New Mexico is one of the best states in the U.S. for rockhounding, both for its large quantity of rockhounding sites and the wide variety of rocks and minerals available to be collected. The state’s vast open grasslands and deserts are largely covered by public lands which are open for public use – including rockhounding – which make it an attractive destination for amateur geologists. While there are no shortages of sites or minerals to collect, caution should be taken when venturing into the sparsely populated and difficult to access wilderness in which they reside.
The best rockhounding sites in New Mexico are in the state’s many National Forests and wilderness areas, including mining dumps, stream gravels, and rocky surfaces. Public lands like Rockhound State Park and Jemez National Recreation Area are popular locations where rockhounding is encouraged.
This article will dive deeper into the many great rockhounding sites across the state, but I’d like to highlight a few standouts here. The top 10 rockhounding sites in New Mexico:
- Rockhound State Park
- Elk Horn Park
- Abiquiu Lake
- Pedernal Park
- Bisti Wilderness
- Jemez National Recreation Area
- Sante Fe National Forest
- Jarilla Mountains
- Kilbourne Hole
- Pecos River
| State Symbols | |
|---|---|
| State Mineral | Turquoise |
| State Rock | — |
| State Gemstone | Turquoise |
| State Fossil | Coelophysis |
New Mexico boasts a wide variety of rocks and minerals which rockhounds from all over the world come to collect for themselves. The most famous of these is turquoise, which as the state’s gemstone has become nearly synonymous with the American Southwest. Other minerals which are fairly unique to the state include ‘Apache tears’ and ‘Pecos diamonds’ which are actually double-terminated quartz crystals.
The most commonly found minerals in New Mexico are:
- Agate
- Jasper
- Chalcedony
- Fluorite
- Petrified wood
- Chalcopyrite
- Quartz crystals
- Pyrite
- Turquoise
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 New Mexico which I would recommend to people looking to do some rockhounding. These are mostly comprised of old mining prospects, 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. 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 New Mexico
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.
For ease of reference, I’ll break up the state into the four regions shown on the map below. Each region will have its own list of rockhounding locations with an accompanying map.
Albuquerque & Northwestern New Mexico Rockhounding Sites
As with the rest of the state, Northwestern New Mexico contains a wealth of rockhounding sites with a wide variety of rocks and minerals. The best places to rockhound near Albuquerque are the Rio Puerco Valley, the area surrounding Los Lunas, and Laguna. Other great rockhounding sites in the area include Pedernal Park, Abiquiu Lake, and localities in Carson National Forest. Many types of rocks and minerals can be found around Albuquerque including agate, jasper, opalized and petrified wood, fluorite, and turquoise.
| Location | Rocks & Minerals |
|---|---|
| Rio Puerco Valley, area gravels, washes, etc. | Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Opalized wood, Agatized wood |
| Albuquerque, WNW in area sand dunes | Agatized wood |
| Pajarito Mesa, area hills and arroyos | Agatized wood, Agate, Jasper |
| Isleta Pueblo, area surfaces, draws, washes, etc. | Opal, Opalized wood, Agatized wood |
| Tijeras Canyon, area mines | Fluorite |
| Zuni Mountains, area surfaces | Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Petrified wood |
| Thoreau, area mines | Amber |
| Coyote, area mines | Azurite, Malachite |
| Harding Pegmatite Mine | Apatite (blue), Bityite, Eurcyptite, Lepidolite (purple), Muscovite (rose), Quartz crystals, Spodumene, Tourmaline (green) |
