Nevada may be nicknamed The Silver State, but our desert landscape holds more than just that one type of treasure. What we lack in water we make up for with a veritable cornucopia of minerals, stones and gems, such as turquoise, garnets and opals. And in many places in Nevada, they’re available for the taking … that is, if you know where to look.

Sure, we’ve all been conditioned to “leave no trace” when we venture out into the wilderness. But the hobby of rockhounding offers an exciting exception to the rule. On BLM land, you are actually allowed to collect up to a 5-gallon bucket per day of gemstones, invertebrate fossils and more (Native American artifacts and major fossil finds need to stay). Beyond BLM land, you want to make sure that you’ve got full permission to scavenge. Venturing onto private property is illegal and poking around an actual mine is a death wish. But within those parameters, an exciting hobby awaits.

Where. The unique geology of Nevada reflects its evolving history over millions of years. Once our desert was a shallow sea, and the geologic changes left spectacular deposits. Due to this history, different locations in Nevada hold different treasures. Northern Nevada holds the most exciting finds, but you don’t have to travel that far. Southern Nevada has rock hounding, too. Of course, if you just want to have fun without planning too hard, sign up for a mine tour where you can pay to rockhound in a place where you’re more likely to find success (see “Buried Treasures”).

The Tools. As with any hobby, you can spend as much money as you want on specialized supplies. But it’s not necessary for beginners. Just pick up a rock hammer and a rake, and you should be good to go. Failing that, an eagle eye and an adventurous spirit will get you pretty far.

Start Here. If you’re down for a short road trip, drive up to Garnet Hill Recreation Area in Ely, Nevada. Visitors can discover ruby-red garnets and take them home as souvenirs. They can be found just sitting on the surface or you can use your trusty rock hammer to literally dig in. blm.gov/visit/garnet-hill

Meet Nevada’s State Gem. With its fierce rainbow shimmers captured in stone, the black fire opal is a thing of magic. And Nevada is the only place in the world where it exists naturally. The easiest way to find your own opal is to visit one of the mines in Northern Nevada.

Click HERE to subscribe for free to the Weekly Fix, the digital edition of Las Vegas Weekly! Stay up to date with the latest on Las Vegas concerts, shows, restaurants, bars and more, sent directly to your inbox!