Chambless Rock Collecting Area
Amboy, California
hematitemagnetiteepidotegarnetlimestone fossils
BLM collecting area · Free
Chambless Rock Collecting Area
BLM formally set Chambless aside for rock collecting, a designation only a handful of places in California carry. The draw is reddish-brown iron ground yielding hematite and magnetite, green epidote washing down the drainages, and dark red and brown garnet crystals. Limestone and marble nearby carry fossils. Invertebrate fossils are legal to collect on BLM land; vertebrate fossils and any artifact — arrowheads, flakes, potsherds, old bottles — are not. Access runs west from Needles on I-40, then National Trails Highway to BLM Route NS328.
The card catalog
| What you can find | hematite, magnetite, epidote, garnet, limestone fossils |
|---|---|
| Access | BLM collecting area — Free |
| Fees | free, no permit for reasonable personal-use collecting; the 25 lb per day plus one piece cap applies to petrified wood specifically, not to these materials. Call the Needles Field Office (760-326-7000) for current limits |
| Season & hours | October through April; this is open Mojave with no shade and no water at any season |
| Kids | Family-friendly — most of the material is surface-collected out of washes rather than dug, which suits kids — but stay well away from the old mine shafts nearby |
| Official source | Bureau of Land Management, Needles Field Office |
| Last checked | Checked against its source August 16, 2026 |
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
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Before you go
What does Chambless Rock Collecting Area cost?
free, no permit for reasonable personal-use collecting; the 25 lb per day plus one piece cap applies to petrified wood specifically, not to these materials. Call the Needles Field Office (760-326-7000) for current limits Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Chambless Rock Collecting Area open?
October through April; this is open Mojave with no shade and no water at any season Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Chambless Rock Collecting Area good for kids?
Yes — Chambless Rock Collecting Area works for families. most of the material is surface-collected out of washes rather than dug, which suits kids — but stay well away from the old mine shafts nearby