| Ghost Ranch, area N of Abiquiu Lake | Agate |
| Abiquiu Lake, S side | Agate |
| Pedernal Park, area to N | Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper |
| La Madera Mine | Mica (book) |
| La Madera, area hillsides to NE | Calcite crystals, Limonite crystals, Geodes |
| Las Tablas, mines to SW | Tourmaline |
| Sunnyside Mine, SW of Petaca | Aquamarine, Beryl |
| Petaca, mine dump 1 mi. W on S side of road | Feldspar (pink), Mica (book), Quartz |
| La Madera, area 1/2 mi. SE | Dumortierite, Specularite, Chert (gem-quality) |
| Youngsville, area gravels and draws | Agate (gem-quality) |
| Sante Fe National Forest, area | Agate, Apache tears, Jasper, Obsidian |
| Cuba, area mines | Copper minerals, Chrysocolla |
| Nacimieto Mountains, area draws and washes | Agate, Azurite, Chalcedony, Chrysocolla, Malachite |
| Jemez National Recreation Area, area near Battleship Rock | Obsidian, Opalized wood (in tuffs) |
| NW San Juan County, in Ojo Alamo formation exposures | Chart, Garnet, Jasper, Quartzite, Petrified wood |
| Blanco Trading Post, SW on sides of Rte. 57 | Chalcedony |
| Bisti Wilderness, broad area | Agatized dinosaur bones, Carbonized wood, Silicified mudballs |
| Turquoise Hill and surrounding area | Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper |
| Mount Chalchihuitl, area slopes and draws | Agate, Chalcedony, Petrified wood, Turquoise |
| San Pedro Mountains, area mines | Chalcopyrite, Chalcocite |
| Estancia Dry Lake, large area | Epsomite, Glauberite |
| Belen to Los Lunas, area gravels and washes | Agate (gem-quality) |
| Grants, mines over a large area | Many radioactive minerals |
| Laguna, area surfaces | Agate, Jasper |
| Los Lunas, area to SW | Agate (red, banded), Apache tears, Agatized wood, Obsidian |
Sante Fe & Northeastern New Mexico Rockhounding Sites
Compared to the rest of the state Northeastern New Mexico is relatively lacking in rockhounding sites, but there are still many worthwhile locations to investigate. The best places to rockhound near Sante Fe include several mining dumps along the Pecos River, the area north of Las Vegas, and several outcrops and sites to the southwest of Picuris Peak. Several rocks and minerals can be found including agate, amber, chalcopyrite, apatite,
| Location | Rocks & Minerals |
|---|---|
| Moreno Creek, area | Chalcopyrite, Gold, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite |
| Ute Creek, area | Chalcopyrite, Gold, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite |
| Mexican Gulch, area | Agate, Apatite |
| Point of Rocks | Searlesite, Villiaumite (fluorescent), other rare minerals |
| Sugarite Mine & coal fields | Amber |
| Las Vegas, area to N | Petrified wood |
| Pecos, mining dump near Willow Creek campground | Actinolite, Garnet, Lepidolite, Mica, Bornite, Pyrite, Tourmaline |
| Rociada, area mines | Chalcocite, Copper minerals, Molybdenite |
| Harding Pegmatite outcrops | Apatite, Bityite, Eucryptite |
| Picuris, area gravels | Staurolites |
| Pilar, both sides of Hwy to Velarde | Garnet, Staurolites |
| Union County, area in very NE | Petrified wood, Agate (rose color) |
Southwestern New Mexico Rockhounding Sites
Southwestern New Mexico is one of the most prolific areas for rockhounding in the entire United States. The many mines and expansive desert landscapes provide countless prospective rockhounding sites and a diverse spread of rocks and minerals to be found. The best places to rockhounding in Southwestern New Mexico include many localities in Gila National Forest, Rockhound State Park, Kilbourne Hole, and the countless old mining dumps that dot the landscape. A wide variety of rocks and minerals can be found including fluorite, agate, Apache tears, and obsidian.
