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[Greg Hiller]

Have a few days ahead of a conference in Palm Springs, my wife and I are going to do some rockhounding to the east and potentially a bit north.  We of course have the Rockhounding guides with all the sites that are all picked over (note my pessimism in there).  Anyone have an favorite sites they remember and willing to share.  I understand the secrecy thing, but I'm really hoping to come home with something good.  If nothing else the last day we are out there we are going to go to the gem show in Anaheim, so I guess we cannot go too wrong there!

We will have a 4-wheel drive and are not afraid of plenty of hiking. 

[jakesrocks]

A huge section of the California desert has recently been closed to all collecting. This includes the Lavic jasper area. I'll see if I can find the info on another forum to copy & paste here for you.

Here are links to a couple of maps which show the areas which were recently closed.
http://drecp.org/maps/DRECP_Boundary_Area_Map.pdf
http://drecp.org/maps/Starting_Point_Maps.pdf
https://drecp.databasin.org/datasets/14d6f6d8874848d0a8e0e8db510b5e9d

[GoodEarth]

Hey Jake! Do the closures encompass the Cady mountains? I'll be torqued if so. I always wanted to hound that area...

[socalagatehound]

It appears by the maps that not only the Cady Mountains, but the Hauser Beds area as well. I have heard that even though the backstabbing Senators from California have circumvented the public outcry for continued access to these lands and gotten this done by Presidential intervention, we still have a year or two while they hash out the action plan before they post it all as closed.  I was up in the Cadys the weekend of the Stoddard Wells show and all the routes were still posted open.

One of the tricks they pulled was to change the wording of the land designation from "public" land to "government" land. Nice way to steal it for privatized solar development or whatever...

But if you get kicked out by a ranger...

Craig

[ToTheSummit]

The hauser geode beds are pretty much safe.  The Wileys Well area has, for the most part, been set aside as a rockhounding recreational area.  There is some private land which cannot be collected on, but it is marked.  However, the hauser geode beds as well as a large surrounding area are open for lots of great rockhounding and exploring.  I just spent 8 days there in March and there is a trip report posted here.  Of course the area is very popular and has been picked over by rockhounds for decades.  Its not like you can just walk up and collect geodes anymore.  Some digging and some luck will be required in many cases to find geodes at the hauser beds these days.  But if you are in the area don't be afraid to just do some walking through the desert.  There are nice rocks to be found for those not afraid to explore.  Varying jaspers and agates can be easily found and occasionally amygdules and limb casts.  And there are some old mines rich with psilomelane (I found some nice pieces this year).

I did find one spot though where geodes were in abundance.  Lots of broken ones just lying on the surface (as well as some nice full ones that had been missed) and lots more to be had with a minimal amount of digging.  This spot is a little ways south of the Wileys Well area off the 78 freeway.

[finegemdesigns]

A huge section of the California desert has recently been closed to all collecting. This includes the Lavic jasper area. I'll see if I can find the info on another forum to copy & paste here for you.

Here are links to a couple of maps which show the areas which were recently closed.
http://drecp.org/maps/DRECP_Boundary_Area_Map.pdf
http://drecp.org/maps/Starting_Point_Maps.pdf
https://drecp.databasin.org/datasets/14d6f6d8874848d0a8e0e8db510b5e9d

Lavic Siding? Seriously? There's rocks right next to the highway. Are they gonna post squad cars there to stop collecting? What a bunch of BS.

[irockhound]

The Cady mtns. Although a part  of the new monument are still available for collecting.  I have contacted the Barstow BLM  and they say the new monument does not affect collecting .  Also if you check the BLM website it also shows the Cady mountains as a rock hounding source.  I have been out there recently to collect my forest fire plume. I would have to check with my wife and her schedule but if available I would take you there.  Not sure if links are okay here, been a while since I posted in the forums. I have attached some pics. If not the Cadys  we could also do the calico sagenite  location. Is it okay to post my website link as I have a page on the calico and forest fire spots?
Also if you are concerned just call the Barstow BLM  field office.
Thanks, Steve

[irockhound]

The other pics didn't attach for some reason.

[irockhound]

I read the forum rules and since I don't sell material I think my website link is fine.
First a page on calico
http://www.rockhoundingusa.com/whatsnew/calicosage/index.html
and the forest fire page
http://www.rockhoundingusa.com/whatsnew/forestfire/index.html

[Enchantra]

You can post any links you want. 
If you are from the old forum and had over 50 posts there, you are free to sell things as we know you already!

[Orrum]

Go to Wiley Wells n rockhound the campgrounds!  Look at tables, fire ring areas and general around because folks find great stuff n just leave it there! Oh yes look around and under bushs!

[socalagatehound]

Thanks, Steve. Great info. Everyone at Stoddard Wells Show was all upset about the change in status. Some of those folks I know have invested lots of time and energy attending the land use meetings all over Southern California. Probably taken by surprise by the status change and fear of the unknown results. 

Craig

[GoodEarth]

Man. That is some great looking stuff! Next time I'm in SO-Cal, I'll be calling you up! 

[Greg Hiller]

A huge thank you to irockhound.  We connected while I was out there and he very graciously showed us a few nice collection sites.  We even found some of his 'forest fire' agate at the one site, but there was certainly some serious elbow grease involved in extracting the stuff.  At at near 100 F it was quite an ordeal for us desk bound New Englanders! 

We just got home on Sunday and I've been slabbing up some of the materials.  I'll post some photos over the next week or so when I have photos of some good examples of the stuff we found. 

[Greg Hiller]

Some photos of some of the rough we collected.  1st one is of some bloodstone we found.  We never actually found the exact site to collect this (the book directions are nearly worthless) but we did find this one piece that was probably someones toss out piece.  A lot of fractures in this stuff but I was still able to cut a decent cab out of it.  Amazing what a difference a little water on the slab and the right lighting makes.  The two photos are the same slab!