Rockhounding Tips & Advice: Real advice on How to Find interesting rocks and minerals.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- We had the hardest time for about the first year we were rockhounding, often we would go places only to learn a hard lesson about researching the area, bringing the wrong tools, or not knowing exactly where we were. All of this could have been avoided if something like this existed.
I'm not an expert, but I have been into this for a handful of years now, and I think I have a pretty good understanding of rockhounding and geology, but I'm still learning, so if you have any advice, tips, tricks, or secrets to finding cool rocks and minerals I would love to hear what you have to say.
Thanks for watching.
#Rockhounding #CurrentlyRockhounding
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I sure did. Thank you. Fellow rock hunter, and have been since I was a small child. :)
There aren’t too many videos out there labeled “rockhounding tips” that actually provide quality advice. Yours is one of the few. Very helpful. Great advice. Thank you for making this 🙏
Thank you for recognizing that. I try really hard to offer more here on this channel than just showing rocks.
Jared, you are a blessing thank you always
Thank you!
Thank you. Been picking up “pretty rocks” since my first trip to the Oregon coast some 70 years ago. Your ideas were valuable, particularly because the land use has changed.
Thanks for sharing a lot of very good information. My wife and I have been rockhounding in Washington for nearly 50 years and now have fun watching the younger generations
get out and enjoy the hobby. One of our favorite places to go is still Redtop. If you can ignore all the hard rock miners on the cliff face banging away on thin walled geodes that
they will never be able to get out except in pieces and concentrate on locating that same cliff face under about 2 to 3 feet of overburden, the basalt comes off in weathered layers that
easily release coconut size geodes. A couple of tips you can add to your next video as I am sure you have discovered yourselves---- insect repellant for biting flies and mosquitos and
sun screen for those 98 degree days on Redtop. I remember years ago on one of our first trips to Redtop, I found myself in a six foot deep hole after digging all day only to find
in the bottom ==== a pop can and toothbrush. That was a bummer of a day but taught me a good lesson---other people had been there before us. Keep on with the videos
as they are always interesting.
Oh man I would of been really disappointed to spend all day digging only to find out it was someone's old pit. You do give some good advice about the insect repellent and sunscreen.
Dude seriously, no bull, one of the best Rockhounding tips and advice videos I have seen. Seriously. So much really useful info that like you said, I wish someone had told me these things in my first few years. Legend dude 👍 all rookies and greenhorns need to watch this. Thank you man!
I hear you about the location sharing, I guess with my situation, I won’t share on a video, cause there’s a lot of others that would be super not happy if I did. Haha! But if someone contacts me, I always point them in the right direction. The other thing is that I fear the wrong people could give hounds a bad name. There’s a couple out here that do, and it just makes it harder for those who care for the sport to remain respected. Not keeping it from people, but sorta making sure they know what’s expected ethically before I give them locals haha.
Honestly, frikin rad vid dude.
Oh one more thing... gneiss rocks! Hahaha! One of the best rock jokes that must live on through the ages! 😂🤣👌
Thanks man, I know that everyone’s situation is different I'm not saying share everything no matter what, rather I think its good to not treat it like your guarding the keys to a gold vault.
Currently Rockhounding
Yeah yeah, no I totally get it. If it’s something we love doing so much and feel passionate enough to share it with everyone, it’s like dangling a carrot if we don’t help them find the same spots we’ve come across. I totally agree dude 👌
Thanks for the info and thanks to all your viewers for their tips as well. I love your videos. However, I always crack up because I love "ugly" weird rocks and when you toss them back I often hear myself going "noooooooo!" out loud. Beauty is in the eye and all that. Cheers.
I'm thinking the same... those of bits are ones I'd like to see what is inside.
I'm the same way, lol.
As a beginner thank you, it's tricky starting out blind and binge watching these videos help so much. Beautiful dog, loving the scenery too.
Of course I just want to see more people getting outside. I'm happy to help if you ever have a questions about anything.
Absolutely Fantastic! Much Appreciated!
Great advice! Definitely helps to do some digging online to help find potential spots!
Thanks dude.
Thank you for the video! Very informative. Extreme beginner here. You are 100% correct though - it's all about getting out and seeing what's out there! I've gone from urban exploring, to general exploring. It was a great excuse to travel and see history of sort.. I've always enjoyed caves, mines, and old mills the most - and often came across awesome bobbles. Although I'm huge on "take only pictures - leave only footsteps," I am very guilty of picking up souvenirs along the way. ; )
Although i have a few reasons for getting into hounding - Through this wonderful pandemic it lead me to start tumbling some of my found treasures. Educating myself on tumbling I found that I do not know anything about this stuff and that just made me want to dive in more. So, I'm getting more serious, got some books - doing the research, - but wanted to see what actual rock hounders had to say. I'm going to watch more - but am curious if you had any advice on a type of rock to start with? I live in Minnesota, but road trip... a lot - and am completely used to wondering around the deep wood not finding what I'm looking for. It's half the fun though!
