Petaca: Pink Feldspar & Mica Rockhounding in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Rio Arriba County

State

New Mexico

Nearest road

Forest Road 45

Postcode

87554

Coordinates

36.50335, -106.02346

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.

Access note: BLM records active mining claims in this area. Collecting from inside an active claim needs the claim holder's permission.

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 Petaca

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 40°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 10°F. At about 7,560 ft, snow can block access from late fall well into spring, so check conditions outside of summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, TRES PIEDRAS station (11 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Petaca

This spot sits on Basaltic to andesitic lava flows, mapped as basalt and andesite that formed roughly 23 to 3 million years ago. Cavities and seams in volcanic rock like this are the kind of setting where quartz and amethyst crystals tend to grow.

Mapped unit

Basaltic to andesitic lava flows

Age

23–3 Ma (Neogene)

Rock types

basalt and andesite

Elevation

7,560 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.

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

• Rockhound State Park, Collection rules
• BLM New Mexico
• New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules