Laguna: Agate & Jasper Rockhounding in Cibola County, New Mexico

Quick details

Access

Permission required

County

Cibola County

State

New Mexico

Nearest road

NM 124

Postcode

87038

Coordinates

35.04881, -107.40568

Geology at Laguna

This spot sits on San Rafael Group, mapped as sandstone and siltstone that formed roughly 175 to 160 million years ago. Tough silica like agate, jasper, and chert typically weathers out of beds like these and collects as float in drainages and on deflation surfaces.

Mapped unit

San Rafael Group

Age

175–160 Ma (Middle Jurassic)

Rock types

sandstone and siltstone

Elevation

5,880 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Best time to visit Laguna

Best months: August to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 50°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 20°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, CUBERO station (7 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• Rockhound State Park, Collection rules
• BLM New Mexico
• New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Laguna

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

• AgateEncyclopedia →
• JasperEncyclopedia →