Santa Fe National Forest: Agate & Apache Tear Rockhounding in Santa Fe County, New Mexico

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Santa Fe County

State

New Mexico

Coordinates

35.69981, -106.21596

Geology at Santa Fe National Forest

This spot sits on ground mapped as Sheetflood deposits and minor eolian sediment overlying volcanic rocks that formed within roughly the last 129,000 years. Volcanic ground like this is where agate, jasper, and other chalcedony typically form, filling old gas pockets and fracture seams in the flow rock.

Mapped unit

Sheetflood deposits and minor eolian sediment overlying volcanic rocks

Age

< 1 Ma (Late Pleistocene to Holocene)

Elevation

6,750 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 Santa Fe National Forest

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 46°F in winter to 90°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, COCHITI DAM station (8 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Land & collecting status

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.

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 Santa Fe National Forest

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

• AgateEncyclopedia →
• Apache Tear
• JasperEncyclopedia →
• ObsidianEncyclopedia →