Rockhounding in Arizona: where you can collect
Updated . Rules come from the Bureau of Land Management and the agencies named on this page; sources are at the end.
In Arizona, 38.5% of the land is federal, and the Bureau of Land Management says that in most instances its land is open to rockhounding. You may take up to 25 pounds a day and 250 pounds a year for personal use, free and without a permit. State Trust Land is different: it is not public land, and rockhounding is not allowed there.
- BLM land in Arizona
- 12.1 million acres, 16.6% of the state (2024)
- Limit on BLM land
- 25 pounds a day, 250 pounds a year, personal use
- Designated rockhound areas
- Black Hills and Round Mountain, both near Safford
- Closed to collecting
- Arizona State Trust Land
The map shows 3 places. They are all listed on this page.
Open the full map with satellite imagery and who manages the land. Coming in the Capyhound app: the map offline, for places with no signal. Get it first
Places to collect
- Black Hills Rockhound AreaFree collecting
Open for public digging without fees or permits; camping up to two weeks; summers above 100°F. Source · On the map
- Round Mountain Rockhound AreaFree collecting
BLM rockhound area near Duncan; no fee; reached through New Mexico and 12 miles of dirt road. Source · On the map
Approximate pin
BLM’s map marker, near the New Mexico line; check the route with the Safford office.
- Lynx Creek Gold Pan Day Use AreaPanning allowed
A day use area used mainly for recreational gold panning; vault toilet, no drinking water, free. Source · On the map
Crystal Hill, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge: the only place on the refuge where noncommercial rock and mineral collecting is allowed, a designated 1.5-square-mile area. No tools, metal detectors included; stay on designated roads, and do not touch anything that looks like military hardware, because unexploded ordnance may be found there.
What you can find, and where
BLM Arizona lists these materials on its land, by field office. They are areas, not single sites:
| Material | BLM field offices |
|---|---|
| Fire agate | Kingman, Safford |
| Apache tears | Kingman, Hassayampa |
| Quartz crystals | Hassayampa, Yuma |
| Selenite | Arizona Strip |
| Petrified wood | Hassayampa, Safford, Yuma, Arizona Strip |
Rules on BLM land
- Free, no permit: up to 25 pounds a day and 250 pounds a year of rocks, minerals, gemstones, common invertebrate fossils and petrified wood.
- Personal use only: nothing for sale, barter or commercial purposes, and no pooling of yearly allowances.
- More than 250 pounds a year needs a permit from the BLM office.
- No machines: no motorized or mechanical devices, heavy equipment or explosives, and no casual suction dredging. Metal detectors are fine except in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.
- Not in developed recreation sites unless the BLM has designated them for rockhounding.
- Check for mining claims: claimants may have the right to exclude others.
- Meteorites: up to ten pounds a year, carried by hand.
- Leave artifacts, and collect vertebrate fossils only with a permit.
Where you can’t collect
- Arizona State Trust Land: not public land; rockhounding and metal detecting are not allowed, and you need a state Recreational Use Permit even to camp, hike or travel on it.
- National parks, including Petrified Forest. See national parks.
- BLM national monuments: the BLM Arizona brochure says collecting there is prohibited, while the BLM’s 2024 national guidance says it is generally allowed. Ask the monument office.
- Specially designated areas that protect scientific and natural values.
- Arizona State Parks: we have not verified their rules; ask the park.
Stay safe
- Old mines: Arizona has thousands of abandoned mine sites. Never enter one, and report hazards to the Arizona State Mine Inspector, (602) 542-5971.
- Heat: at the Black Hills Rockhound Area, summers can top 100°F. Carry plenty of water.
- Military hardware at Kofa: leave it alone.
Arizona’s state rocks and minerals
- Gemstone: turquoise
- Mineral: wulfenite
- Fossil: petrified wood
- Metal: copper
BLM offices
As printed in BLM Arizona’s rockhounding brochure; check the current number on blm.gov before you call.
- Safford Field Office: 711 14th Avenue, Safford; (928) 348-4400
- Kingman Field Office: 2755 Mission Boulevard, Kingman; (928) 718-3700
- Hassayampa and Lower Sonoran Field Offices: 21605 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix; (623) 580-5500
- Yuma Field Office: 7341 East 30th Street, Suite A, Yuma; (928) 317-3200
- Lake Havasu Field Office: 1785 Kiowa Avenue, Lake Havasu City; (928) 505-1200
Get the Arizona map in the app
The Capyhound app will show public collecting places and their rules on one map, even with no signal.
Questions
Do I need a permit to rockhound on BLM land in Arizona?
Not for personal use within the limits. BLM Arizona allows collecting rocks, minerals and semiprecious gemstones without charge or permit, up to 25 pounds a day and 250 pounds a year. Taking more than 250 pounds a year needs a permit.
Can I rockhound on Arizona State Trust Land?
No. BLM says State Trust Land is not public land and that rockhounding and metal detecting are not allowed there. Even camping, hiking or traveling on it needs the State Land Department’s Recreational Use Permit.
Where can I dig for fire agate for free?
At the BLM’s Black Hills Rockhound Area near Safford, which is open for digging without fees or permits. BLM also lists fire agate on Kingman and Safford field office land.
Can I use a metal detector?
On BLM land, yes, except in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. Not on State Trust Land. At Kofa National Wildlife Refuge all tools are forbidden, metal detectors included.
Can I keep a meteorite I find on BLM land?
BLM Arizona says you may hand-collect up to ten pounds of meteorites a year, for personal use only, on land open to casual collecting.
Where can I collect on Kofa National Wildlife Refuge?
Only in the designated 1.5-square-mile Crystal Hill Area, for noncommercial use and without tools.
What is Arizona’s state gemstone?
Turquoise. Wulfenite is the state mineral, petrified wood the state fossil and copper the state metal.
