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History & Treasure · Field geology

Rockhounding and fossil journeys in southwest New Mexico

Read the rocks as a history of ancient seas, volcanic events, mineralizing fluids, and human work. Each location chapter distinguishes a place worth seeing from a place where collecting is currently permitted.

Begin with a fossil sea beside a silver town

The Apache Hill and Lake Valley chapter follows Mississippian marine life in the limestone that later hosted a mining district. The public BLM historic townsite is a separate visit from the fossil hill; the hill's precise collecting status needs a parcel check before any removal. For Grant County minerals, use the companion Rockhounding Grant County guide.

3 complete chapters

Read the series

  1. Apache Hill Fossils and Lake Valley: When a Silver Camp Sat Beside an Ancient Sea

    Explore the Mississippian marine fossils of Apache Hill, the geology behind Lake Valley silver, and a responsible route through the historic landscape.

  2. Rockhound State Park: Agate, Thundereggs, and the Volcanic Story Near Deming

    A detailed guide to the Little Florida Mountains, the making of agate and thundereggs, the park trails, and New Mexico’s current posted collecting rules.

  3. Prehistoric Trackways: Walking the Permian Shore in the Robledo Mountains

    A longform visitor and fossil history of the Robledo Mountains trackways near Las Cruces: ancient animals, discovery, desert access, museums, and the monument's collection rule.

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