Hello, fellow rockhounds! Below is the schedule for my Fall
2026 rockhunts. I will be in Alpine, TX, leading these field trips in
October and November just as I’ve done for almost the last 30
years. This is a firm schedule for me, as long that there are no
political or environmental problems that make it impossible to get out to the
ranches.
If one person signs up for the trip, it will happen. And
there is no maximum number of people allowed on my trips, so bring your family,
friends, and gem club members with you.
At this point, I am the only person leading rock hunts in the Big
Bend Region, and there are no ranches available for hunting without a
guide. If you’ve dreamed of rockhunting in the Big Bend and haven’t yet
done it, I would encourage you to come out this Fall. You never know what
will happen in the future, and since I don’t own the land where we rockhunt, I
can’t guarantee that we will be able to get on the ranches forever.
Lots of things have changed for Fall 2026 rockhunts. I had
previously done my rockhunts during the week because Aaron Thomas and Jean
Larremore were leading hunts on the weekends, and I didn’t want to conflict
with them. Since both of them are no longer leading rockhunts, I’ve moved
my hunts from just weekdays to a four day stretch from Thursday to
Sunday. And I will be leading rockhunts on Thanksgiving weekend,
beginning on Thanksgiving day.
I’ve had to
move the first week of rockhunts later in October because I’m needed in
California until then to take care of some family members with medical
problems.
To sign up for a hunt, please text or email me your name, the date
and location of the hunt, the number of adults and kids under 12 or so that
will be hunting, and provide me with a phone number that will work while you’re
out in the Big Bend. My cell number is (432) 386-3431, and my email address is agatehunter@sbcglobal.net. Please
email your requests to agatehunter@sbcglobal.net, rather than
replying to this email, because my email service insists on having my reply
emails sent to it instead of my email. You can pay for rockhunts with cash or check
only, and can pay on the morning of the hunt.
I have you
join the Rollin’ Rock Club so that the club’s insurance applies to you.
This insurance protects the landowner in case we damage anything on the ranch,
such as a fence or a windmill. The cost is $10 per year for a single membership
or $16 for a dual membership. You
can also pay for the Rollin Rock Club with cash or check.
Another way to
get this insurance to apply on my field trips is if a gem club you belong to
has passed a resolution saying that ‘any field trip with Teri Smith is an
official field trip for xx club’. Then, if your club has insurance that
protects the landowner, it will apply for members of that club going on my
field trips. Clubs that have done this include the San Antonio Geological
Society and the Houston Gem and Mineral Society.
I do not get
paid for leading rockhunting field trips. The landowners get all the
money I collect, except for the Rollin’ Rock Club fees, which go to them.
My part of the deal is that I get to go rockhunting for free. If you feel
so inclined, I’ll accept tips, but they are certainly not necessary.
I’ll send you a confirmation text or email at the time you book
the hunt. I will try to send you a reminder about a week before your
hunt, but even if I don’t, the rockhunt will happen unless you hear from me
cancelling it. In the past 30 or so years, I’ve only cancelled six or
seven rockhunts, mostly due to extreme weather conditions.
We meet in the
morning at the following places:
Alpine: We
won’t be meeting at the Little Caesar’s Pizza any more. Instead, we’ll be
meeting a block south of Little Caesar’s Pizza, across the tracks in the
parking lot of Jackson Field, which is also called Sul Ross Lobo Stadium.
It’s a big parking lot, and we’ll be meeting in the northwest corner of it –
which is where you’ll be if you turn in the first driveway.
Balmorhea: in the
vacant lot across FM 2903 from the Alon Gas Station and Uncle’s Convenience
store on Highway 17 in the town of Balmorhea.
Study Butte: In the dirt lot south of the Alon Gas
Station and restaurant/store at the junction of Highway 118 and Highway 170 in
Study Butte.
