Torrey: Fossil Hunting in Wayne County, Utah

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Wayne County

State

Utah

Nearest road

North 300 East Street

Postcode

84773

Coordinates

38.30506, -111.40927

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.

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 Torrey

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 84°F in midsummer and 36°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 20°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, TORREY 7 E station (6 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Torrey

This spot sits on Moenkopi Formation, mapped as sandstone mudstone that formed roughly 250 to 245 million years ago. Sedimentary layers like these are where fossils are typically preserved, and fresh exposures after rain or in active cuts tend to produce best.

Mapped unit

Moenkopi Formation

Age

250–245 Ma (Early Triassic)

Rock types

sandstone mudstone

Elevation

6,820 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