I have always wanted to visit this area as it's a prime location for amateur rock hounds. The location is way back in the San Benito Mountains. My elder son wanted to do one last rockhounding trip before he starts classes so we took a weekend and spent an afternoon and morning in the area. The area has a lot of minerals of interest to collectors and those in the lapidary hobby. There are also abundant trails for hiking, two campgrounds, and ATV opportunities. You can access the management area by taking either Highway 25 south from Hollister or Los Gatos Creek Road west from Coalinga. Either way, the drive is about an hour as you're on back country roads and the speed limit is low. There's also a lot of wildlife in the area so you really don't want to speed. We probably saw half-a-dozen deer crossing the road on our way to and from the management area and our hotel in Coalinga. For reference, we stayed at the Best Western Plus on Jayne Ave, just east of Coalinga. From that location, it took just under an hour to reach the entrance of the management area. Again, from Coalinga, you'll take Los Gatos Creek Road to the north west, heading into the mountains. Take your time and take some pictures, the scenery is beautiful. When you reach the Condon Peak Campground, continue west. Just a bit past the campground, you'll cross from Fresno County to San Benito County. The road changes names from Los Gatos Creek Road to Coalinga Road. It also goes from a well maintained two lane road to a sort-of-maintained-about-two-lane road. The road, more or less, follows the creek. Eventually, you'll reach the Clear Creek Road entrance to the Management area. Now, the roads are all dirt. If you'd like to visit, here's some logistical items that will be important. 1. Trucks or other 4WD vehicles, while not mandatory, definitely making things easier. For reference, I have a Forester and didn't have any problems. We ran into three other parties and all had 4WD vehicles. Note that the roads in the area are single lane maintained dirt with some steep grades. 2. If you're camping, there are two very nice campgrounds with pit toilets. Make sure to review the Bureau of Land Management website for this location and secure the correct permits. You will need at least the vehicle entrance permit. 3. There are NO services nearby. If you're not camping and using Coalinga or another town as your base, tank up your car before you leave and make sure to bring lunch, food, snacks, water, etc. Check your tire pressure before you go, including your spare (I keep a full sized spare). Cellular service is limited to non-existent here. 4. Depending upon what you're doing, you will need different permits. Check the aforementioned Bureau of Land Management website to purchase the correct permits. Read the instructions carefully as well. The vehicle permit is good for a duration but certain areas require individual, per-day, permits which much be purchased separately and for each day you plan on visiting. 5. It was really warm when we were there (August 2021) and the temps were above 90F. Bring lots of water. 6. If you plan on hiking, bring good hiking shoes. Don't use tennis or some other street shoe. 7. Respect the area. Pack out what you pack in and leave no trace. Here's some information from the Bureau of Land Management (from the website): Clear Creek Management Area has approximately 75,000 acres. Topography is rugged with elevations ranging from 1,830 feet at Pine Canyon to 5,241 feet on San Benito Mountain. Recreational opportunities include hunting, camping, hobby gem/mineral collecting, mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking/backpacking, and sightseeing. Hobby gem and mineral collectors are drawn to the Clear Creek area, one of the most highly mineralized areas in California, by the presence of over 150 semi-precious minerals and gemstones. Among these are serpentine, jadeite, cinnabar, tremolite, topazite, neptunite, and the extremely rare California state gem, benitoite. We live in Southern California about four hours from Coalinga and, despite the drive, I will definitely be making another visit. The area is so vast, we simply did not have time to check things out.