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There are two types of travelers in this world. The Freestyle Nomad tosses everything into the backseat—sometimes in a bag (sometimes not)—and decides on a whim to hike the Appalachian Trail about 3 minutes and 21 seconds before hitting the road. Meanwhile, the Suitcase Strategist is the polar opposite. She spends three weeks prior methodically and meticulously packing, researching, mapping, pinning, reserving, locating and assembling that ideal itinerary for the trip experience of a lifetime. Approximately 99.8% of her waking hours are spent preparing, and her itinerary rivals that of the first manned mission to Mars.
Which is better? Which one makes for the perfect trip? Could we risk suggesting that both of them together make for the perfect adventure? Disclaimer: These two travelers are us, and we are both generally pretty good at setting aside our differences and attempting to come to a compromise. Most of the time. We emphasize “generally” here for the safety and sanity of all involved parties.
We’re gearing up for a six-day adventure through Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico with stops at Palo Duro Canyon, the Colorado Rockies, and a few hidden gems in the Land of Enchantment (NW New Mexico). We’ll also spend a couple of days at the Denver Show - one of the biggest rock shows in the United States – and a rock and mineral mecca in its own right. It’s going to be action-packed, a bit ambitious, and potentially sleep-deprived—but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Let’s dive into how to plan the ultimate rockhounding road trip. And yes, the Strategist is the one writing this. You have been warned. Our Freestyle Nomad is off in the back, rolling his eyes at us.
Step One: Assemble an Approximate Itinerary
Every adventure needs a road map, or at least some general idea of where you're going. Ours usually changes, but we always have some key destinations in mind - because to rockhound successfully, a little research is in order. A flexible itinerary ensures you can make the most of the rockhounding opportunities while keeping some semblance of sanity, a la: “where are we going to land this evening?” While our Nomad is over here saying; “just drive north – we’ll find stuff!,” the Strategist is attempting to optimize every hour with the best stops, cross-referenced the geology of each location, distance and time between each, reservations and tickets ordered, clothing arranged for each microclimate, snacks and supplies and having color-coded the itinerary for maximum efficiency.
The Compromise: We generally build a loose itinerary with key spots and time/distances noted. We know when we plan on arriving at a location and how long we want to spend in each rockhounding spot - but we leave room for spontaneity. We have a destination each night, which on this trip varies between campgrounds and AirBnBs. We’re taking our rock ‘hound’ Bert, so we have to remember to check where dogs are allowed (and not allowed… which is dismally common). This style of planning allows us to be curious and spontaneous while still hitting the must-see sites and having an easy stopover each night.
Here's our itinerary:
Tuesday: Depart for Palo Duro Canyon arriving at 8pm to set up camp – approximately six hours from home (we can’t leave until early afternoon, unfortunately). We have a camping spot reserved for Tuesday and Wednesday night in the Juniper Campground within the state park, which is convenient to the Rock Garden trail that we want to hike. We picked a site that’s nice and private, with a shade cover and fire pit. Since we’re tent camping, a small site works perfect. Tip: We spent some time on the Palo Duro State Park website familiarizing ourselves with the different campgrounds and hiking trails, so we could pick a good spot close to where we wanted to hike. Book as far ahead as possible to get a good spot, and take a moment to check the map – you can even see your site on a satellite image, and check the individual site photos. Pick one that’s a medium distance from the entry roads and amenities like bathrooms and dumpsters (trust us, you don’t want to be next to one!), but it’s also nice to not have to hike a whole mile to get there. Know whether you are allowed to have a campfire, and if there’s a campfire ring. Be sure to check if dogs are allowed, and any restrictions on vehicles and tent size. Some sites are small! We always choose one with lots of shade and some brush/trees providing privacy.
Wednesday: Hiking day! We’re going to tackle Rock Garden Trail to a little bit of the Rylander Fortress Cliff Trail to on top of the canyon rim to take in the views and the fascinating geology of the region. Just driving from the park entrance to the valley bottom (an 800-foot drop) traverses 245 million years of geological layers, exposed via erosion. Our planned hike will give us an opportunity to explore the stunning red rock formations and see those layers up close - including striking layers of gypsum (that’s what selenite is made of!). Geodes can be found in this area, as well as agatized petrified wood – though it is forbidden to collect any rocks except outside of the State Park boundary. Fun fact: this is the second-largest canyon in the U.S. after the Grand Canyon!
Thursday: We’ll pack up super early and hit the road for Colorado – a 7hr drive to Denver, where we’ll likely stop along the way at yet-undetermined roadside rockhounding opportunities (you’re welcome, Nomad), and then settle in at our Denver AirBnB. We picked a dog-friendly cottage south of town, where Bert will be comfortable while we explore the rock show. We try to be responsible and conscientious dog owners, so when she can’t come with us, she has an extra-large crate full of toys and her favorite bed and blanket. This ensures that she is safe and secure (she is crate trained and knows her ‘safe den’), and our AirBnB hosts know that they risk no damage or accidents. Not that Bert would ever cause either – she’s practically perfect in every way (ha, just like every dog owner says…). If we’re lucky, we’ll catch a quick preview of the Denver show before doors close on Thursday.
