Friday, April 29, 2016

Rockhounding near Cedar City/Cedar Breaks

1. From Cedar City, drive north on I-15 for about 12 miles to exit 71. (Summit) At the foot of the off-ramp, turn south on the frontage road and go 1.8 miles. At this point an unmarked dirt road goes east toward the mountains. Take this road for 0.5 mile to a fork. Park at the fork and walk up the right branch (looking for agate as you walk). (Spring-Fall)

2.  From Cedar City, drive west on Hwy 56 for 20 miles. Huge tailings piles can be seen on the right. Several dirt roads lead to the tailings. You can find minerals here: pyrite, hematite, barite, cinnabar, amethyst... (Spring-fall)

3. (this one is pretty far west of civilization) From Cedar City, drive west on Hwy 56 for 51 miles. Modena is off to the left. Do NOT turn into town, but instead continue across the bridge over the railroad tracks. Just past the end of the bridge, Modena Canyon Road goes right. Follow it for 5.5 miles and park off the road. You can find obsidian here. Heading back to the hwy, stop 2.3 miles from the obsidian site. There are the remains of a road her and if you search the hillside to the south of the road you can find some pieces of botryoidal chalcedony. (Spring, fall)

4. (guidebook says you need a high clearance vehicle) From the visitor center at Cedar Breaks, drive north for 7 miles to the junction with Sugarloaf Mountain Road. Follow this road for 0.1 mile to a fork. Keep right at the fork. At the second fork, keep right again. At 1.2 miles there is a third fork. Keep left. At 2.5 miles there is another fork. Keep left again. At 3.4 miles from the highway, you will see a dirt road going left. This is the road to the Twisted Forest Trailhead. Drive in and park on the loop. There is a large white patch on the east side of the parking loop where you can find some really nice colorful pieces of agate. Look on the flats, in the road, and at the road berms. While there, you should also hike out to see the bristlecone pines. (Spring-fall)

5. From the visitor center at Cedar Breaks, go north (on Hwy 143?) for 5.7 miles. Take the dirt road to the right marked "To Brian Head Peak". At approximately 0.5 mile the road crosses a bridge over a little creek. Park off the road and hunt to the left along the banks and in the creek. You should find some pretty agate here. (Spring-fall)

6. From the visitor center at Cedar Breaks, go north (on Hwy 143?) for 6.6 miles. Here there is a large road cut on the right and a wide parking area on the left. Park and hunt in and above the cut. There is more agate here. (Summer)

7. From the visitor center at Cedar Breaks, drive 4.3 miles to the intersection of Hwy 143 and Hwy 148. Go east toward Panguitch for 4.6 miles. At this point you will see a gravel turnout on the right side of the road. Park and hunt on the meadow that runs down to the creek. Look for bare spots to start your search for more agate. (Spring-fall)

8. (guidebook says you need a high clearance vehicle) From the intersection of Hwy 89 and Hwy 14, drive south for about 3 miles to the Alton turnoff. Go east 4 miles to Alton. You will enter town from the north on Main Street. Continue to 100 South and turn left. Drive a few blocks to the end of the pavement and turn right. Check your odometer at this point and drive1.4 miles to an unmarked dirt road to the right. Follow this road for 4.1 miles and park off the road. You will be on a hill and between two gates. The hillsides on both sides of the road are littered with broken pieces of Septarian Nodules. (Spring-fall)

9. From the intersection of Hwy 89 and Hwy 12, drive north on Hwy 89 for 2.5 miles. At this point an unmarked dirt road goes east. Cross the river on a concrete bridge and follow the dirt road for 3.3 miles. Park at the foot of the hill to your right. There is agate here. (Spring-fall)




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