Ever dreamed of exploring the rugged Arizona wilderness in search for that jaw-dropping rock find that will make all of your friends and family jealous? Read on to gain inspiration and insight into one of Arizona’s rare minerals that, if you know where to look, could be lying right on the ground in front of you!

When I first heard about rockhounding in Arizona, I immediately felt a spark of curiosity. The thought of uncovering rare stones against a backdrop of sweeping desert scenery tugged at my adventurous side and I knew it would scratch that treasure hunting itch I’d always had.

Luckily for me, I have a family of similarly-minded treasure seeking nerdy outdoor adventurists that already did the research for me when it came to my first rockhounding expedition: Hunting for the elusive fire agate at Saddle Mountain!

Fire agate can only be found in three places: Arizona of course, southern California, and parts of Mexico. Location is everything when beginning your search considering fire agate only forms when hot silica and iron-oxide filled water cools after entering the crags or grooves of volcanic rock.

Saddle Mountain, easily accessible off the 10 freeway west of Phoenix, has the perfect conditions for not just fire agate, but other types of agates, chalcedony, and uniquely red/purple marble. What a fantastic place for first time rockhounding!

Right off the bat, after pulling up only about half a mile off the dirt road at the base of the mountain, my family piled out of the car practically foaming at the mouth with excitement. Where are those pretty rocks at? Let me at them!

To our delight, we immediately started finding agate right on the surface of the ground, calling out to each other whenever we spotted one with a pop of color. And on those extra-fun occasions when someone found a big piece, we’d shout, “Golfball!” and hold it up triumphantly. That instant satisfaction of discovery feeling was all anyone could ask for when in search of a rock-induced dopamine rush. I guess you could call us all junkies although we were after crystals of a different sort.

While Saddle Mountain has a reputation for being picked over, at the time of this article, I would say that simply isn’t true. While we brought picks, we only ever used them to get rocks that were a little more stuck to the ground than others, but we never had to go digging. Everything for the most part was right there in front of you, ready to be picked up and easily seen. Now, that being said, I would say I picked up about five white agate/ chalcedony stones for every fire agate that I found.

My biggest tip to you if you plan to do a search of your own at Saddle Mountain, is to pick up every little white rock that you can. You might get tired, you might think you have enough white pieces, but I never would’ve found what I did if I had given up on the small colorless stones.

My big find of the trip was a big palm-sized stone with crystals, agate, and color all mixed into one chunk. It was like an iceberg with only a very small white corner sticking out of the ground and the rest buried beneath the ground. It was impossible to know what was lying underneath until I took a chance on what I thought was a small stone. Here is a before and after of what the stone looks like all cleaned up (and it still needs polishing!).

My second piece of advice to you is to make sure you are prepared for your hunt. Whether that is making sure you have enough backpack room for all of your finds or enough water, I implore you to do research before you go. Make sure there is no rain in the forecast as flashfloods are a real hazard in the desert, especially if you find yourself in a wash. On the other side of the weather spectrum, make sure you are prepared for the heat. Rockhounding can be backbreaking work with all of the bending and carrying. Have ample water, use sunscreen, and bring a sunhat. I know the treasure hunting can be addicting but don’t be shy about taking breaks! Those rocks will still be there in 10 minutes and your back will thank you.

Also be aware of local laws and regulations. Make sure you are not rockhounding on private property or where it is prohibited. At the time of writing this, Saddle Mountain is BLM land and has a maximum of 10 lbs. a day that you can carry out for personal use.

Now, keep in mind, these rocks are dirty! When I got home, the first thing I wanted to do was clean these unique pieces off and reveal their beauty. But it’s harder than it looks! Almost every piece has caked on dirt on the bottom that, even with soap, water, and a toothbrush, the dirt stubbornly clings on. If anyone has a good idea of how to clean these off that doesn’t involve harsh chemicals, please comment below!

Here are some of my personal uses for these beautiful stones! Every piece is inspiring and I can’t help but make art from these unique colors and natural designs.

Thank you for reading about my recent adventures at Saddle Mountain and a special thanks to my parents for not only planning this out but also giving me the treasure hunting gene that made this trip so fun!

Comment below how your rockhounding trip went or any exciting finds you had! As always, have fun, be safe, and never forget to follow your adventure dreams!