Rockhounding in Santa Clara County, California

5 mapped rockhounding spots in Santa Clara County. Most commonly produces albandite, apophyllite, chert, cinnabar.

Santa Clara County rockhounding photos

Representative spot and material photos from this county, shown where verified public image records are available.

2 photos

Minerals reported in Santa Clara County

Albandite1
Apophyllite1
Chert1
Cinnabar1
Dendritic Agate1
Gyrolite1
Hausmannite1
Poppy Jasper1

Standout in Santa Clara County

Hand-picked spot in Santa Clara County, chosen for unusual mineralogy or documented public access. Each card opens the full coordinates and access notes.

Top pick
New Almaden Area Mines
Public
Santa Clara County
New Almaden is not just a cinnabar stop, it is one of California's classic mercury districts, hosted in altered serpentinite and silica-carbonate rock. Mindat records cinnabar, native mercury, metacinnabar, apophyllite, gyrolite, chalcedony, and opal, while USGS Professional Paper 360 makes the district one of the state's best documented quicksilver localities.
Chert, Cinnabar, Apophyllite, Gyrolite

Spots in Santa Clara County

Spot	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Alum Rock ParkPenitencia Creek Trail	Albandite Hausmannite Tephroite	37.3958, -121.8019	Public
Coyote CreekDunne Avenue	Siderite	37.1500, -121.5783	Public
Guadeloupe CreekHicks Road	Dendritic Agate	37.2081, -121.9013	Public
Morgan Hill CreeksWatsonville Road	Poppy Jasper	37.0551, -121.6636	Public
New Almaden Area MinesBertram Road	Chert Cinnabar Apophyllite Gyrolite	37.1760, -121.8208	Public

Neighboring counties in California

Adjacent rockhounding counties, ranked by how close their centroids sit to Santa Clara County. A natural extension if Santa Clara County is already on your trip plan.

Santa Clara County FAQ

Where can I rockhound in Santa Clara County, California?+

RockHoundR tracks 5 rockhounding spots in Santa Clara County. Each entry below has coordinates, mineral notes, and access type. Always confirm local rules before collecting.

What rocks and minerals are common in Santa Clara County?+

Spots in Santa Clara County most often produce Albandite, Apophyllite, Chert, Cinnabar, Dendritic Agate. Individual spots can vary widely.

Are these Santa Clara County rockhounding spots on public land?+

Most spots in this list are tagged public, but access can change with seasons, claims, and local closures. Always verify before driving out — links in the app open the right BLM, USFS, or county pages.

Plan a Santa Clara County rockhounding trip

Open RockHoundR to see these spots on the map alongside land overlays, weather, geology, and your saved finds.