My kids have been interested in rock collecting and hunting over the past few years so I thought now would be the perfect time to take them on a trip to the Geode Beds in Utah! Before we left I did a lot of research to figure out what we were looking for and other fun things to do so here’s what I learned.
The best way to tell you how to get there is with a map. So here’s the roads we took from Tooele. You can also see on the map I marked where we camped at. Right there is a little mountain pass area you drive through that has some trees for camping. We found a great spot to park the trailer at. There were other camping spots you could park your trailer at or put up your tent. Please note this is “dry” camping. There are not amenities anywhere close by.
After we parked the trailer we continued to the geode beds which was about an hour and a half drive on a dirt road. You could take a car on this road, you’ll probably just need to take it a little slower. Along this road we saw a few antelope running as well as tons of wild horses so take your camera with you. We packed lots of water and lunch with us so we could spend time at the geo beds. Don’t forget your sunscreen as well because there’s no shade there.
One thing I wish I would have remembered to grab would be work gloves for all of us. You’re going to be doing a lot of digging so these will help. We also took with us shovels, buckets (large ones for the adults and smaller ones for the kids since they’d get heavy) hammers for everyone and flat head screw drivers. All these tools you’ll need while you’re there.
Once we arrived we found our spot, there’s TONS of area to search through so don’t stress that. You’re looking for rocks that look somewhat like a cauliflower head (that’s the best way to describe it). You’ll find many geodes that have already been cracked open, those were my kids favorite to look for. They just walked the area we were in, looking for “shinny rocks” laying around. But if you find a geode that hasn’t been opened yet you can use your flat head screw driver and hammer to crack it open. Or, if you want a more professional way, use a wet saw to get a smooth cut.
This is one spot we’ll definitely visit again. If you head out that way I hope you guys enjoy your time as much as we did!
Tammy K
We just got back from there last night. A few things to be aware of. The closest gas station in in Stockton. The one that shows up for Dugway is on a military installation and no available to the public. Next, watch the weather very closely. Flash floods are common and yesterday was almost tragic for one family that got caught in one near the geode beds. We had to travel through some pretty bad flash flooding on the roads and we have 4 wheel drive. Make sure to have a good spare tire. My tires are new and I got a flat. some of the rocks on the road are jagged and can ruin a tire. It was a bit of a rough day. We got there on a Saturday and camped overnight. Saturday evening a big storm came through and got everything soaked and the geode bed was like walking through wet cement. We left on Sunday and that is when we hit the flash flooding. We got some geodes that are pretty cool., but it was a bit of a rough trip. There are also tarantulas, scorpions, lizards and horny toads to watch out for. The tarantulas and the scorpions came out at nigh, so if you have a shortwave light, you can see the scorpions glow. The tarantula, well, it was just that we could see something large walking towards us and my husband put his flashlight on it. Surprise! Anyway, for the most part, we had a good time but I think it will be a bit before we brave it again. Have fun if you do go out there. PS take plenty of gas for your vehicle.