Great Salt Flats: Halite & Sylvite Rockhounding in Tooele County, Utah

Updated June 2026

Great Salt Flats is a mapped rockhounding spot in Tooele County, Utah. Reported finds include halite, sylvite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Tooele County
State: Utah
Coordinates: 40.79060, -113.64764

Geology at Great Salt Flats

This spot sits on Mud and salt flats, mapped as clay that formed within roughly the last 12,000 years. Loose deposits like these are float-collecting ground: erosion keeps moving durable rocks and minerals into gravel bars, cutbanks, and washes.

Mapped unit: Mud and salt flats
Age: < 1 Ma (Holocene)
Rock types: clay
Elevation: 4,190 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 Great Salt Flats

Best months: March to June. Typical highs run 93°F in midsummer and 35°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 20°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, WENDOVER AP AWOS station (21 mi away).

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.

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 Great Salt Flats

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 Great Salt Flats.

Across the state line from Great Salt Flats

Great Salt Flats is close enough to the Utah border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

Great Salt Flats FAQ

Where is Great Salt Flats?+

Great Salt Flats is in Tooele County, Utah, at 40.79060, -113.64764.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Great Salt Flats?+

Great Salt Flats is reported to produce Halite, Sylvite.

Is collecting allowed at Great Salt Flats?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Great Salt Flats?+

A rock hammer, sturdy gloves, safety glasses, and a collecting bag cover the basics here. Add a spray bottle: wet rock shows color and pattern that dry rock hides.

When is the best time to visit Great Salt Flats?+

The most comfortable months at Great Salt Flats are March to June.

How do I get to Great Salt Flats?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 40.79060, -113.64764 in Google Maps. Some spots are remote, so check road conditions before driving out.

More rockhounding in Utah

See all 246 Utah spots →

Open Great Salt Flats on the map

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