If the idea of spending the day digging up trilobites and stories of the past excites you, Antelope Springs is the perfect destination for your rockhounding adventure. This area is a gold mine for minerals and fossils with an exciting history of discoveries. Some visitors also encounter etchings of names from past visitors dating back 100 years. What could you find on your Antelope Springs excursion?
ABOUT THE AREA
Antelope Springs is best known for being the site of Antelope Springs Cave and the historical Antelope Springs Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp, giving you additional places to explore while searching for minerals and trilobites! The cave is Utah’s tenth-longest, spanning 0.61 miles, and is not for the faint of heart. Its entrance is gated due to its steep 20-foot drop, and visitors must be permitted to get the key and venture through its tight spaces.
The CCC campsite was opened in 1935 and used as a recreation site for Topaz internees, youth groups, and adult hikers. Only a few slabs of concrete remain today, but if you’re willing to hike through a bit of sagebrush, there’s no telling what you might find while geocaching around the site. History buffs may also appreciate the old Antelope Springs homestead!
Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) owns Antelope Springs. The large U-Dig commercial trilobite quarry, the recently opened A New Dig site (open on Sundays), and smaller fossil quarries are some of the most popular destinations in the area. It’s said that Millard County is one of the best locations in the world for rockhounding because of the variety of rocks and exhilarating rare finds. Much can be found in our West Desert country, from precious gems to ancient fossils. You never know what mysteries you’ll find underground!
How to Get There
GPS COORDINATES:
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39.3589° N, 113.2798° W(ANTELOPE SPRINGS ROCKHOUNDING AREA) |
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Take US 6 & 50 west from Delta toward the Utah/Nevada border. |
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After traveling 32 miles, you’ll see a sign on the north side of the road indicating Antelope Springs and the U-Dig It commercial trilobite fossil site.
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Alternatively, follow the gravel road for approximately 20 miles. Other sites can be found along the gravel roads to the south. Be on the lookout for the solitary Lombardy poplar tree that marks the old homestead at Antelope Springs. |
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Along the main road going north of this tree is the site of the Antelope Springs Civilian Conservation Corps camp. |
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The road will make a slight turn to the left along the north edge of the camp. Follow the road up the mountain to get to Sinbad overlook to see its amazing views, sheer cliffs, and Notch Peak towering above the mountain range to the south. |
What to expect & how to prepare
WHAT TO BRING
Rockhounding tends to be an all-day activity.
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Bring enough food and water for each person coming with you. You’ll need at least a gallon per person, especially if the weather is expected to be hot. |
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You can wear shorts and a T-shirt, but make sure you also pack warmer and longer clothes in case weather conditions change, or you want to protect your skin from the sun and the brush. A hat, sunglasses, and hiking boots or durable athletic shoes are also a must. |
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Depending on where you go, you may or may not need to bring rockhounding tools. At U-Dig or A New Dig for example, you’ll have access to all the tools you need. If you go somewhere off the beaten path, bring items like a hammer, pick, chisel, prybar, gloves, buckets, brushes, and storage containers. |
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You should always have a first-aid kit, sunscreen, bug spray, and a map or GPS. |
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Bring trash bags so you can pack out everything you packed in. |
COST
The Antelope Springs area offers public and private quarries, so make sure you know where you are. The private quarries are well-marked and charge a fee to dig, but they can almost guarantee you’ll find trilobites. Most state lands are administered by the Schools and Institutional Trust Lands Administration and require a rockhounding permit to collect on these lands. Head to their website to learn about current fees. A permit allows you to take up to 25 pounds of material daily plus one piece per person or 250 pounds per year.
Rules for collecting on blm lands
With great desolation comes great hidden riches. Here are the restrictions on what you can take:
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The casual rock hound or collector may take small amounts of fossils, gemstones, and rocks from unrestricted federal lands in Utah without obtaining a special permit if for personal, non-commercial purposes. |
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Petrified wood may be collected for non-commercial use only from public lands — up to 25 pounds plus one piece of any size per day with a yearly limit of 250 pounds. |
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Collection in large quantities or for commercial purposes requires a permit, lease, or license from the BLM. |
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As Utah is home to the ancestral land of eight tribal nations, please show respect by not removing artifacts and obtaining all required permits before extraction. |
Rockhounding Tips & Permit
Learn some expert tips from experienced rockhounds and get your rockhounding permit!
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Most rockhounds consider spring and fall the best times for this activity. Being in the blistering summer sun or trying to extract from the frozen ground can turn a fun, rockhounding adventure into a miserable day. The desert is prone to flash flooding, so be diligent in checking the weather forecast as you plan your trip.
