San Francisco Mountains: Diopside & Fluorite Rockhounding in Beaver County, Utah

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Beaver County

State

Utah

Nearest road

Ely Highway

Coordinates

38.45914, -113.30671

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 San Francisco Mountains

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: February to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 40°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 9°F.

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

Geology at San Francisco Mountains

This spot sits on Ely Springs Dm, Eureka Qtz, Crystal Peak Dm, Watson Ranch Qzt, and the Pogonip Group, mapped as limestone and siltstone mudstone that formed roughly 485 to 445 million years ago. Carbonate rock like this is the classic host for lead, zinc, and fluorite mineralization, which typically follows old cavities and replacement zones.

Mapped unit

Ely Springs Dm, Eureka Qtz, Crystal Peak Dm, Watson Ranch Qzt, and the Pogonip Group

Age

485–445 Ma (Early Ordovician to Late Ordovician)

Rock types

limestone and siltstone mudstone

Elevation

6,220 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.

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 Utah, Rockhounding overview
• Utah Geological Survey, collecting guidelines
• SITLA, surface use rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules