Simpson Springs: Geode Digging in Tooele County, Utah

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Tooele County

State

Utah

Nearest road

Simpson Springs Road

Coordinates

40.03594, -112.77670

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 Simpson Springs

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to June. Typical highs run 92°F in midsummer and 36°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 13°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, DUGWAY station (13 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Simpson Springs

This spot sits on Prospect Mountain Quartzite, mapped as arenite that formed roughly 540 to 510 million years ago. Metamorphic rock like this weathers into resistant float, and minerals that survive transport typically concentrate in nearby drainages.

Mapped unit

Prospect Mountain Quartzite

Age

540–510 Ma (Early Cambrian)

Rock types

arenite

Elevation

5,330 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