Mount Antero
Nathrop, Colorado
aquamarineberylsmoky quartzphenakitefluorite
Public land, rules apply · Free
Mount Antero
Colorado named aquamarine its state gemstone largely because of the blue beryl that comes out of pegmatite pockets on Mount Antero, some of the highest collecting ground in North America. Forest Service policy permits low-disturbance hand collecting for personal use on open forest land, but this mountain is heavily claimed and the productive zone sits above 13,000 feet, so claim status is the first thing to settle and the hardest. Verify in the BLM records, acclimatize for a day first, and plan to be off the ridge by noon.
The card catalog
| What you can find | aquamarine, beryl, smoky quartz, phenakite, fluorite |
|---|---|
| Access | Public land, rules apply — Free |
| Fees | No fee and no permit for low-disturbance hand collecting on open national forest ground. Mount Antero is densely covered with active mining claims, however, and working someone else's claim without permission is illegal - check reports.blm.gov/reports/MLRS and contact the Salida Ranger District at (719) 539-3591 before you go. |
| Season & hours | A genuinely short window, mid-July into September. The mountain holds snow late and thunderstorms build above treeline nearly every afternoon. |
| Kids | Better for experienced collectors — Collecting happens above 13,000 feet at the end of a punishing shelf road, with lightning exposure, altitude, and no water. This is a fit-adult objective, not a family outing. |
| Official source | USDA Forest Service - Rockhounding, Prospecting, and Fossil Hunting on the PSICC (June 2019) |
| 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.
More drawers in Colorado
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Breckenridge, CO
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Devils Head Area, Pike National Forest
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Florissant, CO
fossil leaves, fossil insects, fossil seeds
Before you go
What does Mount Antero cost?
No fee and no permit for low-disturbance hand collecting on open national forest ground. Mount Antero is densely covered with active mining claims, however, and working someone else's claim without permission is illegal - check reports.blm.gov/reports/MLRS and contact the Salida Ranger District at (719) 539-3591 before you go. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Mount Antero open?
A genuinely short window, mid-July into September. The mountain holds snow late and thunderstorms build above treeline nearly every afternoon. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Mount Antero good for kids?
Mount Antero is better suited to experienced collectors than young kids. Collecting happens above 13,000 feet at the end of a punishing shelf road, with lightning exposure, altitude, and no water. This is a fit-adult objective, not a family outing.