Geode / Topaz

[Kokopelli]

I'm taking my family (wife and 5 kids ages 5-16) out to the topaz mountain / dugway geode beds area next week. Does anybody have any information to share about that area? Maybe a suggestion of a good central location to camp. We will have atvs with us, mostly to get from spot to spot, I've read that they are handy to access the lesser visited areas and maybe have better luck in finding some stones. I've been out there a couple times but it's been several years and the rest of my family has never been there so we are basically newbies and any information would be great. Thanks in advance!

[phatch]

My understanding is that the geode beds are now a paid for experience like Antelope Springs trilobites. The guy extended his mineral claim. On the plus side, he uses his excavator to dig up good sized rocks for you to sort through for bigger geodes.

The Trilobites is still a fun trip for the kids as well even if paid.

They'll enjoy all three places. There are things in Delta relating to the Japanese camp at Topaz now and I think there are some buildings/ signs in place now out by Topaz? haven't been in a long while personally.

[Kokopelli]

My understanding is that the geode beds are now a paid for experience like Antelope Springs trilobites. The guy extended his mineral claim. On the plus side, he uses his excavator to dig up good sized rocks for you to sort through for bigger geodes.

The Trilobites is still a fun trip for the kids as well even if paid.

They'll enjoy all three places. There are things in Delta relating to the Japanese camp at Topaz now and I think there are some buildings/ signs in place now out by Topaz? haven't been in a long while personally.


Thanks for that info, I'll check into the Trilobites.

[phatch]

http://www.rockhoundingutah.com/dugway-geode-beds/

has contact info so you can arrange payment and such. Some sites are saying you can still collect outside his claim, but I had also read he had expanded it. I'm not sure what the exact situation is.

http://www.millardcounty.com/index.php/things-to-do/rock-hounding/trilobites This is SITLA land so some of your fee is funding Utah primary education. They provide a bucket, a rock hammer and plenty of fractured shale? to break apart. We were at the U-dig quarry. Again ,there are other areas where open collection should be possible as well.

Topaz of small and clear quality are easy to find. Most everything that sparkles out there is topaz. That sparkle is the easiest way to spot them so sunlight is your kids friend. Larger topaz with the brown coloring have to be dug as sun light bleaches out the color (and value) The larger topaz I've found were in washes which kind of concentrates them for you. All of the larger ones I've found had inclusions and were clear. Still fun. Every desert rat has their own secret place they say yields the best topaz, but they never share their "secret". Nor have shown me any they've dug that are so good.