California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 3 - Department of Parks and Recreation
Chapter 6 - Provisions Limited to Specific Units
Section 4611 - Rockhounding

(a) Rockhounding is authorized by Section 5001.65 of the Public Resources Code.

(b) Units and portions thereof (o)pen for Rockhounding will be posted in accordance with Section 4301(i).

(c) Commercial Use.

Rocks or mineral specimens gathered within a unit may not be sold or used commercially for the production of profit.

(d) Maximum Take.

One person may gather, in one day in one unit, not more than 15 pounds of mineralogical material or not more than one specimen plus 15 pounds of mineralogical material.

(e) Use of Tools.

Tools, except goldpans to be used in gold panning, may not be used in rockhounding within a unit.

(f) Areas for Swimming and Boating.

In state recreation areas rockhounding may not be practiced in areas designated for swimming or for boat launching.

(g) Areas Limited for Collecting.

In state recreation areas rockhounding is limited to beaches which lie within the jurisdiction of the Department and within the wave action zone on lakes, bays, reservoirs, or on the ocean, and to the beaches or gravel bars which are subject to annual flooding on streams.

(h) Indian Artifacts.

Rockhounding in a unit specifically does not include the gathering of Indian arrowheads, Indian stone tools, or other archeological specimens, even when such specimens may be found occurring naturally on the surface.

(i) Panning for Gold.

Panning for gold is considered to be "rockhounding" as the term is applied in the Department. The goldpan is the only exception permitted to the exclusion of tools from rockhounding in a unit as provided in Section 4610.5. Muddy water from panning operations must not be visible more than 20 feet from the panning operation.