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Rockhounding near San Jose, CA

30 mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of San Jose — most are inside a 2 to 3 hour drive. Below: a map, the closest spots, what they produce, and full coordinates with access notes.

Covering parts of California.

Map of rockhounding spots within 150 miles of San Jose, California

Closest rockhounding spots to San Jose

The 6 nearest mapped spots, with straight-line distance and an approximate drive time.

Most-reported finds near San Jose

Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each material.

Every spot within 150 miles of San Jose

Sorted by distance from San Jose. Tap a row to open the spot detail page with full directions, access status, and nearby trips.

SpotCountyMineralsCoordinatesAccess
Alum Rock ParkPenitencia Creek TrailSanta Clara County
  • Albandite
  • Hausmannite
  • Tephroite
37.3958, -121.8019Public
Guadeloupe CreekHicks RoadSanta Clara County
  • Dendritic Agate
37.2081, -121.9013Public
New Almaden Area MinesBertram RoadSanta Clara County
  • Chert
  • Cinnabar
  • Apophyllite
  • Gyrolite
37.1760, -121.8208Public
Coyote CreekDunne AvenueSanta Clara County37.1500, -121.5783Public
Morgan Hill CreeksWatsonville RoadSanta Clara County
  • Poppy Jasper
37.0551, -121.6636Public
Coyote PointSan Mateo County37.5915, -122.3204Public
Crystal Springs ReservoirSawyer Camp TrailSan Mateo County37.5474, -122.3874Public
Aurora Mine (permission required)Mexican Lake RoadSan Benito County36.3949, -120.6741Permission
Limekiln Creek Beaches AreaCabrillo HighwayMonterey County36.0087, -121.5196Permission
Unnamed Location (Mariposite)CA 132Mariposa County
  • Mariposite
37.7132, -120.2122Public
Purcell-Griffin MineMariposa County37.6622, -120.1956Public
Benitoite Gem MineSawmill Creek RoadSan Benito County
    		36.3368, -120.6064Paid / fee
    Unnamed Location (Jade)Mariposa County37.6463, -120.1177Public
    Willow Creek areaCabrillo HighwayMonterey County35.8922, -121.4613Public
    Big Sur areaLos Burros RoadMonterey County35.8938, -121.4523Permission
    Surprise ClaimMariposa County37.6583, -120.0544Public
    Benitoite Mining CompanyLos Gatos RoadFresno County
      		36.2424, -120.5973Paid / fee
      Unnamed Location (Chromite/Uvarovite)Safari TrailEl Dorado County38.8053, -121.0393Public
      Alabama MineAlabama Mine RoadPlacer County38.8446, -121.1575Public
      Jacolitos CanyonJacalitos Creek RoadFresno County36.0962, -120.3204Public
      San Simeon BeachesCabrillo HighwaySan Luis Obispo County35.6421, -121.1833Public
      Wolf CreekLinhall RoadNevada County39.0748, -121.0979Public
      Ocean beach area (Big Sur coast)Cabrillo HighwaySan Luis Obispo County35.5952, -121.1272Permission
      Unnamed Location (Actinolite prisms)Redwood HighwayMendocino County
      • Actinolite Prisms
      		38.9526, -123.0973Public
      Paso Robles AreaUnion RoadSan Luis Obispo County
      • Jadeite
      		35.6379, -120.6274Public

      San Jose rockhounding FAQ

      Where can I go rockhounding near San Jose?+
      There are 30 mapped rockhounding spots within about 150 miles of San Jose, California. The closest is Alum Rock Park in Santa Clara County, roughly 6 miles away. The full list is on this page with coordinates and drive times.
      What rocks and minerals can you find near San Jose?+
      Spots within driving distance of San Jose most commonly produce serpentine, chromite, jade, rhodonite, chert, jasper.
      Is rockhounding legal near San Jose?+
      Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Each spot page on this site lists access status; always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.
      How far do most rockhounders drive from San Jose?+
      Most weekend trips from San Jose fall inside a 2 to 3 hour drive, which is roughly the 150-mile radius shown on this page. Closer spots are good for half-day outings; the outer ones are better as overnight trips.

      More state coverage

      The spots above span 1 state. Open the state page for the full county-by-county view.

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