Best spot

Wolf Creek Pass: Amethyst & Mordenite Rockhounding in Mineral County, Colorado

Updated June 2026

Wolf Creek Pass cuts through Conejos Formation basalts whose gas cavities are lined with zeolites, including mordenite reported among the finest in North America, alongside amethyst-bearing geodes. Heulandite, chabazite, and calcite occur in the same amygdules. The collecting exposures along US 160 sit on San Juan and Rio Grande National Forest land outside designated wilderness. Reported finds include amethyst, mordenite, heulandite, chabazite, calcite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Wolf Creek Pass photos

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

1 photo

Amethyst crystals lining a basalt geode, like those weathering from the Wolf Creek Pass basalts

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Mineral County
State: Colorado
Nearest road: US 160
Coordinates: 37.45140, -106.88947

Geology at Wolf Creek Pass

This spot sits on Modern alluvium, mapped as unconsolidated alluvium that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Loose deposits like these are float-collecting ground: erosion keeps moving durable rocks and minerals into gravel bars, cutbanks, and washes.

Mapped unit: Modern alluvium
Age: 3 Ma to present (Quaternary)
Rock types: unconsolidated alluvium
Elevation: 8,850 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.

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 Wolf Creek Pass

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 Wolf Creek Pass.

Across the state line from Wolf Creek Pass

Wolf Creek Pass is close enough to the Colorado border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

Las TablasRio Arriba County, New Mexico · 79 mi awayTourmaline

Wolf Creek Pass FAQ

Where is Wolf Creek Pass?+

Wolf Creek Pass is in Mineral County, Colorado, at 37.45140, -106.88947. Nearest road: US 160.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Wolf Creek Pass?+

Wolf Creek Pass is reported to produce Amethyst, Mordenite, Heulandite, Chabazite, Calcite.

Is collecting allowed at Wolf Creek Pass?+

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.

What tools should I bring to Wolf Creek Pass?+

A rock hammer, a small pry bar, gloves, and safety glasses cover most crystal ground. A screen helps in loose pocket soil, and newspaper protects points on the way out.

How do I get to Wolf Creek Pass?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 37.45140, -106.88947 in Google Maps. The nearest road is US 160.

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