Selenite roses and stars are to be found in the flat-topped hills southwest of the Apache Powder Plant. Try digging in soft, reddish-brown areas of the soil. You'll need to dig and handle the selenite carefully to recover intact specimens. This material is not as fragile after it's initial exposure to air.
A colorful, banded rhyolite is also to be found at this collecting site.
This site has excellent access. To get there, go south from Benson on Highway 80 for 5 miles and then turn onto Apache Powder Plant Road. Follow Apache Powder Plant Road for 3.5 miles, passing the Apache Powder Plant on the west side of the road. At 3.5 miles down Apache Powder Plant Road, look for ruts to the west leading towards the hills about a mile away. Follow these ruts to the hills.
Diamond Point and vicinity near Payson, Arizona
Clear Quartz Crystals, Geodes, Blue and White Agate
11-26-01 Update: Diamond Point has been closed to digging by the Forest Service. Digging of any kind or breaking rocks is prohibited. Punishable by a $500 fine and/or six months in jail. They have closed off over 4000 acres.
Another site near Diamond Point and a good place for collecting geodes, which are found just lying about on the surface. The size of the specimens vary from .25" to 10" in diameter. A bubbly tan is the most common exterior appearance. Geodes with darker brown to black exteriors are also found here. Blue and white agate can also be collected at this site.
To get to this geode site go west 8 miles on Forest Road 64 from the intersection of Forest Roads 64 and 65 (3.7 miles from Diamond Point). When you've traveled 8 miles, stop and check out the ravines, hillsides and eroded areas on both sides of Forest Road 64. If you reach the bridge over a creek on Forest Road 64 you've gone a mile too far west of the main deposit.
Hull Mine near Yuma, Arizona
Calcite, Fluorite, Galena, Quartz, Wulfenite and possibly Vanadinite
(4-wheel drive is recommended but possibly not essential; the road is heavily washboarded in places):
Drive to milepost 55 on Arizona highway 95 (the road which connects Quartzsite and Yuma). Milepost 55 is about 30 miles north from the intersection of I-8 and Hwy 95 in Yuma; and about 45 miles south from the intersection of I-10 and Hwy 95 in Quartzsite.
Milepost 55 is about 100 feet north of the turnoff onto Castle Dome Mine Road, which heads roughly northeast. Set your trip odometer to 0 at the turnoff and refer to the mileages below (your odometer may vary slightly from mine).
Mile 0: Leave highway 95 heading roughly northeast on Castle Dome Mine Road which, at this point, is a 2-lane paved road.
Mile 1.8: The paved road turns right into a facility which features a red and white checkered water tower and some hangar- like buildings. Unpaved roads lead to the left and straight ahead. Do not follow the paved road. Continue straight on Castle Dome Mine Road which is now unpaved.
Mile 4.9: Drive past a large "Kofa National Wildlife Refuge" sign to the right of the road. (Trivia question: What does "Kofa" stand for? Answer below.) Continue straight.
Mile 5.0: Drive past (or stop at) a National Wildlife Refuge System information area to the right of the road. Continue straight.
Mile 8.2: The road forks. The intersection is marked by a wooden stake with the number "75" on it. Just past the stake is a larger sign reading "McPherson Pass 7 mi (with a forward pointing arrow)" and "Big Eye Wash 11 mi (with an arrow pointing to the right)." Follow the road in the direction of McPherson Pass.
Mile 8.3: The road forks again. The road which continues straight is blocked by a post embedded in the center of the road and a sign which reads "No Vehicles." Another sign, between the two forks, reads "Designated Road" and has an arrow which points to the left. Take the left fork.
Mile 8.7: A faint road forks to the right. It is posted with a "No Vehicles" sign and a "No Trespassing" sign. Continue straight.
Mile 8.8: Large signs posted on both sides of the road read "Castle Dome & Flora Temple Mines closed. No entry permitted. Private property. No trespassing. Dangerous mines. Keep out." You will notice a number of mine entrances, dumps, headframes, and "Posted" signs in this area. Don't stop. Continue driving on the dirt road.
Mile 9.7: The road forks. A "Designated Road" sign points to the right fork. Take the left fork, which leads through a broken yellow gate. You will notice several mineshafts in the immediate area.
Mile 9.9: Follow the road to the right. You should now be driving clockwise around a low (100-foot high) hill beneath which is located the tunnels of the Hull Mine.
Mile 10.1: You should now be to the west of the hill. The hillside is littered with old equipment, carts, pipes, small water and fuel tanks, prospects and shafts. Continue your circle around the hill, bearing right.
Mile 10.3: You should now be at the base of the hill, on its northeast side, at the adit to the Hull Mine. Enter carefully, take a lantern with you, and have fun.
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