Basalt: Gold Prospecting in Esmeralda County, Nevada
- Minerals reported
- 5
- Elevation
- 5,940 ft
- Best months
- February to June
Basalt is a mapped rockhounding spot in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Reported finds include copper, gold, lead, silver, zinc. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Esmeralda County
- State
- Nevada
- Nearest road
- Grand Army of the Republic Highway
- Coordinates
- 38.00484, -118.21874
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.
Access note: BLM records active mining claims in this area. Collecting from inside an active claim needs the claim holder's permission.
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 Basalt
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: February to June. Typical highs run 93°F in midsummer and 44°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 22°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MINA station (27 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Geology at Basalt
This spot sits on Younger tuffaceous sedimentary rocks, mapped as sedimentary and volcanic that formed roughly 23 to 3 million years ago. Gold in volcanic terrain like this is usually tied to old vein systems and the gravels that drain them, so nearby washes tend to carry the color.
- Mapped unit
- Younger tuffaceous sedimentary rocks
- Age
- 23–3 Ma (Miocene to Pliocene)
- Rock types
- sedimentary and volcanic
- Elevation
- 5,940 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.
Today's weather
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The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Basalt.
Get the appSources & 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:
- BLM Nevada, Recreation
- Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
- Royal Peacock Opal Mine (fee-dig operator)
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Basalt
Each name 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 Basalt.
- Rock HillEsmeralda County, Nevada · 18 mi awayVariscite
- Fish Lake ValleyEsmeralda County, Nevada · 18 mi awayCinnabar, Opalite
- CoaldaleEsmeralda County, Nevada · 19 mi awayAgate, Chert, Hyalite Opal
- Fish LakeEsmeralda County, Nevada · 20 mi awayApache Tear
- Excelsior MountainMineral County, Nevada · 23 mi awayWonderstone, Turquoise, Variscite
- MinaMineral County, Nevada · 24 mi awayCopper, Gold, Lead
- Veterans Memorial HighwayEsmeralda County, Nevada · 24 mi awayAgate, Petrified Wood, Chalcedony
- Monte Cristo RangeEsmeralda County, Nevada · 34 mi awayVariscite
Basalt FAQ
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More rockhounding in Nevada
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