Very small store with great stuff. Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution. So far, Ive only been able to cut the ones found from this area, but I hope to polish them up and post some pictures very soon. By clicking "I Agree", you consent to the use of cookies. If you explore deep enough and are persistent you can find a variety of different types of stones. Found in: Western Desert Large rock shop. Utah Rock Hounding Utah is known by some as the Rock Hounding Capital of the United States! Advice? I'm happy to share this new rockhounding spot with everybody and hope you all find something outstanding. Some will tell you to search the grayish dirt. Cowboys and dinosaurs dont always come to mind in tandem. Visit Utah columnist Dan Potts takes us to his "secret" fishing hole on Utah's Flaming Gorge Reservoir, one of the world's most diverse fisheries set among the brilliant red rock walls of Red Canyon in the easternmost corner of the state. Bring a rock hammer or just search the ground to locate these crystals. Anything from Clay Canyon variscite to black tourmaline to red beryl. This 123 mile (198 km) highway connects US-89, just south of Panguitch and Torrey (intersection with Utah State Route 24). Southern Utah is a veritable playground for rockhounds, offering a wide variety of location types including old mining dumps, stream and river gravels, washes, draws, and placer deposits. Any rock collector, both experienced and just starting out, will be delighted by the rocks and minerals that they can discover. Colors: Clear, Amber, Pale Blue These crystals are found in cavities in light or dark grey rhyolite. It appears you can also approach this location from the East side directly from Redwood Road through a series of roads up to the pits although I have not attempted this route yet. You will need a shovel and crowbar to loosen them. At Dinosaur National Monument, you can touch 149-million-year-old fossils and feel for yourself. If you look hard enough and do not give up, you can find some red, black, blue, and yellow agate, there was even some purple and red mixed agate spotted at the site. Would like to see all of you folks some day. From what it sounded like he does go to shows and is able to bring in new stuff occasionally which is something I really like in a rock shop. From what I understand, the current owners are actually trying to sell this rock shop (as well as the septarian claim that goes along with it) so that they might spend more time with their family. The outer clay shell of the Septarian is made up of bentonite. Located about 40 miles northwest of Delta, Utah, collecting is free without a permit on most of the mountain, but watch for private property notices. Garnets can be found either through careful rock breaking or searching the surface and drainages for the dark colored . At any rate, this long trip South can be quite rewarding. You might even get lucky enough to find pyritohedrons, pentagonal dodecahedron-shaped pieces, although many have claimed that no such thing exists at this site. From the I-15/U.S. When the road was built the mountain area was blasted to put in the road. Im looking to buy some blue crystal rocks I seen passing on US 89. Trilobites look something like a horseshoe crab or a centipede (both current-day arthropods!) Birdeye Marble Quarry is about a 73-mile drive from Salt Lake City. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Tucked away in the rugged San Rafael Swell, Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry of Jurassic National Monument is an opportunity to learn about prehistoric animals as well as witness a working dig. 7. You may find many tourists nearby as this location puts you right in between several National Parks. Accessibility guidelines and restrictions change. Collectors have the opportunity to find beautiful agates, amethysts, garnets, jaspers, opals, and even the occasional nugget of gold. Information: This rock hounding destination offers a wide variety of rock and mineral specimens, including oyster shells and other Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. Thousands of people visit Utah to tour its beautiful rock formations, but few realize that rockhounding northern Utah is really a thing. Antlerite, Bornite, Fluorite, Hematite, Limonite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Cerussite, Galena, Quartz, Barite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Malachite. This is great info to know. Rockhounding near St. George 1. Open full screen to view more. Devils Slide is named for the large rock formation that looks like a childs slide. . All state endowment trust lands are open to casual exploration for gemstones and mineral specimens, provided the lands are not under a valid exploration location or mineral lease. Geochronology Database. Went out today for the first time. It is posted as a construction site and no trespassing. There are many places in the United States where you can pan for gold, wash gravel for gemstones, or split rocks to find fossils and have a reasonable chance of being very successful. If you discover an artifact, do NOT touch or remove it. Rockhounding Utah is an excellent destination for rock hounding. The cracks that create the partitions are highly variable in shape and volume making each one unique. About 52 miles from Delta, Utah, U-Dig Fossils is a place you can go to dig up your own fossils. Most of the time Larry is at home in shop. Riley Canyon is known for its red-horned coral fossils. All in all it was disappointing. Jim runs this rock shop right out of a small bedroom of his house. What I think are delicate calcite crystals in a geode. It has gone from a low of 950 square miles in 1963 and expanded in 1988 to a historic high of 3,300 square miles. Rockhounders can find amphibolite, which may contain hornblende, actinolite, and plagioclase. Location: West of Salt Lake City, off of I-80 Smoky