Where you can rockhound depends on the season as much as the place. Storms uncover agates on the Pacific coast in winter, while mountain collecting areas are buried in snow. This calendar shows the best time of year by region and lists seasonal sites, so you do not drive to a mine that has closed for the winter.
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Winter (December to February)
- Pacific Northwest coast: the best agate season, after storms strip the sand. See Oregon agates and the Washington agates guide.
- Desert Southwest: cool weather for BLM sites such as Round Mountain, Burro Creek and the Quartzsite area.
- Florida and the Gulf: low rivers and winter fronts for shark teeth.
- Year-round indoor or southern digs: Mount Ida crystal mines, Philipsburg sapphire shops.
Spring (March to May)
- Southeast and Appalachians: North Carolina and Georgia gem mines reopen, and fossil beaches like Calvert Cliffs are pleasant.
- Great Basin and Utah: the Dugway geode beds and trilobite quarries before summer heat.
- Midwest: creeks and quarries after snowmelt; watch for high water.
- Many northern fee mines open in April or May.
Summer (June to August)
- Mountains: Crystal Park in Montana, high-elevation Colorado and Idaho sites, and the Emerald Creek garnet area.
- Alaska: gold panning season on the Kenai Peninsula and Interior creeks.
- Wyoming: fossil fish quarries near Kemmerer.
- New England: pegmatite digs such as Ruggles Mine and Maine tourmaline sites.
- Avoid low deserts; summer heat there is dangerous.
Fall (September to November)
- Rivers: the lowest water of the year for gold panning in California and agate hunting on gravel bars.
- Southwest: desert sites become comfortable again.
- East: cool, dry weather for Herkimer diamonds, North Carolina gem mines and Ohio fossil parks before closing dates.
- Many northern mines close between late September and October.
Before you go
Check the place guide for current dates, fees and status, and read how map statuses work. For safety in heat, cold and water, see field safety.
Questions
What is the best time of year to go rockhounding?
It depends on the region: winter on ocean beaches and in the desert Southwest, summer in the mountains and Alaska, and spring and fall in most of the East and South.
When are fee-dig mines open?
Most outdoor fee mines in the North and the mountains open from about April or May to October. Many in the South, and indoor sluices, run year-round.
Is winter good for rockhounding?
Yes on the Oregon and Washington coast after storms, on Florida and Gulf beaches, and in the Arizona and southern California deserts.