FIELD How to start rockhounding
You need less gear and less knowledge than you think. Here’s how to plan your first hunt, what to bring, and how to do it legally and safely.
Rockhounding is one of the most accessible outdoor hobbies: a bag, a sharp eye, and a legal place to look will get you finds on day one.
1. The starter kit
- Rock hammer (geologist’s pick) and safety glasses — always, when striking rock.
- Gloves, a bucket or sturdy bag, and newspaper to wrap finds.
- 10× loupe and a spray bottle (wet stones reveal color and translucency).
- Maps + GPS (land ownership matters) and a field guide to local rocks.
2. Find a legal place to look
The fastest start is a club field trip or a fee-dig site — both give legal access and people who’ll teach you. On your own, BLM and many National Forest lands allow personal-use collecting. Avoid national parks and private land without permission. See Collecting Ethics & the Law.
3. Read the ground
Look where erosion exposes fresh rock: creek beds, road cuts, beaches, gravel bars and hillsides after rain. Water concentrates and cleans stones — gravel beaches and stream gravels are ideal for beginners.
4. Stay safe
- Eye protection when hammering; chips fly.
- Carry water and tell someone your plan — many sites are remote.
- Watch terrain, tides and weather; avoid unstable cliffs and old mine workings.
5. Identify and clean your finds
Rinse, dry, and compare against a guide. Learn the quick tests — translucency, luster, hardness — starting with our guide to agate vs. jasper vs. chert.
Written by The Field & Stone Editors · Published by KEVALEX Group.