Best spot

Quartz Creek (Brown Derby) — Rockhounding in Gunnison County, Colorado

The Quartz Creek, or Brown Derby, district is Colorado's most fractionated lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatite field, mapped by the USGS as more than 1,800 pegmatite bodies. They carry beryl, lepidolite, pink and green tourmaline, and rare columbite-tantalite. The dikes sit on Gunnison National Forest land where personal hobby collecting with hand tools is allowed. Reported finds include beryl, tourmaline, lepidolite, albite, muscovite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Quartz Creek (Brown Derby) photos

Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.

1 photo

A bicolor elbaite tourmaline crystal, like the tourmaline from the Quartz Creek pegmatites

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Gunnison County
State: Colorado
Nearest road: CR 44
Postcode: 81239
Coordinates: 38.51741, -106.66793

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.

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.

Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.

Found at Quartz Creek (Brown Derby)

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

Nearby rockhounding spots

Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Quartz Creek (Brown Derby).

Quartz Creek (Brown Derby) FAQ

Why is Quartz Creek (Brown Derby) one of the best rockhounding spots in Colorado?+

Where is Quartz Creek (Brown Derby)?+

Quartz Creek (Brown Derby) is in Gunnison County, Colorado, at 38.51741, -106.66793. Nearest road: CR 44.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Quartz Creek (Brown Derby)?+

Quartz Creek (Brown Derby) is reported to produce Beryl, Tourmaline, Lepidolite, Albite, Muscovite.

Is collecting allowed at Quartz Creek (Brown Derby)?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

How do I get to Quartz Creek (Brown Derby)?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 38.51741, -106.66793 in Google Maps. The nearest road is CR 44.

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