Best spot

San Antonio Mountains: Jade & Petrified Wood Rockhounding in Nye County, Nevada

Updated June 2026

The San Antonio Mountains add central Nevada range-scale diversity, with Mindat documenting a large Nye County assemblage that includes quartz, chalcedony, opal, fluorite, rhodochrosite, scheelite, sulfides, and several copper minerals. The dataset's jade, petrified wood, and wonderstone entry makes the area a lapidary contrast to nearby Tonopah and Goldfield metal districts, provided collecting stays on open public ground. Reported finds include jade, petrified wood, wonderstone. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

San Antonio Mountains photos

Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.

5 photos

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Nye County
State: Nevada
Coordinates: 38.25194, -117.19741

Geology at San Antonio Mountains

This spot sits on Alluvium, undifferentiated, mapped as coarse alluvium and fine alluvium that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Petrified wood typically travels as tough float, and worked gravels like these are exactly where weathered pieces tend to collect.

Mapped unit: Alluvium, undifferentiated
Age: 3 Ma to present (Pleistocene to Holocene)
Rock types: coarse alluvium and fine alluvium
Elevation: 6,700 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.

Best time to visit San Antonio Mountains

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 86°F in midsummer and 39°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 21°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, TONOPAH station (13 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

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.

Sources & 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: April 1, 2026

BLM Nevada — Recreation
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Royal Peacock Opal Mine (fee-dig operator)
Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at San Antonio Mountains

Each chip 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 San Antonio Mountains.

San Antonio Mountains FAQ

Where is San Antonio Mountains?+

San Antonio Mountains is in Nye County, Nevada, at 38.25194, -117.19741.

What rocks and minerals can you find at San Antonio Mountains?+

San Antonio Mountains is reported to produce Jade, Petrified Wood, Wonderstone.

Is collecting allowed at San Antonio Mountains?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to San Antonio Mountains?+

A rock hammer, sturdy gloves, and a padded bag cover petrified wood hunting. Most pieces are surface float, so walking slopes and washes beats digging.

When is the best time to visit San Antonio Mountains?+

The most comfortable months at San Antonio Mountains are March to November.

How do I get to San Antonio Mountains?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 38.25194, -117.19741 in Google Maps. Some spots are remote, so check road conditions before driving out.

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Open San Antonio Mountains on the map

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