Where to Find Turquoise in the United States
17 mapped turquoise spots across 6 U.S. states. Turquoise is reported at multiple rockhounding spots across the United States. The map below shows where collectors most often find it on legal public ground.
Map showing where to find turquoise across the United States, with 17 mapped spots
Top states for turquoise
States ranked by number of turquoise spots in our database. States in bold link to a focused turquoise-in-state list.
Every turquoise spot we track
Sorted by state and county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.
Turquoise rockhounding FAQ
Where is the best place to find turquoise in the U.S.?+
Nevada, New Mexico, Texas have the highest concentrations of turquoise in this list. Each state's quality and access varies — open the linked state pages for a detailed view.
How many turquoise rockhounding spots does RockHoundR track?+
17 mapped spots across 6 states. The app keeps these on a map alongside your private finds.
Can I legally collect turquoise on public land?+
Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals like turquoise is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Always check with the managing agency before a trip.
How do I identify turquoise in the field?+
Field identification of turquoise comes down to color, hardness, fracture, and luster. The RockHoundR app links to geology details for each spot to help narrow down what you might be picking up.
Hunt turquoise on the map
Open RockHoundR to see these spots on a real map with public land overlays and trip-planning details.
