Cove Creek Bridge Boulder: Eudialyte & Nepheline Rockhounding in Hot Spring County, Arkansas

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Hot Spring County

State

Arkansas

Nearest road

AR 51

Postcode

72104

Coordinates

34.45654, -92.87496

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

Land & collecting status

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Best time to visit Cove Creek Bridge Boulder

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: September to June. Typical highs run 92°F in midsummer and 52°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 29°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MALVERN station (5 mi away).

Geology at Cove Creek Bridge Boulder

This spot sits on Igneous rocks, mapped as nepheline syenite, intrusive carbonatite, and alkalic volcanic that formed roughly 145 to 66 million years ago. Volcanic ground like this weathers into rocky slopes and float, and fresh exposures in cuts and drainages are usually the most productive places to look.

Mapped unit

Igneous rocks

Age

145–66 Ma (Cretaceous)

Rock types

nepheline syenite, intrusive carbonatite, and alkalic volcanic

Elevation

360 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• Ouachita National Forest, Mineral Collecting
• Crater of Diamonds State Park, Rules and finds
• Arkansas Geological Survey
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules