Kingston Range

California

Find: Amethyst, quartz clusters (smoky quartz, milky quartz) possibly citrine as well.

GPS: 35.77626, -115.89875

Nearest city: Las Vegas, NV

Recommended Vehicle: Any, but be careful as the paved road can easily wash out here.

Summary:

The Kingston Range, it is an incredibly vast area littered with exceptional crystal clusters that occur within quartz veins in the bedrock.

I began finding crystals the more South I went, especially as I climbed the slope.

An off-road vehicle like an ATV or Polaris would be fantastic to get around this spot. You can get to the wash (where I marked the GPS coordinates) with any car, but you’ll have to hike in. The roads to get here from the nearby town of Baker are a little beat up, but they’re paved.

Video Guide

Check out the video for a better look at what can be found when exploring this spot.

If I could only bring 3 tools…

Gad Bar

This is my favorite tool I own. It is useful for both chiseling and extracting crystals from pockets. I want to return to this location to do a proper dig soon.

Hammer

I prefer a 3lb hammer for best all-around use. After trying many different weights and sizes, the Estwing is my favorite and is very comfortable.

Water Bladder

Whenever I’m in the desert, I use a 3L water bladder. Just a cheap one that’s dishwasher safe works great.