Try searching in washes and draws, especially.
- Nellie Spring – Try searching in the gravels and washes around Nellie Spring, where opalite (common opal) is commonly found.
- Coaldale– The washes and draws in the area surrounding Coaldale contain hyalite, an especially clear variety of opal.
- Fish Lake Valley – The large area of Fish Lake Valley is well known for yielding opalite specimens (among other great finds).
- Montezuma Peak – If you’re looking for opalized wood, the area directly to the south of Montezuma Peak is the places to search.
Where to Find Geodes in Nevada
Geodes are some of the most sought-after rocks regardless of location, and Nevada is no exception. While Nevada isn’t particularly well known for its geodes, there are still plenty of places where you can search and have a reasonable chance of finding your own. These geodes form from minerals precipitating out of water seeping through the voids in volcanic flows.
The best places to find geodes in Nevada are:
- Black Rock Desert – You may be able to find geodes in almost the entirety of the Black Rock Desert.
- Star Peak – The area on the E side of Star Peak has been known to contain geodes.
- Yucca Mountain – Try searching around Yucca Mountain, particularly the area to the north.
- South Black Rock Range – The South Black Rock Range is particularly notable for its geodes.
Where to Find Turquoise in Nevada
Turquoise is an extremely popular gemstone with collectors and rockhounds, and Nevada is the perfect place to find your own. There are many locations known to produce turquoise, and some of them are more accessible than others. Some of the best places to search are in the tailings of old mines and in the float of draws and washes in select areas.
The best places to find turquoise in Nevada are:
- Copper King Mine – The Copper King Mine is known to contain Faustite, which is a beautiful green variant of turquoise.
- Fox Mine – Try searching the tailings of the Fox Mine and other old mines in the area.
- Walker Lake – If you walk the shores and the area surrounding the lake you may find turquoise.
- Excelsior Mountain – The gravels and float on the east side of Excelsior Mountain area a great place to search.
- Coaldale – Washes and draws surrounding the town may contain turquoise.
- Sugar Loaf Peak – Try looking all around the area of Sugar Loaf Peak
- Crescent Peak – Look for prospects on the south side of the mountain.
- Royston Turquoise Mine – A mine open to the public for a small fee.
Tip: Check out my Complete Rock Tumbling Guide to make your rocks and gemstones really shine!
Where to Find Crystals and Gemstones in Nevada
Nevada is mostly known for its metallic minerals from an economic standpoint, but there are also many locations where rockhounds can find gemstones and crystals. In addition to opal and turquoise, you can find gemstones like citrine, quartz, wonderstone, agate, and garnet. Since much of Nevada is public land open to public use, there are many locations where you can easily go searching for your own crystals and gemstones.
The best places to find gemstones and crystals in Nevada are:
- Virgin Valley – This area is world-famous for its amazing, high-quality fire opal specimens. There are a handful of mines open to the public where, for a small fee, you can spend a day digging through tailings and finding fantastic opal specimens.
- Royston Turquoise Mine – If you’re searching for turquoise and want to give yourself the best shot at finding some, then the Royston Turquoise Mine is the place to go. It is one of a select few mines open to the public in the U.S. where turquoise can be found.
- Garnet Hill – This public recreation area offers everyone the chance to search for garnet (and other minerals) absolutely free of charge. Try searching the exposed rhyolites all over the area to find high-quality, deep red garnets.
- Tuscarora– The area all around Tuscarora contains citrine and rose quartz crystals, as well as wondestone. Try searching in gravels and in the talus of area outcrops.
- Agate Point – This appropriately named hill is known to produce nice specimens of semiprecious gemstones including agate, chalcedony, chert, flint, jasper, and other quartz-family minerals.
- Little Antelope Summit – The area all around Little Antelope Summit is a great place to search for gemstones, most notably wonderstone.
- Aurora Ghost Town – The washes, draws, and gravels in the area surrounding this old ghost town have historically contained quartz crystals, jasper, and other quartz minerals.
- Excelsior Mountain – The gravels and float on the east side of Excelsior Mountain area a great place to search for wonderstone, turquoise, and variscite.
- Nightingale Mountain Range – You may be able to find nice garnets on the flanks of the entire east side of the Nightingale Mountain Range.
- Gold Mountain – Try rockhounding all around this mountain to find specimens of citrine and quartz crystals.
- Las Vegas Wash – A quick drive from Las Vegas, this wash area has long been a favorite of rockhounds looking for amethyst crystals.
Nevada Rockhounding Laws & Regulations
One of the most common questions rockhounds have is whether or not they are allowed to collect at a certain location. It is the responsibility of each rockhound to obtain permission from a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property.
The ownership and status of land can and does change frequently, making it impossible to document accurate information on this page. However, I have compiled a list of resources here so that you may investigate and obtain permission for any locations (found here or elsewhere) for yourself.
Public Land Resources
I have written entire articles which cover the rockhounding laws and regulations for nearly every type of public land you can think of. I encourage you to check them out if you are curious about the legalities of rock and mineral collecting.
- Rockhounding on Public Land: Laws and Regulations
- Can You Collect Rocks in State Parks? All 50 States Answered
To determine what type of public land a particular location is on, I would recommend starting with the Bureau of Land Management’s Nevada State Office Information Access Center.
Private Land Resources
As with most states, each county in Nevada will have records of who owns each piece of property. Unfortunately for rockhounds, the law in most states prohibits them from publishing their names or contact information online. You can usually get the landowner’s name and address by visiting the county records office. In Nevada, I would recommend starting with the County Assessor’s office.
Sources & Further Reading
The locations and information contained in this article are primarily derived from academic papers, online resources, and other outside sources. If you would like to read some of the source material for yourself I have listed them below. The majority of these locations are my interpretation of Robert Beste’s A Location Guide for Rock Hounds in the United States. Other sources include: