Stansbury Mountains: Gold Prospecting in Tooele County, Utah

Updated June 2026

Stansbury Mountains is a mapped rockhounding spot in Tooele County, Utah. Reported finds include cerussite, galena, gold, pyrite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Quick details

Access: Permission required
County: Tooele County
State: Utah
Nearest road: FR 546
Coordinates: 40.51761, -112.63741

Geology at Stansbury Mountains

This spot sits on Prospect Mountain Quartzite, mapped as light-brown, grayish-olive, and and white quartzite with scattered iron specks that is medium to coarse grained with cross-beds that formed roughly 1000 to 510 million years ago. Gold in metamorphic belts like this is typically tied to quartz veins and shear zones, with placer color in the creeks that cut them.

Mapped unit: Prospect Mountain Quartzite
Age: 1000–510 Ma (Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian)
Rock types: light-brown, grayish-olive, and and white quartzite with scattered iron specks that is medium to coarse grained with cross-beds
Elevation: 8,060 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.

Best time to visit Stansbury Mountains

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 80°F in midsummer and 25°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 7°F. At about 8,060 ft, snow can block access from late fall well into spring, so check conditions outside of summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, GRANTSVILLE 2W station (9 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 Stansbury Mountains

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 Stansbury Mountains.

Across the state line from Stansbury Mountains

Stansbury Mountains 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.

WendoverElko County, Nevada · 76 mi awayBischofite, Carnallite, Halite

Stansbury Mountains FAQ

Where is Stansbury Mountains?+

Stansbury Mountains is in Tooele County, Utah, at 40.51761, -112.63741. Nearest road: FR 546.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Stansbury Mountains?+

Stansbury Mountains is reported to produce Cerussite, Galena, Gold, Pyrite.

Is collecting allowed at Stansbury Mountains?+

Permission required before collecting. Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Stansbury Mountains?+

A gold pan, a classifier screen, a small shovel, and a snuffer bottle cover the basics. Motorized equipment and sluices fall under separate rules in most states, so start with hand tools.

When is the best time to visit Stansbury Mountains?+

The most comfortable months at Stansbury Mountains are April to October. At about 8,060 ft, snow can block access from late fall well into spring, so check conditions outside of summer.

How do I get to Stansbury Mountains?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 40.51761, -112.63741 in Google Maps. The nearest road is FR 546.

More rockhounding in Utah

See all 246 Utah spots →

Open Stansbury Mountains on the map

Use the RockHoundR app for live land overlays, weather, geology, directions, and saved finds.