Where to Find Agate in California

California agate is a Mojave Desert specialty. The Wiley's Well district in Riverside County yields red, plume, and brecciated agate near the Hauser geode beds, and the Cady Mountains in San Bernardino County produce flame agate and chalcedony nodules. The Lavic field east of Barstow adds red-and-black plume agate in basalt amygdules. Along the coast, the Trinidad and Agate Beach areas in northern California yield tide-worn carnelian and small banded agate after winter storms. Most desert agate is float on basalt and rhyolite slope wash; coastal agate concentrates in storm-cut gravel lenses.

Spot list checked against source data on April 1, 2026.

Standout agate spots in California

Hand-picked from the full list below, with the reason each one earns a trip.

Best counties for agate in California

Ranked by the number of mapped agate spots. County links open the full rockhounding page for that county.

Every agate spot we track in California

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Crescent City BeachesNorth Pebble Beach Drive	Del Norte County	Agate Chalcedony Jasper Moonstone Petrified Wood	41.7650, -124.2309	Public
Agate BeachCalifornia Coastal Trail	Humboldt County	Agate Jasper Brecciated Jasper Pyrite	41.1501, -124.1398	Public
Castle Butte FoothillsDenise Avenue	Kern County	Agate Chalcedony Chert Jasper Petrified Wood	35.0493, -117.8247	Public
El Paso MountainsEP170	Kern County	Agate Opal Jasper Gold Petrified Wood	35.4376, -117.8159	Public
Gem Hill	Kern County	Agate Chalcedony Jasper Uraninite Obsidian	34.9249, -118.2218	Public
Horse Canyon Agate BedsPine Canyon Road	Kern County	Agate Fossilized Horse Bones	35.1943, -118.2891	Public
Unnamed Location (LA County)Heffner Road	Los Angeles County	Agate Chalcedony Jasper Quartz	34.4367, -118.2229	Public
Area around Goose Lake	Modoc County	Agate Chalcedony Jasper	41.9508, -120.4254	Public
Deep CreekCounty Road 25	Modoc County	Agate Opalized Wood	41.5173, -120.2490	Public
Fandango PassFandango Pass Road	Modoc County	Agate Chalcedony Jasper Quartzite	41.8021, -120.2068	Public
Agate Area (Klamath River)Yellow Dog Trail	Siskiyou County	Agate Bloodstone Jasper Petrified Wood	42.0009, -122.4018	Public
Jenny CreekCopco Road	Siskiyou County	Agate Carnelian Petrified Wood Fossils	41.9769, -122.3978	Public

Before you go

Read the agate identification guide so you know what a keeper looks like in the field: Agate in the encyclopedia.

Agate in California FAQ

Where can you find agate in California?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Kern County County, Modoc County County, and Siskiyou County County. Known collecting areas include Wiley's Well district (Riverside County), Cady Mountains (San Bernardino County), and Lavic field (San Bernardino County). Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many agate spots are mapped in California?+

12 spots across 6 counties. The RockHoundR app keeps the same spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, and your saved finds.

Is it legal to collect agate in California?+

Hand collecting of common rocks and minerals in small amounts for personal use is generally allowed on BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are closed to collecting. 12 of the 12 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find agate

More minerals to hunt in California

Hunt agate in California with the map in your pocket

RockHoundR puts these spots on an offline map with BLM and Forest Service overlays, geology layers, and a log for your finds.