We simply love getting outside and rockhounding. The adventure of finding a treasure is adrenaline pumping and great exercise. Some of our favorite rockhounding sites are in the Tri-State area. Read our rockhounding stories from Green's Garnet Farm in Connecticut, a Quartz and Pyrite Quarry in Ellenville NY, Herkimer Diamonds in upstate NY, and the mystical Grossular Orange Garnet deposit.

The Essential Guide to Rockhounding Part I

How to assemble your Rockhound Preparedness Kit From rockhounding well publicized and private locales in New York, Texas, Arizona, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Indiana, we consider ourselves rockhound aficionados. So whether you are hunting a site that you found on our blog, or you are a veteran rockhounder, this checklist discussing preparing for rockhounding in the outdoors will prove to be a valuable resource to make your experience more efficient, safe, and fun. First, we normally suggest researching the exploratory site, day, and time well in advance. But what if a fellow rockhound from your gem and mineral club calls you to join him or her, and you have less than 48 hours to prepare? What if your gem and mineral club is hosting a field trip, and at the last minute your plans change, and you are able to join them? What do you do?

You grab your Rockhound Preparedness kit and get ready for an adventure of course! Protect yourself from the elements, reduce frustration and anxiety, and enable yourself to get out and rockhound.

From our Rockhounding experience, these are the items you should assemble:

1. A cheap dop-kit or toiletry kit is a great idea. Why? Because often times they are waterproof, and have zippers. You can wash them off too. Places like Target, Marshall's, K-Mart, or Sears will carry inexpensive options.
2. Mosquito coils and matches are necessary, and we suggest having a minimum of 7 with you at all times. The bugs can be fierce no matter where you are. Mosquito coils last for hours and will burn away into ash.
3. Sunscreen is essential even in the outdoors. Bring the SPF Protection most suitable to how fair or how dark you are.
4. Rockhounding can get very dirty, so bring Wet-naps as they are very handy to clean off your hands quickly. They come in small travel packs. For some rockhounds they are too astringent to apply to one's face, but personally I find it very refreshing. If you wear glasses these are very good for keeping your lenses clean, too.
5. Energy bars, candy bars, bananas, oranges, apples, and nuts are great for keeping up your energy and last the entire day. The wrappers are minimal waste to carry back, and the nut-shells, orange peels, and apple cores can disposed of by Mother Nature.
6. Small notepad and pen or pencil for keeping notes. Date, time, location, and details of your gemstone finds quickly fade the mind due to excitement. This information is essential for gemstone and mineral finds, since provenance is paramount to us and to our clients, and should be for you as well.
7. Cell-phone or mobile device charger – while you are driving to the locale, or the night before, making sure your devices are fully charged. You should place a call to family and loved ones before heading out and if you are running late. It is highly advised to put these items in protective zip lock bags to PROTECT from dirt and mud. Additionally, filming your finds can be a great way to record you adventure. The camera and video on your phone are perfect for preserving the wonder and amazement of finding a perfect gemstone.

This article is devoted to what you should have ready in a kit, for that last minute, spur of the moment, rockhound adventure. Please refer to our other articles on packing rockhound gear, outerwear, tools of the trade including styles, types, and weights of hammers, chisels, and crowbars, and articles on where and when to rockhound.

If you have other suggestions and tips for rockhounding, please click the “Contact Us” button on the left navigation bar. Be sure to continue checking our Events page for rockhound announcements along with breaking news in geology, paleontology, and natural history. #GetOutandRockhound