Well you are picking an amazing hobby to get into that's for sure! I also have a website which you might find helpful and like a ton of videos.
I don't know if you really need any advice, it sounds like your already comfortable exploring places, you just needs some guides to help you on your way for your local area.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding True!
I’m did hear about the coming of your website on another video! I’ll totally check it out. Though with all these videos - you’re going to keep me busy already!
These (videos) are awesome. Thank you for your efforts!
@@Tiffany.Elwood Thank you. Ultimately I want people to have a fun time out there rockhounding.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding Well - Two new Hounds representing the upper Midwest ;)
Such a beautiful place! Thanks for the great info for beginners!
Thank you!
Good stuff sir. Grounded in reality.
better to have then to not have an need it water is no.1 haven't thought about looking for guide books but I will now great advice 👍 an my collection has definitely grow because of you
Thanks for all your help and suggestions, I love you videos keep them coming and you stay safe and have a blessed day. Thanks
Thank you.
Hey. Thank you for the great advice. Your tips have really helped me. As for the app well that's a total life changer for me. Keep doing what you are doing.
I'm glad you liked it! :)
Really enjoyed the video. Much good advice you have shared. I have been collecting for years with out a care about what kind of rocks, I did it for their beauty. Now I am wanting to know what kind I have and what ones polish well and so on. So ya I found your video very helpful. Thanks much for sharing !
I'm glad you liked it, let me know if I can help in anyway.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding thank you much :)
So true about the age of people in some of the rock clubs. People in the club I joined are 60-80 years old. I'll be 40 soon, I just wish there were a couple of newbies like me. Everyone is super nice though 🙂
Thank you so much for the great video and the Awesome advice. It is great when people like yourself take a little time and give realistic pointers to newbie hounders like myself. Hope you have a safe and wonderful Christmas :)
Thank you. I just want people to get outside a little bit more and have enjoyable time with loved ones.
Merry Christmas.
Also… don’t post collecting locations if you were invited on someone’s property to collect. Same goes with private mining claims.
Also, pick up trash you find and backfill holes when you’re done so someone doesn’t break a leg while walking. Great info!
I really love your videos so far but for the overall quality as much as the information. I can have them on when random people walk in randomly, (lol) and they dont freak out or get annoyed or high anxiety or any of that. or on the in the background without stressing people out.
Good vibes in general, quality information no doubt but the camera work is well done. Simple, in nature, inclusive content. I enjoy watching them as we would in the past with something like a full "television show". whether im actually planning to go out looking for rocks that day or not haha.
Thank you. I try to make helpful content that people find enjoyable.
Thank you very helpful advice
Ohh, that was helpful! Thank you!
I'm glad you liked it.
Thanks for sharing.
Great advice and I just added Rockd to my apps. I wish I would have known about this one a long time ago.
It's a great app, you also turn on the Check Ins to see people around you that made listing for neat spots.
This was helpful all your videos are helping I should watch them in order I just go to your channel and say to myself oh I never watched this one yet let's check it out your channel is one of my favorites have a good one Jared thanks
I'm happy you're finding the content helpful, its quite the library of content at this point.
Very helpful video, especially for beginners. Will be also cool if you share what type of essential gear you'd recommend for beachcombing, creeks and for hard core digging :)
Thanks! Do you have any advise for other people? or mistakes you see people making often?
Oh that's coming for sure! Snow is starting to drop here and the ground is frozen solid so it will give me time to work on more educational videos.
I am not a seasoned rock hunter, just a beginner who is enjoying this awesome hobby. My only couple tips would be to have a spray bottle and a flash light, and to lift eyes off the ground once in awhile to appreciate the view and stretch your back :)
Beautiful area! Good vid.
Thank you.
GREAT VIDEO GREAT PREPAREDNESS ADVICE!
Thank you!
Great information. Thanks for sharing
It's been almost a year since I made this and I think I am going to make an update at some point.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding I could not believe that after I grumbled about my yesterday I go videos of the rules..
I needed information that wasn't available.
I learned a few things about my state.
