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This site has been closed due to the erection of a gate with a pad lock on the road leading to the site. Photo

General Information
Trip Name Site GPS Coordinates Trip Area
Purple Agate 34.395277, -111.276944 Northeast
Vehicle Type Physical Ability Season
Any Strenuous Feb - Oct

Trip Description:

The Purple Payson Agate trip is rated Easy and can be made by any vehicle during good weather. Just be sure to check the weather to make sure that it's not going to snow as snow accumulations in the high country can be quite significant. This area is known primarily for its purple agate, which can be polished to a high luster, and the abundance of fossilized horned coral which can also be found at this site. The only difficult portion of this trip is climbing up the steep hill to get to the purple agate that lies at the top—a climb well worth making. Digging at the top of the hill  is likely to render rewarding results!

Trips in this Region:

Agate Mountain Dobell Ranch Desert To Tall Pines
Joseph City Luna Agate Escudillia Mountain
Payson Crystals Roberts Mesa Rye Creek
Silver Creek Chocolate Falls Vernon to Greer Whispering Pines Geodes
Woodruff Woodruff Quarry Young Agate
Zebra Agate

Nearby Attractions:
Shoofly Indian Ruins  Houston Mesa Campgrounds
Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery

Trip Directions:

Starting in Chandler, AZ drive about 90 north on US Highway 87 to Payson, AZ. Then continue straight on 87N past the intersection with 260E for 1.9 miles to Houston Mesa Road. This is where the detail waypoints start. Turn right and continue 12.5 miles to the site.  N34º 23’ 43” W111º 16’ 37”