Where to Find Quartz in California
7 mapped quartz rockhounding spots in California, across 4 counties. Quartz is the most abundant rockhounding mineral in the country. California offers a remarkable spread, from gold-bearing rivers in the Mother Lode to jade beaches on the central coast and the agate-and-jasper hills of the Mojave.
Map of 7 quartz rockhounding spots in California
Quartz by county in California
Counties ranked by number of quartz spots in our database.
Every quartz spot in California
Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps. Click a row for details.
| Spot | County | Minerals | Coordinates | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Acorn MineChaparral Court | Kern County | 35.7167, -118.5000 | Public | |
| Unnamed Location (LA County)Heffner Road | Los Angeles County | 34.4367, -118.2229 | Public | |
| Himalaya Tourmaline Mine (Mesa Grande)Porter Lane | San Diego County | 33.0700, -116.6000 | Paid / fee | |
| Mine Dumps (San Diego Co.)Highway 76 | San Diego County | 33.2355, -116.7591 | Public | |
| Unnamed Location (Apatite/Aquamarine)Rancho Heights Road | San Diego County | 33.3905, -117.0693 | Public | |
| Ware MinePalomar Divide Road | San Diego County | 33.3329, -116.7675 | Public | |
| Golden Jubilee MineBoulder Lake Road | Trinity County | 41.1006, -122.7836 | Public |
Quartz in California FAQ
Where can I find quartz in California?+
RockHoundR tracks 7 quartz spots in California, spread across 4 counties. The strongest concentration is in San Diego County.
Is collecting quartz legal in California?+
Casual hand collection of common rocks and minerals like quartz is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land in California, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Always confirm rules before a trip.
What is the best quartz location in California?+
San Diego County has the most quartz spots in our database for California. The full county breakdown is below — different counties produce different qualities and varieties.
Other states for quartz
Other minerals to find in California
Hunt quartz in California on the map
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