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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 10, 2012 13:06:20 GMT -5
Ack! A friend and I have a trip planned to far NE Utah for Memorial Day weekend (not for rockhounding). We have hotel reservations in Vernal. I've done a bunch of googling for where to look for rocks around Vernal, but can't find anything other than fossils and maybe gold. I'm more interested in agates, jaspers, rocks I can tumble (I know, heavy, FRB here I come). So, I sort of resigned myself to little or no rock hunting up there, unless I can get some pointers from the locals.
Now, due to an illness in the family, my friend may not be able to go, which means I could go somewhere besides Vernal and I can concentrate on rocks. My flight goes to SLC, that's my only restriction, and I have 5 days and a non-4wd small SUV reserved. Where would be the best city to make some back-up plan hotel reservations, that would put me in the general area of some good hounding?
(Moab hotels are booked solid but Green River is not.)
Thanks in advance!
Edited to add: "Rockhounding Utah" book is on its way to my local library, but I don't have it yet. But from the little map in the table of contents, it appears that staying in Green River and heading down 191 might be the biggest concentration of agate. Or, staying over to the west by Delta or Hinkley might be good too (and closer to SLC). Thoughts?
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Post by sheltie on May 10, 2012 14:29:24 GMT -5
We're going to Green River in Mid-June because my wife wants to spend a few days there (we volunteered at the state park a few years ago). I wish I could give you a recommendation of where to go but that's pretty much desert there. Perhaps near the Chrystal Geyser but my guess is that is mostly fossils. We are going to head out to the San Rafael Swell because that is such a neat drive and who knows what me might find?
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Post by NatureNut on May 10, 2012 14:49:57 GMT -5
We're in Green River right now for the night. Before coming here, a friend who lives in Blanding told me there's some hounding near Crystal Geyser, all on BLM land. Going from Green River, there is a corral on the left where some banded agate is that look like river rocks on the outside. Go down through the wash and then up the mesa and on the other side you can look for dino bone. I think he called it Blue Bone Hill, or it's somewhere nearby.
Hope this gives you some hints to follow up. Jo
Wanted to add: I was told the road to this place is supposed to be pretty good.
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on May 10, 2012 14:53:21 GMT -5
The Delta area has some good rock hunting. topaz mountain, agate hill, dugyway geodes, trilobite beds are all within an hour or two drive from Delta.
I'm sure there's good agate and jasper hunting in the area around vernal, but I"m just not familiar enough to put you onto anything specific. If I remember right, the gem trails book has a few locations out there.
Come on down to southern utah, we'll put you on some good hounding...
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Post by johnjsgems on May 10, 2012 14:55:43 GMT -5
We collected some pretty jasper "oysters" just south of Green River. I only remember driving south past a market and turning east toward the river. From Green River you can drive East to the pigeon blood agate deposit, Yellow Cat, and several other areas. We were with a group so just followed the leader but think he used the Gem Trails book. None of the areas required 4 X 4 when we were there. It was April or early May I think and 100 degrees so take plenty of water.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 10, 2012 14:58:06 GMT -5
Sounds like Green River wouldn't be a bad choice for a hotel then. One vote for Delta area, hmm.
Thanks for the info, keep it coming! (And will definitely get the books, but I have to get the hotel reservations asap since it's a holiday weekend.)
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Post by sheltie on May 10, 2012 15:50:31 GMT -5
I should also add about Green River that if you are interested in doing anything other than rockhounding, forget about it. There is an interesting small museum and that's it. This is a town that is, and has been for years, dying on the vine. Well, I did forget that it is a prime area for kayaking down the river as well.
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Post by NatureNut on May 10, 2012 16:56:22 GMT -5
Uh yeah, we just drove through town... saw the museum.
Maybe do a few days here in Green River, then move on. Jo
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 10, 2012 17:01:04 GMT -5
There's lots of good stuff near there - slot canyons in the San Rafael Swell. But it looks like the Gem Trails book shows a whole bunch of rock hounding nearby. Since I have to drive to and from SLC, I only really have 3 full days for collecting, so that ought to be about right.
Unfortunately, I have to ship all my treasures home in FRBs, so I can't go crazy like I would if I had the car! I'm hoping they have some of those roadside rock shops like they tend to have in Southern Utah (aaah, I miss Southern Utah, sigh). We don't have any here, and I'd like to get some stuff.
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Post by NatureNut on May 10, 2012 17:50:52 GMT -5
We passed this one today at the north end of Moab. I'll be on the lefthand side just before you get into town (from Green River). Jo
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 10, 2012 17:53:17 GMT -5
Sweet!!! Now THAT's what I'm talkin about! Perfect. Lots of sawed up . . . what is it called . . . landscape sandstone? I need some of that in just the right size chunk.
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Post by sheltie on May 10, 2012 18:12:57 GMT -5
There's lots of good stuff near there - slot canyons in the San Rafael Swell. But it looks like the Gem Trails book shows a whole bunch of rock hounding nearby. Since I have to drive to and from SLC, I only really have 3 full days for collecting, so that ought to be about right. Unfortunately, I have to ship all my treasures home in FRBs, so I can't go crazy like I would if I had the car! I'm hoping they have some of those roadside rock shops like they tend to have in Southern Utah (aaah, I miss Southern Utah, sigh). We don't have any here, and I'd like to get some stuff. If you have any luck at Green River could you either let us on the forum know, or if you feel uncomfortable broadcasting it, I'd appreciate a PM if you have any success. As I mentioned, I'll be there in a month or so and plan to spend three days. I spend the summer just south of Grand Junction, CO so it's only about a two hour + drive for me to get there. Incidentally, there is a pretty good place to eat - VERY limited menu - in town called Ray's Tavern. Seems odd to me that they have a place where you can openly order drinks in a staunchly Mormon town but they do.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on May 10, 2012 18:16:21 GMT -5
Sure, I'd be happy to share whatever info I collect. I will attempt to take pictures and write an entertaining trip report too!
Thanks for the head's up about Ray's Tavern, too.
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on May 10, 2012 19:22:24 GMT -5
There's lots of good stuff near there - slot canyons in the San Rafael Swell. But it looks like the Gem Trails book shows a whole bunch of rock hounding nearby. Since I have to drive to and from SLC, I only really have 3 full days for collecting, so that ought to be about right. Unfortunately, I have to ship all my treasures home in FRBs, so I can't go crazy like I would if I had the car! I'm hoping they have some of those roadside rock shops like they tend to have in Southern Utah (aaah, I miss Southern Utah, sigh). We don't have any here, and I'd like to get some stuff. If you have any luck at Green River could you either let us on the forum know, or if you feel uncomfortable broadcasting it, I'd appreciate a PM if you have any success. As I mentioned, I'll be there in a month or so and plan to spend three days. I spend the summer just south of Grand Junction, CO so it's only about a two hour + drive for me to get there. Incidentally, there is a pretty good place to eat - VERY limited menu - in town called Ray's Tavern. Seems odd to me that they have a place where you can openly order drinks in a staunchly Mormon town but they do. Well, If you're going to live in Green River, you either need to have lots of booze on hand, or be willing to get realllll friendly with a watermelon.
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Post by NatureNut on May 11, 2012 19:53:17 GMT -5
Also, there is a fantastic museum in Price, about an hour north on 191. It's the CEU Prehistoric Museum. www.ceu.edu/museum/
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