Big Cottonwood mining district: Actinolite & Barite Rockhounding in Salt Lake County, Utah

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Salt Lake County

State

Utah

Nearest road

Cardiff Fork Trail

Postcode

84138

Coordinates

40.60774, -111.65152

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 Big Cottonwood mining district

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: May to October. Typical highs run 72°F in midsummer and 29°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 14°F. At about 9,060 ft, snow can block access from late fall well into spring, so check conditions outside of summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ALTA station (1 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Big Cottonwood mining district

This spot sits on ground mapped as Ophir Formation that formed roughly 510 to 495 million years ago. Copper minerals typically show as green and blue staining where mineralized rock has weathered and oxidized.

Mapped unit

Ophir Formation

Age

510–495 Ma (Middle Cambrian)

Elevation

9,060 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