QUARTZSITE is the MECCA for Rock, mineral and fossil lovers!

Quartzsite Arizona is located near the Colorado river at the junction of Interstate 10 and U.S. 95. It is a very small town. Every winter it has about 9 major gem and mineral shows and over 15 general swap meet or "open air market" type shows. This is the place for buying mineral rough. Vendors come from all over the world to sell at Quartzsite. The hottest selling action takes place in January.

These are the shows I recommend:

Desert Gardens Gem and Mineral show is all of January and February.

The Annual Quartzsite Pow Wow is usually at the end of January.

Tyson wells Rock and Gem show is usually the beginning of January.

Each year the dates change so you will have to do a little internet research to find out the exact dates.

Only about 1,900 folks actually live in Quartzsite but during the winter months as many as one million visitors will spend anywhere from a day to the entire winter there. RV shows are another large attraction for the area. Looking around you will find many RV’s with license plates from the U.S. snow belt. Quartzsite is a nice cheap fix for warm weather and sunshine in the cold winter months. I am told you can park on BLM land and set up camp all winter for a small fee.

Quartzsite is one of the worlds largest outdoor "open air flea markets". It has been a rock hound Mecca since the 1960’s and any true rock hound will want to make the trip at least once in their lifetime. Over 2,000 vendors of rocks, minerals, fossils and finished goods from around the globe sell to anyone with money to spend. There are no "special wholesale shows" with entrance requirements as at the Tucson shows.

What Quartsite is:

Friendly

An open air market with sellers from Morocco, China, Afganistan, Pakistan, India, Africa, South America, Australia (and places I am sure I have forgotten to list) as well as some of the major USA sellers.

An RV Mecca with lots of desert and RV parks to stay at.

Dirt, Dirt, Dirt – did I mention the dirt??

Outhouses at the shows for your use and disgust.

Warm weather, usually in the 60’s and 70’s but there is occasional bad weather.

Thousands of people, cars, RV’s and lots of dirt.

Fast food but not too much in the way of healthy food.

Sellers set up their open air booths and usually live in an RV on their selling space.

Rocks, rough, Mineral specimens, Fossils, jewelry, beads, finished products and more.

Most sellers sell wholesale to the public, a few require a resellers permit for a true wholesale price.

What Quartzsite is not:

Tucson

A place for lovely hotels and pools and spas. If you need a hotel room near by Blythe California will work, Quartzsite has only about three motels.

Luxurious

It is not handicapped friendly.

If you don’t mind a little dirt, sunshine, and the outdoors – love rocks – and want to spend some money on fantastic one of a kind items go to Quartzsite. Often you are buying from the original miner, or owner of a family claim. You will find many different languages, religons, nationalities and folks with a love of rocks and the natural world. This is an experience for the true rock hound. Go once and you’ll be hooked.

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