Hey don’t necessarily dismiss older rock club members lol. You can learn a lot from these guys that have been rockhounding for 50+ years. They know the places that aren’t in the guides and can be a wealth of knowledge on the mining history of the area. They can often identify rocks that you get stumped on. My main problem is that my work schedule is odd and I work Saturdays which is when many places do their field trips.
Great video. I tend to be vague with my sites because either i don't remember where precisely I was. I don't know precisely where I was(and it was private land) or it is My in-laws house and that is too close to Doxing for me.
Thanks. I fully understand not sharing spots like the one your describing but far too often I hear and read things where people don't want to share a spot on a beach, or creek that's open to the public...etc.
I found my 1st geode this year near hauser geode beds Southern Cal
The only way to get an 'eye' for finding interesting rocks on the ground is to do it, and the best way for a novice to get practice is to either find a river and look for cool things or be guided by someone else. One person's lea'verite (as in leave her right there, the #1 most used joke in rockhounding) is another person's find of the year, so pick up what you find to be interesting even if it's not valuable or identifiable in a book. Nobody's gonna judge you for liking a rock that doesn't have a fancy name , and sometimes, very rarely, that greenish rock you found in a random river that you thought was just quartz could be a piece of jade.
Additionally some of the best places to look and dig at are paid. While this isn't true across the board it is good to get out to some of these locations and be shown what to dig for in exchange for a fee. You won't go home empty handed at any place worth its salt and you'll learn where rocks like to settle in the earth. Sometimes these are kinda pricey, but you should get what you pay for. Do your research first though, sometimes tools will be needed for a dig and occasionally you will simply be let onto a plot of land and told to "go nuts" with no instructions. Not doing so can also often lead to you showing up to a mine only to find that they're closed. Most of the time though you'll be given a little talk and instructions on what to do and where to dig. These sites are usually an absolute blast and I've spent hours digging at places like the Holly Wood Ranch in Sweet Home Oregon looking for petrified wood and the Oceanview mine in San Diego California looking for tourmaline.
Good point about the paid dig sites, I've been the a few myself and they have all been worth it.
Good information, one question what is madoc? Mentioned it when talking about tools
It's kinda like a pick one side and a hoe the other. Google Geo Pick and you will see what I'm talking about.
Very safe advice.
I'm glad you found it to be helpful.
Somebody had to say it. Thank you.
You're welcome. Thanks for watching.
Awesome channel. Is there a “rock hounding club” in Spokane? I just moved here from Alaska and would love to get out with some people. I’ve been going at it alone on all the trails here but, I’m no expert.
Welcome to Spokane! Yeah there is a club here called Spokane Rock Rollers, but it leaves a bit to be desired if I'm being completely honest. We are really rounding the corner here in NE Washington and heading into winter which really locks down where you can go and most of the roads to areas to go rockhounding around here are down unmaintained roads.
Feel free to shoot me an email currentlyrockhounding@gmail.com if you need some advice.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding yeah there is snow on the ground already... if you ever want some company out there in the future send me a message I love getting out there and learning. Thanks!
2:52 - 2:56 Based
Thank you
You're welcome, I hope you enjoyed it!
“I don’t know why people don’t give out their location “
Last comment of the video “you can have them country at 360 million people and still find a quite spot like this”
Or perhaps they’re just greedy rock grabbers thanks for the video
😮 Bummer about those 'old guys' - just as well none of us have the technical skills to be able to watch your video 😮
cool vids.. Thanks
I'm glad you like them!
Does anyone know any places to rockhound in Kolkata India?
Rivers, and beaches are always a good starting point.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding thanks for the advice but unfortunately covid cases around me has me stuck in my apartment
I am standing on gneiss Rock
I love watching your channel . Seeing all the places you go and the beautiful scenery. But I was a bit disappointed to see you pick up an old beer can that was used for target practice , talk about it and then toss it back onto the ground. 😢 True it wasn’t your litter and why should you clean up after someone else. But why not just pack it out and throw it away properly? Help keep our beautiful outdoors clean. I have seen other outdoorsmen who are willing to be the solution not the problem.
I guess that makes for two disappointed people cause I'm rather disappointed in your comment.
So you perfectly pick up all the trash you see all the time without fail?
Let's see I have dog and a camera I'm dealing with so my hands are a little full and forgive me if I don't start filling my backpack with random trash. I really think your comment is way off base here.
As for your comment "I have seen other outdoorsmen who are willing to be the solution not the problem." which is implying that I'm in someway part of the problem of litter. Please go ahead and unsubscribe and never watch another video as I really don't want comments of this level of ignorance on the channel and I especially don't like waking up to see this type of stuff.