Rockhounding

Only a few places for rock collecting exist in this area. All known rock collecting areas have been "worked" for many decades. Beginning in the 1850s, miners scoured the landscape, looking to collect any mineral of potential value. Collectors have worked this area since the early 1950s -- while there are still good pieces to be found, you have to work harder to find them. The most popular rock is the "petrified palm," occurring along the Sperry Wash Route.

There are trilobites at the south end of the Nopah Range, adjacent to the Old Spanish Trail Highway. They may only be collected for personal use; if collected for sale, the collector must have an archaeological permit.

There are also scattered sites with good quantities of chalcedony, agate, and gypsum. For further information, check the Barstow BLM rockhounding website, refer to Mojave Desert rockhound groups, and rock-collecting books and guides. When rockhounding, you must remain on approved routes of travel.

Cross-country and off-road travel are prohibited on the public lands throughout this area, with the exception of the Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area, immediately to the south. All approved routes of travel are marked with an "Open Route" sign.

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