Field guides for curious collectors

Find wonder beneath the surface.

Practical guides to identifying gemstones, finding gold, exploring rockhounding locations, and choosing tools that earn a place in your pack.

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Choose your trail

Start with the hobby that calls to you. Each guide favors clear advice, useful field knowledge, and fewer wrong turns.

Gold flakes and paydirt ready for prospecting

Gold prospecting

Learn where gold hides, how to pan it, and which prospecting gear is worth carrying.

Colorful gemstones for identification and collecting

Rocks & gemstones

Identify your finds, understand what makes them special, and discover where to search next.

Welcome to My Simple Need

Knowledge for the next great find.

My Simple Need is a practical hobby journal for rock, gem, and gold enthusiasts. Whether you are identifying your first agate or planning a prospecting trip, our guides help you understand what you found, where to look, and what to bring.

Identify with confidenceVisual clues and simple tests for rocks, agates, and gemstones.
Explore with purposeLocation guides and techniques for better days in the field.
Buy with clarityStraightforward comparisons for paydirt, tools, and collecting gear.

Latest field guides

Fresh identification advice, collecting ideas, prospecting techniques, and field-tested recommendations.

Popular ways to explore

Go directly to the practical guides readers use when planning their next hunt.

01

Gold panning locations

Find promising public places and learn what to check before you go.

Explore locations →
02

Rockhounding locations

Discover places to search for rocks, minerals, fossils, and gemstones.

Plan a rock hunt →
03

How to find gold

Read landscapes, recognize indicators, and improve your search technique.

Start prospecting →

Keep exploring

Your next discovery starts here.

Browse the newest guides, sharpen your eye, and head into the field with a better idea of what to look for.

Browse recent guides