Where to Find Quartz in Colorado

Colorado has 5 mapped collecting spots that report quartz, spread across 4 counties. The largest share sits in Saguache County with 2 spots. 3 of the spots are on land mapped as publicly accessible, and 1 is a fee-dig site.

Standout quartz spots in Colorado

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

Crystal Hill
Saguache County
Crystal Hill near La Garita is documented by the USGS as a source of clear rock crystal and pale lavender amethyst in brecciated volcanic rock, a San Luis Valley collecting site worked since the 1880s.
Del Norte Thunder Egg Beds
Saguache County
The thunderegg beds northwest of Del Norte have yielded plume and moss agate from rhyolite flows since the late 1800s, with chalcedony, common opal, and quartz-lined cavities documented at the locality.

Best counties for quartz in Colorado

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

Every quartz spot we track in Colorado

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Sentinel Rock and Specimen Rock	El Paso County	Amazonite Fluorite Goethite Hematite Quartz	38.8046, -104.9178	Public
Specimen Mountain	Larimer County	Allophane Calcite Agate Quartz Topaz	40.4428, -105.8084	Permission
Last Chance MineBachelor Road	Mineral County	Amethyst Agate Chalcedony Quartz Silver Acanthite Galena Sphalerite +2 more	37.8839, -106.9367	Paid / fee
Crystal Hill	Saguache County	Amethyst Quartz Smoky Quartz	37.8433, -106.2848	Public
Del Norte Thunder Egg Beds	Saguache County	Plume Agate Moss Agate Chalcedony Common Opal Quartz	37.7615, -106.4481	Public

Before you go

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

Quartz in Colorado FAQ

Where can you find quartz in Colorado?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Saguache County, El Paso County, and Larimer County. Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many quartz spots are mapped in Colorado?+

5 spots across 4 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 quartz in Colorado?+

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. 3 of the 5 mapped spots here sit on land marked public, and 1 is a fee-dig operation where you pay for access and keep what you find. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find quartz

More minerals to hunt in Colorado

Hunt quartz in Colorado 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.