Customer Reviews

Gem Trails of New Mexico

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is awful unless you really know what you are looking for, and have a good sense of geology. Just as an example, the author provides information on "candy rock" rhyolite near Truth or Consequences. If you take the directions in the book, you will end up at the end of a torn up road and a wash, with no real clue as to where you should go from there. I took several backroads which required a heavy-duty 4WD, and finally found some rhyolite. This book would be much more useful if the maps and directions were up to date, and if every description of a gem/mineral had a picture of the site you are supposed to be looking for, and a picture of the mineral in question. Don't buy this book if you are a novice, it will only discourage you.

I have used this book for several trips and have found the directions clear. I am a fairly new collector yet I have found all but 2 sites Most of the sites are eazy to get to and highly productive

This book is very good. I have many rockhounding books for New Mexico, but this is by far the best. I've been able to find and collect at many of these sites. Most of my other guides really don't guide me anywhere and don't include the choice spots and exact directions. The sites in this book are well reseached and many are prime locations for what is there. There are enough pictures of specimens from the sites to give the general idea of what to look for, but a Rock and Mineral Field Guide is invaluable. When used with a good map; other "favorite spots" of my own have been found. This book is a keeper.

this book is very helpful. We've been to a lot of places in the book.

We have used this book to go mineral hunting several times. Had trouble finding some of the locations, but im a not a regular collector. Have found several good specimens. I go camping a lot and bought this book thinking it would be fun to have something to do while camping for a week or two at a time. Have also used the book for a couple day trips. We have had about a 80% success rate finding locations and some the minerals listed. Thats not bad for someone that has done rockhounding off and on with no formal training.
Just buy a book that has some good pictures and descriptions, to identify the minerals you are looking for. And you should have fun finding some nice specimens. Yes its a lot of work but well worth it when you come home with a nice specimen for your collection. I have tried this book in several areas of the state, and find about 3 out of 4 locations listed.

Good resource for beginners; many of the sites identified in other similar books; a few good New Mexico locale for rock collecting omitted from this book.

Great guide. But, some of the narrative and maps are woefully out of date. We traveled 100 miles to visit one site only to find the road no longer passible and landmarks on the map non-existent.

This is an excellent first-choice book for people who are new to gem collecting and/or rockhounding. It's one of a series that cover many different states. It's well arranged and easy to use - and small enough to keep in the glove compartment of your car.