Home Grown Fun

Pink Halite Crystal Hunting in Trona California

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Now this is out of the ordinary!

Fantastic fun for the whole family. Two days and 3 field trips to the Mud Fields, Blow Hole and Brine Pools at Searles Lake. Everyone convoys in their own personal vehicle to each adventure, starting out in huge parking lots in town. Visit the Searles Lake Gem and Mineral Society to get more info about the Gem-O-Rama which happens every year on the second Saturday in October in Trona, CA

Searles Valley Minerals opens up their property to the public only once a year for this amazing mining experience!

Read about the Geology of Dry Searles Lake, view many more photos and get a lot of great information on camping and where to stay by viewing the event directory.

The Home Grown Fun Family hauled our camping trailer to Trona in 2010 and attended all three field trips.

Please bookmark this page to get upcoming tips if you decide to go salt mining too! The 2013 Flyer is out for the event is out! It takes place October 12-13, 2003.

You will get crusty – bring extra clothes! More tips coming soon.

Love this photo! Thank you Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society for permission to publish!

Let’s call this “Still Life in Trona”

Tips for a Comfortable Trip

  1. Bring drinking water, hats, lip balm, sunscreen, rubber boots (hip waders even better), thick rubber gloves, thick regular gloves, strong buckets for each person, boxes and bags for the specimens, small shovels and picks for digging in the mud, large pickax for bringing down the pink halite from the ledges at the brine pools.  Visit the Gem-O-Rama site for more information.
  2. Do not expect trendy eateries or sidewalk cafes. The event offers a basic cafeteria inside the exhibit hall and breakfasts and dinners are put on by various clubs. Bring some of your favorite snacks. There is a grocery store in town but it is limited. Let the kids and yourself partake in multiple snow cones offered at the exhibit halls. These are a bargain and extra refreshing. Hydrate with water constantly.
  3. You can camp 5 miles north of Trona along with hundreds of others. We camped in a trailer and highly recommend you have a heater for the evening and lots of air flow during the day. A shower in the camper is a huge bonus but there are NO HOOKUPS! You need to bring your own water! There are showers and bathrooms at the campground. More info on the Gemo-O-Rama site.
  4. Bring something for your kids to do while you’re waiting to convoy from the parking lots. Everyone hangs out near their cars parked in rows. Don’t act crazy and cut the line. Don’t run out of gas or conk out in line (we saw this). Bring refreshments, books and entertaining conversation. Go to the bathroom before the convoy begins! There are bathrooms at the field trip sites so not to worry.

Did you know that Navy Reservists have helped execute blasting days before the event.

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