Yucca Mountain: Geode Digging in Nye County, Nevada

Updated July 2026

Yucca Mountain is a mapped rockhounding spot in Nye County, Nevada. Reported finds include geode, nodules. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Quick details

Access: Permission required
County: Nye County
State: Nevada
Coordinates: 36.97823, -116.46315

Geology at Yucca Mountain

This spot sits on Alluvial-fan, fluvial, and colluvial deposits, undivided, mapped as alluvium that formed within roughly the last 5 million years. Geodes weather out of their host rock and collect in gravels like these, where their round shape and light heft help them stand out.

Mapped unit: Alluvial-fan, fluvial, and colluvial deposits, undivided
Age: 5 Ma to present (Pliocene to Holocene)
Rock types: alluvium
Elevation: 4,840 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 Yucca Mountain

Best months: September to June. Typical highs run 95°F in midsummer and 52°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 23°F. Summer heat here is intense, so carry more water than you think you need and work the early morning.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, BEATTY 8 N station (14 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.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

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 Yucca Mountain

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 Yucca Mountain.

Yucca Mountain FAQ

Where is Yucca Mountain?+

Yucca Mountain is in Nye County, Nevada, at 36.97823, -116.46315.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Yucca Mountain?+

Yucca Mountain is reported to produce Geode, Nodules.

Is collecting allowed at Yucca Mountain?+

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 Yucca Mountain?+

Bring a crack hammer, a chisel, safety glasses, and a bucket. Candidates are rounder and lighter than solid rock; a soil pipe cutter opens them cleaner than a flat smash.

When is the best time to visit Yucca Mountain?+

The most comfortable months at Yucca Mountain are September to June. Summer heat here is intense, so carry more water than you think you need and work the early morning.

How do I get to Yucca Mountain?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 36.97823, -116.46315 in Google Maps. Some spots are remote, so check road conditions before driving out.

More rockhounding in Nevada

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Open Yucca Mountain on the map

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