Best spot

Quartz Creek (Brown Derby): Beryl & Tourmaline Rockhounding in Gunnison County, Colorado

Updated July 2026

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: Permission required
County: Gunnison County
State: Colorado
Nearest road: CR 44
Postcode: 81239
Coordinates: 38.51741, -106.66793

Geology at Quartz Creek (Brown Derby)

This spot sits on Felsic and hornblendic gneisses, either separate or interlayered, mapped as gneiss that formed roughly 2500 to 1600 million years ago. Metamorphic belts like this often host pegmatite dikes, the coarse-crystal bodies that typically carry beryl, tourmaline, and sheet mica.

Mapped unit: Felsic and hornblendic gneisses, either separate or interlayered
Age: 2500–1600 Ma (Paleoproterozoic)
Rock types: gneiss
Elevation: 8,340 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.

Best time to visit Quartz Creek (Brown Derby)

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 78°F in midsummer and 26°F in midwinter, with winter lows near -5°F. At about 8,340 ft, snow can block access from late fall well into spring, so check conditions outside of summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, COCHETOPA CREEK station (7 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

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

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)?+

Permission required before collecting. Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Quartz Creek (Brown Derby)?+

A rock hammer, a pry bar, gloves, and safety glasses suit pegmatite ground. Work weathered zones and check dump piles; coarse crystals often sit in decomposed rock.

When is the best time to visit Quartz Creek (Brown Derby)?+

The most comfortable months at Quartz Creek (Brown Derby) are April to October. At about 8,340 ft, snow can block access from late fall well into spring, so check conditions outside of summer.

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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