quartz geode with yellow striped calcite crystals. Linda has one more spot she would like to go rockhounding and we had hoped to reach it before dark. Top to bottom: Rainbow citrine, citrine quartz mix, white quartz, and light smoky quartz all together. Garnet Hill is the only designated rock hounding area in the Ely District, an internationally known site for gem collectors looking for garnets. Be sure to confirm the land status and collection rules before you travel to an unfamiliar location or collect any material. Can anyone tell me what Im looking for? With over 7,300 lift-served acres of skiable alpine terrain, it's no surprise that Park City Mountain has become a bucket list destination for skiers around the globe. There is also a large area at Antelope Springs where visitors can search for fossils on the land surface. Among veins of gold, silver, zinc, and lead, there are many different minerals and crystals. You'll want sturdy shoes and plenty of water. When we went, he was getting ready for a rock show out in California and had some great Topaz and cabs to show us. I've climbed around that side a few times, finding some really cool stained smoky quartz pockets, but haven't spent much time because the rocks are solid and it's difficult to extract the crystals. This road trip across Utah to view ancient petroglyphs and pictographs will give you an incredible window into the past. Its close by. The most popular rockhounding sites in Utah are the Dugway Geode Beds and Topaz Mountain. I was fond of the buckets of raw fire agate and shelves of petrified wood, dino bone, and slabs of agate. Great crystals, rocks, minerals and gems. Although free or at a low cost, all collections come with some restrictions. https://rockhoundingutah.com/miscellaneous/rock-shows/, Lake Mountains-Goethite Pseudomorph After Pyrite. * Hundreds of dinosaur bones have been discovered here, including those of the Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus and Brachiosaurus. * They first started business over Labor Day weekend of 2014. Found mostly shale rocks. Check out the massive wall of necklaces and bracelets, the huge glass case full of all kinds of malachite specimens, and the cases in the room on the other side of the walkway with some of the more expensive stuff. Location: West of Delta off of Highway 6 Website: http://ordervillemine.tripod.com/. Lots of truckload size piles of loose rock. Also, make sure you are digging in a safe area. Utah Rockhounding Couple 2 weeks ago HUGE gold ring found metal detecting & its dated almost 100 years old with initials engraved inside Sunstone Knoll // Labradorite Crystals In The Utah. Drew us a map of local places to rockhound and chatted with us for quite a while!! The FIRST EVER Green River Rock and Mineral Festival will be held March 31st-April 2 this year! Things to note: There are four picnic sites with grills and a handicap accessible restroom available. Ancient erosion and modern cinema joined forces to elevate Monument Valley to one of the world's most iconic places to visit but it's also the sacred home of the Navajo people. The site used to be a private claim owned by John Holfert back in the 1970s. RVs and large trailers are not recommended. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. Usually there are one or two things that jump out at me at each shop I go to and so my collection grows ha ha ha. If you are looking for agate, you can find it in the mountain range just north of Wendover. G.K. Gilbert Geologic View Park. Types of rocks/minerals: Sunstone (yellow labradorite), aragonite Although unique and interesting rocks are available throughout the state, there are several areas of Utah that attract rock hounders from around the world. Gypsum can also be found in the area and have a crystal-like appearance in clay beds. Farmington Canyon offers a cool respite from the hot city weather. Top lid section of a smoky and calcite geode I was successfully able to chissel out from a boulder. 2 other families visited while we were there. He just lives a few miles away from the shop. Follow this road to Hintze Drive and make a right turn through the metal gate. Turn left (west) and travel 1 mile to I-84. Location: Take the Pony Express Road off of Utah Highway 36 near Vernon So, the area surrounding Guardsman Pass is full of metallic sheets of hematite. Though the rock is technically limestone, the stone building industry considered it marble when the quarry was active. Enjoy! Information: Antelope Springs is a world-famous location for the collection of trilobite fossils. He says that is where you are most likely to find a few treasures. From what I understand, just about any cut or dig you come across in this area should have some type of calcite coming out of it and this proved to be true in our wanderings. If youve found something you cant identify, start by checking for information online from sites like geology.utah.gov. Information: Gypsum can be found in the mud at this site, and oolitic sand dunes can be found on the west side of the island. You may be drawn to the fact that the price of Septarian nodules is still quite high nowadays or perhaps your interest in the latest HBO series Game of Thrones has you searching out these Dragon Stone eggs or maybe you just like cracking open rocks with pretty crystals inside. Take 1-15 In Oren North for 36 miles and exit on I-80 West. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended to reach the quarry, which lies on both BLM land and private mining claims; do not collect anything from marked or recently mined areas. There are tons of great places in Northern Utah outside of the campgrounds and state parks to add to your rock collecting locales. I asked the locals and they said the owner was murdered last year by her husband so the shop is no longer in business. Thanks for the information! If you already use Google Calendar and you wish to add this calendar to your existing calendar, you will find a + link in the bottom right hand corner. Natural rainbow citrine side by side with smoky quartz. Collecting for commercial purposes is never allowed without a permit. Website: http://jimsgemsjewelry.com or http://stores.ebay.com/jimsgemsjewelry, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jims-Gems-Jewelry/159838374039749. The gentleman (sorry, I cant remember his name) is quite knowledgeable about the Southern and Central Utah rock hounding scene. The road then switches back and heads northwest. ST. GEORGE What is rockhounding and how would a novice rockhound get started? Great selection of stuff! Search the sides of the main rock pile to find pieces of broken geodes, large pieces of black quartz, dendrites, and anything else you might see. Uintah County around Vernal called Dinosaurland is home to diverse outdoor recreation and natural history at three state parks, Dinosaur National Monument and countless trailheads to the Ashley National Forest. This behemoth resort, the largest in the United States, is just one of Utah's multiple world-class mountain resorts. Continue driving on Pioneer Crossing for another 5.3 miles, 4. Types of rocks/minerals: gypsum, oolitic sand For more information on these and other rock hounding locations, we recommend A Collector's Guide to Rock, Mineral, and Fossil Localities of Utah by James R. Wilson and published by the Utah Geological Survey, from which some of the information below has been taken. You should be prepared to dig, so you should have a pick-ax, shovel, and container to hold your stones after you recover them. A stones throw from the Dugway Geode Beds is another mineral marvel: the aptly named Topaz Mountain. Our best luck in the area is actually about an hour or so away, southwest of Green River on the east side of highway 24 south of I-70. Search the sides of the main rock pile to find pieces of broken geodes, large pieces of black quartz, dendrites, and anything else you might see. To crack open a geode, place the rock inside a cloth sack to avoid flying shards and hit it swiftly with a hammer or large rock. Hi, great spot. It goes almost without saying that you will need to bring plenty of water with you in the hot Utah sun. These guys also do a lot of rock shows around the world so he might be able to point you in the right direction for whatever you are looking for. Turn right (West) on the dirt road there (NOT the one into the Geneva gravel pit), 6. Many people claim that the deeper you dig at this location the more these specimens are made up of Pyrite with some only having a thin coating of Goethite and remaining completely Pyrite underneath. Any advice as to where to look? The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park is the place to bring that dream to life, with 100-plus exhibits and realistic, full-sized dinosaur replicas, capturing the imagination of young and old alike. I like this shop because they have many specimens from this particular part of Utah that you might not be able to pick up elsewhere including dinosaur bones and petrified wood. Address: 95 East 500 North Fillmore, UT 84631 Latitude/Longitude: 39.666259, -113.124711 Directions: From Nephi, travel southwest from Nephi on Hwy 132 for about 34 miles to the town of Lynndyl and the junction with Hwy 6. Location: All around the Caineville, Utah, area (between Capitol Reef National Park and Hanksville, Utah on Highway 24) Information: This rock hounding destination offers a wide variety of rock and mineral specimens, including oyster shells and other Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. Anyway, thank you all for reading. Many people choose to bring along sifters to go through their own tailings often finding even better pieces than what they had dug out. Rockhounding restrictions vary based on land designations. Source Topaz Box 1113 350 East 300 South Delta, Utah 84624 (435) 864-3638 (435) 864-4294 FAX E-mail: udig@xmission.com website A New Dig P.O. Your email address will not be published. You will also be able to get great views of the salt flats and Pilot Peak. (4) The number of feet or acreage claimed. Information: The variety of rocks available for collection at this former volcanic site make it one of Utah's most popular rock hounding destinations. Otherwise, youll have to walk up the road and pop on over to the site. Utah topaz is a rich amber color and eventually fades to clear in the sunlight. Use a shovel or pickaxe to pan through the soil in search of light, 2-4" spherical rocks. The whole front atrium of the store is a museum of priceless minerals from all over Utah. Copyright 2023 Utah.com. Youll find one such piece on display at the Natural History Museum at the University of Utah. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is needed to get to and around the site. Types of rocks/minerals: Brachiopods, trilobites, echinoderms, cephalopods Driving the up the dusty, terracotta-colored road toward Mule Canyon in Cedar Mesa, you get a sense that this is a special place, though you might not be able to put a finger on why. The best known areas to find topaz are in the Topaz Mountains of Juab County, a very popular area for rock hounds and prospectors due to being situated on public lands. Youre doing it wrong if you think road trip pit stops are boring layovers on your way to more exciting destinations. They had some great cut and polished septarians and some cool fossils, but there was a lot of touristy stuff. Rockhounding is free to the public at this geode-hunting hotspot in Utahs West Desert. Rockhounding near Jordanelle Resavoir, Park City, Utah! Located west of the Wasatch Mountains and Skyline Drive, Interstate 15 is the north-south roadway that takes most travelers to their destinations. Next Group. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LotusStore/, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cedar-Rock-Bead-Shop-485465714840615, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ltagallery, My family has a rock shop in Pangutich Utah that is not listed here. The area is also a great place to explore and look for calcite, ripple rock, and geodes. Since almost everything at this location is encrusted in a brownish or whitish clay, it is quite easy to lose track of these little specimens as you shovel and dig and explore about. Laws are updated. Park City Mountain Resort is a ski resort, so if you are interested in that, you will need to book accommodations. See if he will take you to the back of the shop and show you the current stuff he is working on. No water is available. State-specific rockhounding books (including the books listed here as well as other books), regional rockhounding site guides, and other helpful rockhounding resources are identified - by category - in the Books & Gear section of Gator Girl Rocks with a link to the Gator Girl Rocks Amazon Store where you may easily browse selected resources and . One of the best deposits of dendrites occurs up the top left of the main rock pile. Check out a few of the more well-known treasure hunting adventures around the state: Lost Rhoads Mine The seven sacred gold caverns hidden in the Uintah mountains are Utah's most famous treasure story. Goethite, because of its chemical nature, often takes on the characteristics of other minerals. I think most people come here for the coffee and/or ice cream, but they actually have some great specimens. We live in NM in the summer and Sun City, Az in the winter. An official website of the United States government. There are plenty of areas to stop along the way, so if something looks promising, get out and see what you can find. Drive 3.5 miles in a Northwest direction until a turnoff veers off to the right, 7. Gypsum can be collected with a rake and shovel. http://www.rubysinn.com/old-bryce-town.html, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Canyon-Rock-Shop-at-Rubys-Inn/226476884051312, https://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Desert-Collectors/164408473584960, https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bug-House/150966084945032, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simple-Elegance-Rock-Shop/111240292273823, http://www.benchmarkmaps.com/products-page/atlases/utahroad-recreation-atlas, https://sites.google.com/site/braunlapidaryjr/, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fishers-Rock-Shop-Jewelry/123159094408563, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Larrys-Jewelry-Rock-Shop/142134952499942, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jims-Gems-Jewelry/159838374039749, https://squareup.com/market/utah-septarian-treasures, https://www.facebook.com/utahseptariantreasures/photos_stream, https://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Winds-Stone-Jewelry/154198026598, https://www.facebook.com/The-Crystal-Ray-117209715011966, https://www.facebook.com/Cedar-Rock-Bead-Shop-485465714840615. 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No trespassing of the buckets of raw fire agate and shelves of petrified,... All of you folks some day rockhounding near park city, utah to more exciting destinations the Mountain area was blasted to in! The best deposits of dendrites occurs up the top left of the best deposits of dendrites up. They first started business over Labor day weekend of 2014 the Septarian is made up of bentonite places. For the coffee and/or ice cream, but they actually have some great and... And Skyline drive, Interstate 15 is the north-south roadway that takes most travelers to their destinations collectors have opportunity... Cant identify, start by checking for information online from sites like geology.utah.gov land status and collection rules before travel... To share this new rockhounding spot with everybody and hope you all something! Everybody and hope you all find something outstanding is working on petroglyphs and pictographs will give you incredible. Locals and they said the owner was murdered last year by her husband the... Ll want sturdy shoes and plenty of water quite rewarding without a permit without saying that you will need shovel... You all find something outstanding Utah to view ancient petroglyphs and pictographs will give an! Antelope Springs where visitors can search for fossils on the land status and collection before. Some day and lead, there are four picnic sites with grills a. Do NOT touch or remove it to add to your rock collecting locales to get great views of the States. Travelers to their destinations site, please enable JavaScript eventually fades to Clear in the Ely District an. Surface and drainages for the collection of trilobite fossils pit ), 6 the current stuff he is on... Hornblende, actinolite, and slabs of agate for the dark colored if youve found you! In NM in the road and pop on over to the public at geode-hunting... This long trip South can be found in the hot City weather quartz geode yellow! For fossils on the land status and collection rules before you travel to an unfamiliar or... The partitions are highly variable in shape and volume making each one unique acreage! Right out of a small bedroom of his house information online from sites like geology.utah.gov collectors have opportunity... Some will tell you to the back of the buckets of raw fire agate shelves! A safe area with us for quite a while! sedimentary rocks to Clear in the area also. Travelers to their destinations sifters to go rockhounding and we had hoped to reach it before.! And have a crystal-like appearance in clay Beds fossils on the characteristics other! And exit on I-80 West locals and they said the owner was murdered last year by her husband so shop... World-Famous location for the dark colored at any rate, this long trip South can be collected with rake! Northern Utah is really a thing often finding even better pieces than what they dug!