| Location | Rocks & Minerals |
|---|---|
| Glenwood & Pleasanton, area mines | Fluorite, topaz (colorless) |
| Lee Russell & Kerr Canyons, area surfaces | Agate |
| Elk Horn Park | Agate (gem-quality) |
| Plains of San Agustin, volcanic tuff exposures | Agate (moss agate), Jasper |
| Luna, 2 mi. W on ridge | Geodes (amethyst geodes) |
| San Francisco River, N of Hwy 180 | Agate (gem banded agate) |
| Leggett Peak, N of Hwy 180 | Agate, Amethyst, Quartz crystal clusters |
| Luna, area (many localities) | Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Quartz crystals |
| Mogollon, area surfaces and mines | Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Fluorite |
| Quemado, area (many localities) | Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Agatized wood |
| Horse Camp Canyon, area | Agatized wood |
| Hatch, to NE in Caballo Mts | Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Quartz crystals |
| Hatch, many area mines | Goethite, Fluorite, Quartz crystals |
| Kilbourne Hole, in and around crater | Augite, Peridot crystals (gem-quality) |
| Las Cruces, area to S | Obsidian |
| Organ, area mines | Brochantite, Cerargyrite, Cerussite, Chalcopyrite, Molybdenite, Chrysocolla, Onyx, Rock crystal |
| Burro Peak, area mines | Azurite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Ceragyrite, Chrysocolla, Fluorite, Galena, Malachite, Pyrite, Onyx |
| Mimbres Mountains, W slopes | Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Chrysocolla, Jasper, Fluorite, Rock crystal |
| Meerschaum area surfaces | Chert (various colors) |
| Fort Bayard, area surfaces | Opal (common, fire) |
| Georgetown, area mines | Argentite, Descloizite |
| Granite Gap, area mines | Argentite, Cerussite, Cuprite, Sphalerite |
| Hachita, area mines | Cerussite, Silver, Stilbite, Wolframite |
| Apache Mine, near Hachita | Calcite, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Turquoise |
| Mule Creek, to W near state border | Apache Tears |
| Black Mountain, W slopes and draws | Albite, Amethyst, Biotite, Sanidine, Sphene |
| Sapillo Creek, stream gravels | Geodes (banded agate geodes), Carnelian |
| Alum Mountain, area surfaces | Geodes (banded agate geodes), Carnelian |
| Redrock, gulch 6 mi. NE | Ricolite (gem-quality banded serpentine) |
| Santa Rita, area mine dumps | Copper minerals, Cuprite, Molybdenite |
| Gold Hill, mining dumps | Argentite, Pyrargyrite, Silver (native), Sphalerite |
| Golden Eagle & Handcar Mines | Tetradymite |
| Playas Lake | Fluorite |
| Big Hatchet Mountains, area surfaces | Agate, Opal (moss) |
| Pyramid Peak, area mines to NW | Fluorite |
| Shakespeare Ghost Town, area 1 mi. to W | Azurite, Bornite, Galena, Linarite |
| Pyramid Mountains, area | Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper |
| Columbus, area 4 mi. W | Onyx |
| Tres Hermanas Mts, area mines | Dumortierite, Hydrozincite, Pyrolusite, Quartz crystals, Smithsonite, Willemite |
| Deming, area draws, washes, surfaces, etc. | Agate, Chalcedony, Chert, Jasper |
| Deming, area mines | Calcite, Fluorite, |
| Massacre Mountain, broad area | Carnelian, Jasper (deep red) |
| Big Diggins Mine (fee) | Agate (high quality, seam agate, sagenitic) |
| Rockhound State Park | Agate (sagenitic), Chalcedony (blue), Jasper |
| Cookes Peak, area mines | Anglesite, Cerussite, Galena, |
| Cookes Peak area, low hills and draws | Agate, Carnelian, Chalcedony, Jasper, Fluorite |
| Jarilla Mountains, hilly area to SW | Garnet |
| Jarilla Mountains, area mines | Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Galena, Gypsum, Jarosite, Limonite, Malachite, Turquoise |
| Bent, area streams and gravels | Onyx (Mexican onyx) |
| Mud Springs Mountains, NE flanks | Agate, Opalized wood, Silicified wood, Petrified Palm |
| Caballo Mountains, area mines | Azurite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Fluorite, Malachite |
| Cutter, area E side of road | Jasper (gem-quality) |
| Derry, area washes and draws | Chert (colorful) |
| Elephant Butte, area to W along road | Agate, Chert, Chalcedony, Jasper |
