Dugway Geode Beds
is the most popular area to hunt for geodes in Utah, and it’s a strong contender for the best geode hunting spot in the entire United States. This famous area is a 2.5-hour drive from Salt Lake City, making it easily accessible to locals and visitors.
Where do you find geode rocks in Utah?
One of the nation’s best places to find geodes is actually right here in Utah. Located in
Juab County
, you’ll find the Dugway Geode Beds. Geodes are roundish, hollow rocks (usually three inches or less in diameter) that are lined with small crystals inside.
Where can I dig for geodes?
The finest concentration of geode sites in Southern California is in
Riverside and Imperial counties
. The most famous of these sites is called the Hauser Geode Beds, which are located at Wiley Well in the northern region of Imperial Valley, CA.
Where can I go rockhounding in Utah?
- Agate, chert, jasper, and petrified wood between Capitol Reef National Park and Caineville, Wayne County.
- Birdseye Marble in the Manti-La Sal National Forest, Utah County.
- Bixbyite, Rutile, and Amethyst Crystals near Marysvale, Piute County.
- Dugway Geode Beds, Juab County.
How do you tell if a rock is a geode from the outside?
Geodes will typically not present with a smooth outside surface
. What you’ll typically find on a geode is a bumpy, uneven surface. Sometimes you can even find them with nodule like bumps on the outside surface. If it’s smooth, then most likely what you have is not a geode.
How do you find geodes in creeks?
To find geodes,
look in riverbeds, limestone areas, and volcanic ash beds in countries where geodes are often found
, like the United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Madagascar. When you’re searching for geodes, look for rocks that are round or egg-shaped with a bumpy texture.
What is the black rock in southern Utah?
Obsidian
is a dark-colored volcanic glass formed when molten lava cools quickly.
Are there Thundereggs in Utah?
| Mineral Location | Gold Vipont Mine, Raft River Mountains, Promontory Mountains | Quartz Mineral Point, Antelope Island, Alta |
|---|
What do geode beds look like?
At first glance geodes look like
sphere-shaped, brown, muddy rocks
and can easily blend in with the landscape. They are lighter in color than the darker varnished rocks which cover the land surrounding the geode beds, so they can easily be identified once you know what to look for. Geodes vary in size.
Are geodes worth money?
Geodes are highly valued for their content and appearance
. The most valuable geodes are those that contain perfectly formed flawless crystals of amethyst, celestine, calcite, or other rare minerals. Geodes are worth from $2-5 for common specimens and up to several thousand for exceptional several meters.
What to look for when looking for geodes?
Look for
a lumpy texture on the outside of the rock
. Very smooth rocks usually are not geodes. Extremely rough, jagged rocks typically are not either. You can compare the texture to that of a cauliflower.
How do you break open a geode?
Where can I rockhound in southern Utah?
- Dugway Geode Beds. Southeast of Salt Lake City, witin the diverse mineral laden lands of central Utah , the Dugway Geode Beds are a popular stop for rockhounds from all over the world. …
- Vernon Hills Wonderstone. …
- Topaz Mountain. …
- U-Dig Fossils Trilobites. …
- Birdseye Marble Quarry.
Where can I dig for amethyst in Utah?
Where Can I Find Some? There are five locations noted in rock hounding books for Utah. All five are on the Western Desert of the I-15 corridor.
Indian Creek in Beaver County; Iron Springs in Iron County; Topaz Mountain Area in Juab County; Crystal Peak in Millard County; and North of Marysville in Piute County
.
Where can I find obsidian in southern Utah?
Black Rock Spring in Utah’s West Desert
is home to a large deposit of Obsidian. Born from the volcanic activity in the area millennia ago, Obsidian is a smooth volcanic glass.
How do you open a geode in a microwave?
Do all geodes have crystals inside?
Most geodes contain clear quartz crystals, while others have purple amethyst crystals
. Still others can have agate, chalcedony, or jasper banding or crystals such as calcite, dolomite, celestite, etc. There is no easy way of telling what the inside of a geode holds until it is cut open or broken apart.
What rocks have geodes in them?
Geodes in sedimentary rocks are usually found in
limestones, dolomites, and calcareous shale
. In these deposits a gas-filled void can serve as the opening for geode formation.
How do you find gems in creeks?
To find gemstones in creeks and along riverbeds, one should
carefully search near eroded stream banks, in shallow, flowing water, and old, dried creek beds
. Alluvial gemstones can usually be found a few days after heavy rainfall. At night, use a black light to search for fluorescent gemstones.
What is the rarest geode?
The rarest and most valuable geodes contain
amethyst crystals and black calcite
.
How do I know where to dig for crystals?
Areas on the planet’s surface that show clear evidence of fault lines and uplifts
offer an ideal location to hunt for crystals. Check the area for ribbons of white quartz, which can also be found near known granite and gold deposits.
Where is the Black Rock Desert in Utah?
The Black Rock Desert volcanic field in
Millard County, Utah
, is a cluster of several volcanic features of the Great Basin including Pahvant Butte, The Cinders, and Tabernacle Hill.
Are there any volcanoes in Utah?
While
Utah does not have any active volcanoes
, several basalt flows in the West Desert area are only several hundred years old. In addition, eruptions of volcanoes in the western United States, including the Yellowstone caldera, could result in volcanic ash clouds and significant deposition in Utah.
Why are some rocks black in Utah?
Desert varnish
is the thin red-to-black coating found on exposed rock surfaces in arid regions. Varnish is composed of clay minerals, oxides and hydroxides of manganese and/or iron, as well as other particles such as sand grains and trace elements.
Is there turquoise in Utah?
Kennecot Turquoise is a bi-product of the Kennecot Copper Mine in Utah
. This turquoise mine didn’t produce much high grade turquoise. Most of what we have, and have cut is pretty soft and a light blue/green color. However, some of the Kennecot Turquoise from Utah was a great color, as with any mine.
