Glass Butte Rockhounding Trip

We had to make a quick driving trip to New Mexico and back and decided to make a really quick stop in Central Oregon to pick up some obsidian and hopefully some agate.  Well, we got the obsidian, but not much of the agate.  

Our first stop was Graveyard Point on the Idaho/Oregon border looking for the fabled plume agate.  We drove out on the very bad dirt road a ways and pulled over and decided to walk the road.  Wouldn't you know it, we ran into a really bad thunderstorm and had to run back to the car before we got much collecting done.  We had lightning cracking over our heads, and as soon as we got into the car, the radio was broadcasting an emergency alert for a severe thunderstorm.  Oh well, that spot gets added to the bucket list.  We only found a few bits of agate and haven't even looked at them yet.

Graveyard Point Thunderstorm

Our next stop the following day was Glass Butte in Oregon.  We had our sights set on some rainbow and flame obsidian.  We didn't find much of the rainbow obsidian (as far as we know - we haven't cut any yet), but we did hit the mother lode on the flame obsidian.

Rainbow Obsidian Pits

Our first stop, the rainbow collecting pits looked pretty picked over.  We knew there were other rainbow spots, but we decided to head over to the area where flame obsidian is supposed to be.  I had the spot marked in the Garmin, after using an older WSMC (Washington State Mineral Council) map of the area and Google Earth to pinpoint the different collecting areas.  The Garmin tried to take us up the steep side of a hill, so we knew the spot was on top of the hill.  After locating a road that wandered that direction and seeing a big mud pit in the road, we decided to park and walk up the hill using the road.

A stone cairn near where we parked

We knew we must be close when we spotted a neat stone cairn below the hill near our parking spot, the only shade tree around.

View to the east from the top of the hill

We walked up the road and then headed cross country using the Garmin to guide us.  We came out on another road and there just happened to be a large chunk of flame obsidian shining at us next to the road.  We knew we were close.

Flame Obsidian Collecting Pit

Still using the Garmin directions, we walked to the side of the hill and there were the pits.  There were large chunks of various colored obsidian laying everywhere.  There was flame, and mahogany and even several pieces of the pumpkin agate laying around.  And what a view!  Boy, was it work carrying many large chunks of obsidian back to the car!

Boy are we a long way from the car!

Before we left, we decided to check out one more spot that was labeled opalite mine.  Not sure what we were looking for here, we just picked up some interesting gray, white, and pink banded specimens.

Large Opalite Collecting Pit

We headed out from here and made a lunch stop at Hampton Butte, where we found nothing much but a bunch of dig holes.  I had actually been out here a few years before with a large group and those people would just start digging holes anywhere.  We didn't understand it.  We asked an older gentleman about it and he explained that just digging was useless.  What you need to do here is use a metal probe and stick it into the ground until you hear a distinctive "tink" sound, then start digging.  That made more sense to us.  This time we did prospect a nearby area some with a probe and found a few nice indications of a good spot to check out on our next trip.

Hampton Butte Dig Holes Everywhere!

Hopefully we will get back to the area soon to continue our hunt!  Happy Rock hunting!

Since you are here, check out our stone creations and minerals at our Etsy shop at SouthPrairieHandmade

Gorgeous Black Brown Moss Agate Pendant

New Mexico Rockhounding - Parson's Mine - Nogal Mining District

Day one of travels.  We were headed to Ruidoso NM for a reunion, so we decided to take a trip through history and headed up CO15 Road to Forest Service Road 400 to FS Road 108 outside of Nogal (Nogal Canyon Road), which cuts through the mountains and comes out near Bonito Lake.  This whole area is pockmarked with mines and history.  For an interesting read about this area check out this NM Archaeology Report of the area.  It is full of murder, thievery and mayhem!

The best mine site we checked out was the site of the Parson's mine and mill site.  It was wonderful.  The drive was cool, beautiful and fairly uneventful.   Contrary to what the description of Parson on Ghostowns.com says, the mines have not been dynamited as far as I can see.

Unknown Foundation

Road into Canyon with Mine

Parson's Mine - Getting Close

Parson's Mine - Getting Closer

View Inside Mine - Looks Pretty Stable

Parson's Mine Boilers

Parson's Mine Mill Site

Parson's Mine Separator

We didn't really find much here, but my husband did find what appeared to be a nice green fluorite crystal specimen.  I think the area has been fairly well picked over.  If you dig enough, or get away from the main areas, you may find something nice though.  It was getting late, so we called it a day and headed on to Ruidoso.  We will have to come back some day and check out some of the other well-known mine sites in the area.

Quick Eastern Washington Trip

Before leaving for New Mexico we got in a quick rockhounding trip to eastern Washington.  Despite the horrible heat wave here right now we still managed to find some great rocks.  

We drove State Route 410 over Chinook Pass and made a quick stop at what I think is called the Blue Bird Mine near Bear Gap.  I have been here many times, but for my compadre it was a new experience.  She is just not used to driving to the opening of a mine. 

Mouth of Blue Bird (maybe Belle) Mine

Nice Ore Specimen

Large Tailing Pile

We hung around the tailing pile and found a few nice ore specimens before we decided to move on to the Little Naches River.

When we got to the Little Naches River, the temps were getting pretty warm, so we pulled off and took a little hike back into the woods to view Horsetail Falls.  Boy was the water low!  It was pretty cool back near the falls though.

Horsetail Falls

We drove a little ways down along the Little Naches River and finally found a shady spot to search the river for agates and thunder eggs.  Someone else was there ahead of us adding rocks to their buckets.  We were worried they got all the good rocks, but I soon realized that they were picking up too many to have gotten any real good ones.  There just aren't that many there to be found and they probably didn't know what they were looking for.  

Nice and Shady Little Naches River

A Pleasant Surprise - Serpentinite or Jadeite! 

After scouring the river for good rocks, and having found only a few possibles, we decided to head back to the cooler side of the Cascades.  One of my best finds was a nice large serpentinite or jadeite! I keep finding these in just about every WA river.  Go figure.

Meanwhile, be sure to check out our beautiful mineral specimens on our Etsy shop!

Gold Sheen Mahogany Obsidian Slab

Agatized Petrified Wood Rough