Nipomo Area: Moss Agate & Jasper Rockhounding in San Luis Obispo County, California
- Minerals reported
- 4
- Elevation
- 400 ft
- Best months
- Year-round
Nipomo Area is a mapped rockhounding spot in San Luis Obispo County, California. Reported finds include moss agate, jasper, petrified wood, stibnite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- San Luis Obispo County
- State
- California
- Nearest road
- South Dana Foothill Road
- Coordinates
- 35.03507, -120.45300
Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.
Land & collecting status
Generally open to casual rockhounding
Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.
Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.
Best time to visit Nipomo Area
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 63°F in winter to 78°F in summer.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, TWITCHELL DAM station (8 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Geology at Nipomo Area
This spot sits on marine rocks, mapped as sandstone and mudstone that formed roughly 34 to 3 million years ago. Sedimentary beds like these are the typical host for petrified and silicified wood, which weathers out as durable float on slopes and in washes.
- Mapped unit
- marine rocks
- Age
- 34–3 Ma (Oligocene to Pliocene)
- Rock types
- sandstone and mudstone
- Elevation
- 400 ft
Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.
Today's weather
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Get the appSources & verification
Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.
State guidance last verified:
- BLM California, Recreational mineral collecting
- California Geological Survey
- CDFW, Suction Dredge Mining Permit Program
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Nipomo Area
Each name opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.
Nearby rockhounding spots
Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Nipomo Area.
- Ocean Beaches (Central Coast)San Luis Obispo County, California · 33 mi awayCalifornia Jade
- Paso Robles AreaSan Luis Obispo County, California · 43 mi awayJadeite
- Ocean beach area (Big Sur coast)San Luis Obispo County, California · 54 mi awayJade
- San Simeon BeachesSan Luis Obispo County, California · 59 mi awayMoonstone
- Jacolitos CanyonFresno County, California · 74 mi awayJasper, Petrified Wood, Fossilized Coral
- Big Sur areaMonterey County, California · 82 mi awayJade, Nephrite, Serpentine
- Willow Creek areaMonterey County, California · 82 mi awayNephrite Jade, Serpentine
- Benitoite Mining CompanyFresno County, California · 84 mi away
Nipomo Area FAQ
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