Field Trips
La Plata Canyon Royalite Rock Hunt
Sunday June 7, 2026 10 am at Gem Club We will caravan and carpool from the Gem Club at 10 am on Sunday June 7 to the collection site on County Road 124 in La Plata Canyon. It is a 40 minute drive to the waterfall. What will you find? Royalite, a common name for a purple stone that is a mixture of fluorite, quartz and pyrite. Royalite is not an official mineral species but was locally named for its royal purple color. Difficulty: The hike up the waterfall is a moderate challenge. The other side of the road has dry creek bed that can be more easily explored. Wear sturdy shoes. Price: FCGMC members only. Pre registration required. $10.00 a person. Limit 12 people. Deadline to register: Sunday May 31. Bring: A bucket, gloves, hat, a small pick, sunscreen, water and a snack |
Royalite, photography and rock finds by Paris Garcia
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Sowbelly Amethyst/Agate, Creede CO
Photo by Tom Strain
Creede CO & Last Chance Mine
Sunday June 28, 2026, 11 am in Creede
Meet at the Creede and Mineral County Visitor Center and Chamber of Commerce 904 S Main St. at 11 am on Sunday June 28. If you would like to carpool, meet at the Gem Club in Durango at 8:30 am the same morning. It is a 2.5 hour drive so saving gas and having company is nice. We will carpool again, from the Visitor Center up the mountain, as parking is limited at the Mine.
What will you find? An abundance of Sowbelly agate. Some is mostly white with an amethyst lace. It cabs beautifully or can be cut for display purposes. There is a charge for stone you bring home. Last year's price was $2 a pound, paid directly to the Last Chance Mine.
Difficulty: There is about a quarter mile walk down a gravel road, and another path down to the tailings. Remember you will need to haul your bucket back up hill.
Price: FCGMC members only. Pre registration required. $10.00 a person. Limit 12 people.
Deadline to register: Sunday June 21st
Bring: A bucket, gloves, hat, a small pick, sunscreen, water and a snack
Camping: Barring rain, there will be a group of campers going up on Saturday June 27th. This an opportunity for side rockhounding trips and a campfire dinner and breakfast, as well as extra time to connect and tell tall tales of our best rock finds. There is no sign up for camping, Just register for the field trip and I will reach out to find out who wants a campout.
Sunday June 28, 2026, 11 am in Creede
Meet at the Creede and Mineral County Visitor Center and Chamber of Commerce 904 S Main St. at 11 am on Sunday June 28. If you would like to carpool, meet at the Gem Club in Durango at 8:30 am the same morning. It is a 2.5 hour drive so saving gas and having company is nice. We will carpool again, from the Visitor Center up the mountain, as parking is limited at the Mine.
What will you find? An abundance of Sowbelly agate. Some is mostly white with an amethyst lace. It cabs beautifully or can be cut for display purposes. There is a charge for stone you bring home. Last year's price was $2 a pound, paid directly to the Last Chance Mine.
Difficulty: There is about a quarter mile walk down a gravel road, and another path down to the tailings. Remember you will need to haul your bucket back up hill.
Price: FCGMC members only. Pre registration required. $10.00 a person. Limit 12 people.
Deadline to register: Sunday June 21st
Bring: A bucket, gloves, hat, a small pick, sunscreen, water and a snack
Camping: Barring rain, there will be a group of campers going up on Saturday June 27th. This an opportunity for side rockhounding trips and a campfire dinner and breakfast, as well as extra time to connect and tell tall tales of our best rock finds. There is no sign up for camping, Just register for the field trip and I will reach out to find out who wants a campout.
Stone found in Silverton area by Randy Ferris, jewelry work and photo by Chayse Romero.
Rhodonite Rock Hunt at Sunnyside Mine
Sunday July 19, 2026, 9 am at Club
Meet at the Club at 9 a.m. It is a 2.5 hour drive to Sunnyside Mine beyond Silverton, so carpooling is recommended to save on gas and arrive together.
