Post by Jennifer on Sept 4, 2014 22:27:03 GMT -5
Panoche Hills is a huge area owned by the BLM. The main areas are opened only from October to May each year but there are plenty of areas to collect along the road side and right down from it is an area which was once a quarry that is now opened to the public year round. There is literally hundreds of thousands of tons of agate here - though you have to spend time and dig in to find good specimens such as fire agate, botryodial agate, opal and the beautiful California poppy agate. This area is easily accessible and great for both expert and novice collectors. Make sure you bring large buckets, a pick, and plenty of water. Gloves are also helpful here and be careful not to disturb the wildlife - particularly the recluse spiders which can be found in some of the larger piles of loose rock!
Here are some samples of uncut agate we found on our first off season outing there:
Here are some samples of uncut agate we found on our first off season outing there:
