A Rockhound’s Guide to Oregon & Washington

• Features 60 outstanding rockhounding sites
• Emphasizes rockhounding basics, sustainable collecting, and Leave No Trace principles
• Includes must-know instructions for beginner rockhounds like tool selection and preparedness

The Pacific Northwest’s geologic history is rich with glacier and volcanic activity, the collision of ocean crust with the continent, and epic floods leaving behind a treasure trove for rockhounds. Alison Jean Cole has carefully selected 60 top sites and guides readers to such finds as agates and jaspers in Washington’s Cascades and Oregon’s Blue Mountains, petrified wood and leaf fossils in the Owyhee Uplands, or jades and marbles in the North Cascades and southeastern Oregon.

A Rockhound’s Guide to Oregon & Washington emphasizes that rockhounding is about quality not quantity. Readers will find thorough explanations of federal and state collecting rules, rockhounding ethics, as well a framework for a tread-lightly ethos. A section on tools and preparedness guides the beginning collector, and a glossary of terms is a helpful resource for all budding geologists.

In addition to detailed information on where exactly to begin a rock hunt, every location features an overview of the area’s geologic history and age, what types of rocks are worth finding there, needed tools, land manager, and collection limits. Clear driving directions with GPS coordinates, road quality and trip safety information, best season to go, and an informative map round out each description.