What will you find? Rhodonite, a manganese silicate also known as pyroxmangite. The outside of the rock is deep black, but chip away a piece and you will see a range of beautifully pink colors inside. The rock's components are quartz (white), rhodochrosite (red), sphalerite (yellow), galena (silver), pyrite (gold), chalcopyrite (gold), carbonate (white), feldspar (transparent), and manganese oxide (black).
Difficulty: You can find specimens 30 feet from the parking lot, but for more selection you will need good balance to scramble up a rocky slope, and to safely navigate downhill again with a full bucket.
Price: FCGMC members only. Pre registration required. $10.00 a person. Limit 12 people.
Deadline to register: Sunday July 12
Bring: A bucket, backpack, gloves, hat, a small pick, sunscreen, water and a snack
Sunday July 19, 2026, 9 am at Club
Meet at the Club at 9 a.m. It is a 2.5 hour drive to Sunnyside Mine beyond Silverton, so carpooling is recommended to save on gas and arrive together.
What will you find? Rhodonite, a manganese silicate also known as pyroxmangite. The outside of the rock is deep black, but chip away a piece and you will see a range of beautifully pink colors inside. The rock's components are quartz (white), rhodochrosite (red), sphalerite (yellow), galena (silver), pyrite (gold), chalcopyrite (gold), carbonate (white), feldspar (transparent), and manganese oxide (black).
Difficulty: You can find specimens 30 feet from the parking lot, but for more selection you will need good balance to scramble up a rocky slope, and to safely navigate downhill again with a full bucket.
Price: FCGMC members only. Pre registration required. $10.00 a person. Limit 12 people.
Deadline to register: Sunday July 12
Bring: A bucket, backpack, gloves, hat, a small pick, sunscreen, water and a snack
Fluorescent Agate, Calcite & Chalcedony, Piedra River CO.
Photo by Jama Crawford
Fluorescent Rock Hunt
Saturday Aug 15, 2026 and Sunday Aug 16 (Sunday is optional)
Where? This field trip is near Piedra Falls, a 2 hour drive from Durango including a dirt road. Directions will be provided in a trip planner for registrants.
What will we Find? We will hunt for both blue agates and fluorescent rocks, mostly agate, chalcedony and calcite. Manganese is the usual activator for fluorescence in this location. Fluorescent colors include pink, orange, yellow, blue and green.
Difficulty? Most rock hunting will take place during daylight hours. The rocks that fluoresce after dark will have a characteristic appearance you can spot during the daytime. We will be hunting a sandy, stony ravine as well as a sloped forest. While it is not strenuous, you should have good balance and patience to move slowly over uneven terrain.
When? If plan to spend the night, arrive by 3 pm on Saturday Aug 15 to set up your camp. The campground is free and spacious but has no toilet.
If you are not camping, please arrive by 4 pm on Saturday. We will briefly talk about UV flashlight use and then begin our rock hunt during the afternoon and early evening hours.
At 9 pm, we will drive to a large pile of local stone used for road work. Here you can use a high intensity UV flashlight (provided) to probe for fluorescent rocks and dig below the surface. Please note: this is a moonless night but any amount of light from dusk will interfere with the effectiveness of UV. Stones won't glow as brightly under dusk conditions as they will a couple hours later.
Note: Each participant will be loaned a UV flashlight (385-395 nm) by the Club. It is strong enough to pick up fluorescence at a distance of 20 feet but is also a relatively safe wavelength for field use.
Please register by noon on Thu Aug 13 so that you receive timely trip information by email. Bring a backpack or bucket, hiking pole, regular working flashlight, jacket with big pockets, trowel (important), and driving directions. If camping, bring camp gear and water.
The trip is $12 (refund policy is published at bottom). Registration is a two step process. Click on the button below to purchase the Fluorescent Rock Hunt. It is $12 per person. Then email the trip leader Jama to obtain a trip planner and driving directions.
Saturday Aug 15, 2026 and Sunday Aug 16 (Sunday is optional)
Where? This field trip is near Piedra Falls, a 2 hour drive from Durango including a dirt road. Directions will be provided in a trip planner for registrants.