Friday is our rock show day. We’re so excited to spend the day meeting our industry friends, shopping and exploring. This event is the largest single mineral, fossil, gem & jewelry show in the USA with 12 miles of tables and over 500 vendors. Stay tuned for more from Denver!
On Saturday, we’ll pack up the truck early again and head for the mountains. We’re heading into the Rockies, where amazonite, smoky quartz, and topaz are plentiful. The Rockies' tectonic history has produced some of the most sought-after minerals in the world. Since we don’t have a lot of time on this trip, we’ll take 285 to Antero Junction and down into Nathrop and Chalk Creek. Mt Antero is an incredible rock hounding destination with pegmatite formations at the summit. Of course the real question here is: “how ambitious do you want to get?” That summit is 14,276 feet! We won’t have time to climb the mountain, but the Chalk Creek area and nearby BLM land are known for garnet, topaz and some runoff rocks and crystals. There’s also Creekside Hot Springs at Mount Princeton, which offers day passes to soak in their mineral springs. Which might really be nice for our feet/body after traversing 12 miles of rock show tables. There are old abandoned Turquiose mines in the Manassa area to check out if time allows, too. We’ll explore for the day, and then head down toward the New Mexico state line, camping in BLM dispersed camping either in the Taos Junction or Pilar area. Again, you’re welcome Nomad.
Sunday: Our final day of exploration will be in the northwest region of New Mexico. Both of us are extremely excited to visit this area, which is rich with incredible rock hounding opportunities. Just looking at a geologic map yields a literal patchwork of metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic regions extending from the Taos region south along the Rio Grande and over toward Penasco and Truchas Peak. We plan to stop at the Harding Pegmatite Mine, and then hunt for Apatite, Staurolite and fluorescent Eucryptite in the area.
Step Two: Research your locations, permits, permissions
Not every rock is free for the taking. It is important to do your research on the local regulations before heading out. Some areas require permits, and others are strict about what you can collect (and where you can collect it).
Palo Duro Canyon: State parks in Texas don’t allow rock collecting within state park boundaries – you can go and appreciate what’s there, but only collect rocks where you have permission outside of state park boundaries.
Colorado Mountains: We’ve picked sites that are all within BLM land regions, which allow you to collect small amounts of rocks, mineral specimens, and semiprecious gemstones. This means we are allowed to hunt and keep the rocks we find, in small amounts.
New Mexico: Some of the best spots are on private property, so make sure you know what’s private and what’s public land. Except for the Harding mine (which allows a small amount of rock collection per person, with a signed waiver), most areas allow you to (in their words) “take only what you need for your own collection, leave what you can’t use.” The state of New Mexico is extremely friendly to rock hounders and has created this useful packet of information if you would like to read more.
Step Three: Book Where Necessary
If you’re hitting popular destinations, like the Denver Show or state parks, booking early is a must. Even for more off-the-beaten-path locations, it helps to secure accommodations in advance (sorry, Nomad). For those who prefer to camp, double-check that your campsites are near rockhounding spots for maximum efficiency. I’ve picked sites that ended up being miles upon miles away, making it less than convenient.
Step Four: Plan & Pack Your Gear
The right gear can make or break your trip, especially when you’re trekking into rugged terrain or variable climates. Here's what we’re packing for our six-day adventure:
Essential Gear: Hammer, chisel, pick, gloves, small spray bottle, UV flashlight, bags for your rocks and pouches for smaller specimens. Don’t forget a reliable backpack, good hiking boots, a hat and sunglasses, a water-resistant jacket, and plan on dressing in layers. I bring a good sleeping bag, an air mattress, our small-ish tent, camp stove with fuel and a tub for food and snacks (that can be locked in the truck at night – we’ll be in bear territory).
Packing Tips: Less is more. Sure, The Strategist says pack all the things, but the Freestyle Nomad knows a lighter load makes for easier adventuring. Stick to the essentials, and don’t forget the snacks - a well-fed rockhound is a happy rockhound. We’ll be packing lots of water, easy snacks and camping-style food (read: what can you cook quickly by a campfire?!). We’ll dive more into full camping, rock hounding and packing lists in a later blog.
Day Before & Day Of Tips
The Day Before: Double-check your packing list (Strategist alert!). Make sure you have printed maps, backup batteries for your gear and phones (my portable phone charger comes with me everywhere), and water, food, incidentals and your rockhounding gear, of course.
The Day Of: Hit the road early, be flexible, and enjoy the adventure. Download offline maps because cell service will probably be sketchy in the mountains. Don’t forget to stop at quirky roadside diners, hole-in-the-wall shops and all the great photo opps – those are where the best stories happen!
We’re about to hit the road, so follow along with our adventure in real-time. We’ll be posting live updates, videos, and photos on our social media channels. If you’re thinking of planning your own rockhounding road trip, hit us up with any questions or post in our forum. We’re happy to share more tips and insider info to help you get started.
Stay tuned for the next video where we’ll recap our journey, share our best finds, and give you the scoop on what it’s like to be part-Nomad, part-Strategist on the road.
Let’s go dig!
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