Where to Find Serpentine in California

California has 6 mapped collecting spots that report serpentine, spread across 5 counties. The largest share sits in Monterey County County with 2 spots. 5 of the spots are on land mapped as publicly accessible.

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

Standout serpentine spots in California

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

Big Sur area
Monterey County County
Big Sur is California's clearest public jade locality because sanctuary rules specifically allow loose nephrite collection in the Jade Cove authorized area below mean high tide. Mindat records jade and nephrite at Big Sur, and Los Padres National Forest planning documents note historic jade collecting around Plaskett Creek, Jade Cove, Willow Creek, and offshore.
Happy Camp Jade Mines
Siskiyou County County
Happy Camp gives the top-10 list a Klamath Mountains jade and gold locality rather than another Mojave silica field. Mindat records ferro-actinolite-tremolite series material at the Chan Jade Mine and placer native gold from the Happy Camp region, which fits the area's serpentinite and historic placer-mining setting.

Best counties for serpentine in California

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

Monterey County2 spots
Placer County1 spot
San Benito County1 spot
Siskiyou County1 spot
Trinity County1 spot

Every serpentine spot we track in California

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Big Sur areaLos Burros Road	Monterey County	Jade Nephrite Serpentine	35.8938, -121.4523	Public
Willow Creek areaCabrillo Highway	Monterey County	Nephrite Jade Serpentine	35.8922, -121.4613	Public
Shady Run Gravels	Placer County	Garnet Serpentine	39.2069, -120.7425	Public
Aurora Mine (permission required)Mexican Lake Road	San Benito County	Serpentine	36.3949, -120.6741	Permission
Happy Camp Jade MinesSouth Indian Road	Siskiyou County	Jade Gold Serpentine Gold-laced Jade	41.8766, -123.4602	Public
Coffee CreekState Route 3	Trinity County	Anthophyllite Serpentine	41.0835, -122.7051	Public

Before you go

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

Serpentine in California FAQ

Where can you find serpentine in California?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Monterey County County, Placer County County, and San Benito County County. Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many serpentine spots are mapped in California?+

6 spots across 5 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 serpentine 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. 5 of the 6 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find serpentine

More minerals to hunt in California

Hunt serpentine 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.