What will we Find? We will hunt for both blue agates and fluorescent rocks, mostly agate, chalcedony and calcite. Manganese is the usual activator for fluorescence in this location. Fluorescent colors include pink, orange, yellow, blue and green.
Difficulty? Most rock hunting will take place during daylight hours. The rocks that fluoresce after dark will have a characteristic appearance you can spot during the daytime. We will be hunting a sandy, stony ravine as well as a sloped forest. While it is not strenuous, you should have good balance and patience to move slowly over uneven terrain.
When? If plan to spend the night, arrive by 3 pm on Saturday Aug 15 to set up your camp. The campground is free and spacious but has no toilet.
If you are not camping, please arrive by 4 pm on Saturday. We will briefly talk about UV flashlight use and then begin our rock hunt during the afternoon and early evening hours.
At 9 pm, we will drive to a large pile of local stone used for road work. Here you can use a high intensity UV flashlight (provided) to probe for fluorescent rocks and dig below the surface. Please note: this is a moonless night but any amount of light from dusk will interfere with the effectiveness of UV. Stones won't glow as brightly under dusk conditions as they will a couple hours later.
Note: Each participant will be loaned a UV flashlight (385-395 nm) by the Club. It is strong enough to pick up fluorescence at a distance of 20 feet but is also a relatively safe wavelength for field use.
Please register by noon on Thu Aug 13 so that you receive timely trip information by email. Bring a backpack or bucket, hiking pole, regular working flashlight, jacket with big pockets, trowel (important), and driving directions. If camping, bring camp gear and water.
The trip is $12 (refund policy is published at bottom). Registration is a two step process. Click on the button below to purchase the Fluorescent Rock Hunt. It is $12 per person. Then email the trip leader Jama to obtain a trip planner and driving directions.
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Thunderegg Hunt in Del Norte
Saturday October 3, 2026, 11 am at South Fork Visitor's Center Where? The group will meet at the South Fork Visitors Center, 28 Silverthread Lane in South Fork CO, at 11 am where we will consolidate vehicles. It is a 30 minute drive from there to the parking area where our hike begins. We will need high clearance vehicles such as an SUV. What will you find? This field trip explores the Del Norte area for agates and thundereggs, with occasional geodes. The trip leader is Paul Midgley. Difficulty: After we park, it is a one mile hike, starting at 8,200 feet and climbing to 8,700 feet under full sun. Before signing up, be sure you have the fitness for this hike. What to Bring: Bring a backpack with water, sunscreen and snacks. Wear sturdy shoes, appropriate clothes and a sunhat. Registration is a 2 step process. Pay $12 per person for the trip below and also email the trip leader Paul. |
San Luis Valley region thunderegg. Photo by Daniel E Kile, USGS.
Del Norte Thunder Eggs found by Paul Midgley, Photo by Jama Crawford
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Field Trips: General Information
How To Enroll. Field trip fees are usually $10 to 12 per person unless there are added expenses at the destination to be paid by the Club. Your online payment below will enroll you on the trip. All parties must sign release of liability waivers at the meeting location.
Refunds & Cancellations. If you can't go, you may give away or sell your spot to someone else, but refunds are not issued unless the Club cancels the trip.
How to Get There. All participants are responsible for their own travel to the meeting point. Before the trip you will receive a trip planner by email with details about the destination, travel directions, road conditions, what to bring, and nearby camping areas.
Membership Requirement. You may attend one Club function (one field trip, open shop, or demo etc.) to find out if you like what the Club has to offer. After that, membership is required to participate. If you see more than one trip on this list you want to attend then please Join the Club. Annual membership prices are very reasonable.
Refunds & Cancellations. If you can't go, you may give away or sell your spot to someone else, but refunds are not issued unless the Club cancels the trip.
How to Get There. All participants are responsible for their own travel to the meeting point. Before the trip you will receive a trip planner by email with details about the destination, travel directions, road conditions, what to bring, and nearby camping areas.
Membership Requirement. You may attend one Club function (one field trip, open shop, or demo etc.) to find out if you like what the Club has to offer. After that, membership is required to participate. If you see more than one trip on this list you want to attend then please Join the Club. Annual membership prices are very reasonable.