| Mockingbird Gap, W side | Jasper (dendritic) |
| Hillsboro, below cliff to W of town | Rhyolite (flowering) |
| Kingston, area 1 mi. to the N | Quartz crystals(double terminated), Quartz clusters |
| Fra Cristobal Range, W side | Agate, Jasper |
| Jornada Valley, area 13 mi. E of Truth or Consequences | Agate, Chalcedony, Elixirite, Jasper, Petrified Wood |
| Oscura Mountains, area mines, Blanchard Rock Shop (fee) | Chrysocolla, Chalcocite, Atacamite, Azurite, Barite, Celestite, Cerussite, Dolomite crystals, Galena, Limonite, Malachite, Quartz crystals |
| Grandview Canyon, area mines | Fluorite, Copper minerals |
| Kelly Ghost Town, area mines | Smithsonite (blue-green), Zinc minerals, Fossils |
| Silver Hill, SW side | Garnet |
| Red Rock Spring, large area | Agatized picture wood, Petrified cycad, Petrified Palm |
| Strawberry Peak, E side | Satin Spar |
Southeastern New Mexico Rockhounding Sites
Southeastern New Mexico is a fantastic area for rockhounding. This is the place to go for the famous ‘Pecos diamonds,’ which are actually very attractive double-terminated quartz crystals. Rockhounds can also hope to find other mineral specimens including aragonite, onyx, jasper, and even some gold. The best rockhounding sites in Southeastern New Mexico are along the Pecos River, especially the areas near Roswell, Artesia, and south of Fort Sumner along US 60.
| Location | Rocks & Minerals |
|---|---|
| Lake Arthur, 16 mi. E, area | Aragonite crystals |
| Roswell, both sides of Pecos River | Quartz crystals |
| Fort Sumner, S along both sides of Pecos River | Quartz cystals (clear, rose, red, smoky), ‘Pecos diamonds’ |
| Fort Sumner, 28 mi. W along US 60, area | ‘Pecos diamonds’ (Quartz crystals) |
| Artesia, hills near Pecos River | ‘Pecos diamonds’ (Quartz crystals) |
| Whites City, limestones outside park boundaries | Onyx |
| Ancho, area surfaces & washes | Jasper |
| White Oaks, area mines & deposits | Gold, Huebnerite, Onyx |
Where to Find Turquoise in New Mexico
Turquoise is one of the first things that most people think of when it comes to New Mexico. This beautiful mineral is widely used in jewelry and has become an integral part of the Southwest’s aesthetic. Naturally, us rockhounds want to know where we can find our own. It’s not likely to be easy to find and collect a large quantity of gem-quality turquoise yourself, but there are certainly many locations where you can go with the hopes of finding your own turquoise specimens.
The best places to find turquoise in New Mexico are:
- Los Cerrillos Mining District
- Burro Mountains Mining District
- Hachita Mining District
- Jarilla Mining District
These mining districts each contain many mines, both active and abandoned, and care should be taken to ensure you have permission to search and collect wherever you go. For more information about turquoise in New Mexico I would recommend reading this short article from the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources which contains background and some details on each of the mining districts I listed above.
Tip: Check out my Complete Rock Tumbling Guide to make your rocks and gemstones really shine!
New Mexico 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 New Mexico Department of Wildlife’s public land maps.
Private Land Resources
As with most states, each county in New Mexico 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 New Mexico, 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:
- mindat.com
- Apache Tears and Other Mineral Oddities from the Mogollon Mountains, New Mexico, Alfredo
- Mineral Resources of Fort Defiance and Tohatchi Quadrangles, Arizona and New Mexico, Allen
- Geological Summary of the Magdelena Mining District, Socorro County, New Mexico, Titley
- New Mexico Rocks and Minerals: The Collecting Guide, Kimbler
- Kilbourne Hole, Kelley
- Geology of the Rincon Quadrangle, New Mexico, Seager
- New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
- New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources Rockhound Guide