Gem Hunting Vacations in Texas

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument

• Alibates flint was commonly used by ancient peoples to make both tools and weapons. Within the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, visitors can view displays of arrowheads made of this material and go on guided tours of the quarries themselves. According to the National Park Service, alibate is agatized dolomite, and it was considered a highly sought-after item within the United States. While visitors cannot remove items from the park, they can search for their own treasures in the surrounding areas, which include Lake Meredith, streams and rugged outback cliffs. Alibates flint can be purchased from rock stores that dot the landscape around these regions.

  Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument

  P.O. Box 1460

  Fritch, TX 79036

  806-857-3151

  nps.gov

Woodward Ranch

• Woodward Ranch offers cabins, tents and RV sites with full hookups, and it allows visitors to hunt for gemstones on the property for a fee. There is also a fee per pound if you wish to keep anything that you have found. Visitors can search for nearly 60 different types of agate and other gemstones, including red plume agate. The ranch has an onsite rock shop, where visitors can purchase local gemstones, jewelry and a variety of other gifts. Visitors without four-wheel-drive vehicles can book a tour out to the backcountry; they may also wander around Grandpa’s Magic Garden and choose from agates in this area.

  Woodward Ranch

  HC 65 Box 40

  Alpine, TX 79830

  432-364-2271

  woodwardranch.com

Mason County

• Throughout Mason County, topazes can be found within the granite outcroppings, in riverbeds or in ravines. Topaz, Texas’s state gem, usually has a clear to bluish color but may also have a brown or yellowish tint. Two ranches in the area, Garner Seaquist Ranch and Lindsay Ranch, allow visitors to search for topazes for a flat fee, and visitors get to keep what they find. Generally, these ranches are open year-round, except during November, December and January, which is deer-hunting season. Tools for topaz hunting include wire meshes, pick axes and shovels.

  Mason County Chamber of Commerce

  P.O. Box 156

  Mason, TX 76856

  325-347-5758

  masontxcoc.com