Kaiparowits Plateau: Ilmenite & Monazite Rockhounding in Kane County, Utah

Quick details

Access

Permission required

County

Kane County

State

Utah

Coordinates

37.44702, -111.71531

Geology at Kaiparowits Plateau

This spot sits on ground mapped as Kaiparowits Formation that formed roughly 84 to 66 million years ago. Fresh exposures, cuts, and drainages are typically the most productive places to look on ground like this.

Mapped unit

Kaiparowits Formation

Age

84–66 Ma (Late Cretaceous)

Elevation

6,020 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 Kaiparowits Plateau

Best months: February to November. Typical highs run 90°F in midsummer and 44°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 15°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, KODACHROME BASIN PARK station (16 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 Utah — Rockhounding overview
• Utah Geological Survey — collecting guidelines
• SITLA — surface use rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Kaiparowits Plateau

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

• Ilmenite
• Monazite
• ZirconEncyclopedia →