History
Desert Gardens is exclusive to rock, gem, and mineral products
Vendors at the show are eager to let everyone know the show will be open through the end of February. There is a huge variety of rocks, gems, minerals, and crystals products for sale at the various booths. Raw rock and mineral specimens from all over the world are represented at this show. You will also find beads, jewelry, home décor products, art and much more.
There is something for everyone at this show!
Quartzsite is in western Arizona, just 20 miles east of the Colorado River on I-10. It’s been a rockhound’s paradise since the 1960s. These days, it’s also a mecca to well over a million visitors each year, most of whom converge on this small town in a wave of RVs during the months of January and February
At this time of the year, 2,000 vendors of rocks, gems, minerals, fossils, and everything else imaginable create one of the world’s largest open air flea markets in Quartzsite. Eight major gem and mineral shows as well as vendors of raw and handcrafted merchandise peddle their wares to snowbirds, collectors, and enthusiasts, making Quartzsite the place to be the first two months of each year.
Quartzsite History
In 1856, a settler built a fort at the present site of Quartzsite to protect his water supply from attacks by Native Americans. Fort Tyson soon became a stopover on the Ehrenburg-to-Prescott stagecoach route, eventually becoming known as Tyson’s Wells Town. After the stage stopped running, it became a ghost town.
A small mining boom revitalized the Town, and it became known as Quartzsite in 1897. It remained a mining town until 1965, when Rock, Gem & Mineral and other Shows initiated the rockhound winter migration to Quartzsite each year. These days, the population can swell to almost a million during January and February as rockhounds, jewelers and vendors, mostly in thousands of RVs, attend the eight major gem and mineral shows.
Desert Gardens borders Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with entrances to 1,000’s of miles of trails. Our reputation for being a place where OFF ROAD enthusiasts spend a night to months relaxing and enjoying the cool days and beautiful sunsets and riding the trails.
