Dragon: Gilsonite & Uintaite Rockhounding in Uintah County, Utah

Quick details

Access

Permission required

County

Uintah County

State

Utah

Nearest road

Dragon Canyon Road

Coordinates

39.78654, -109.07548

Geology at Dragon

This spot sits on Douglas Creek Member of Green River Formation, mapped as poorly to moderately resistant sandstone, oil shale, siltstone, and cherty oolitic limestone that formed roughly 50 to 46 million years ago. Carbonate rock like this dissolves and weathers readily, so fresh road cuts, quarries, and creek exposures are typically the most productive ground.

Mapped unit

Douglas Creek Member of Green River Formation

Age

50–46 Ma (Middle Eocene)

Rock types

poorly to moderately resistant sandstone, oil shale, siltstone, and cherty oolitic limestone

Elevation

5,910 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 Dragon

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 90°F in midsummer and 29°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 0°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, RANGELY 1E station (26 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 Dragon

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

• Gilsonite
• Uintaite