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Tunk Creek: Quartz & Blue Corundum Rockhounding in Okanogan County, Washington

Public accessBest spot5 mineralsOkanogan County, WashingtonUpdated June 2026
Minerals reported
5
Elevation
860 ft
Best months
March to June

Tunk Creek is one of Washington's few documented thulite localities, where rose-pink thulite, a variety of zoisite, occurs in lenses up to three feet across within hornblende schist. The same schist hosts corundum, including blue sapphire and pink to red crystals associated with the thulite, an unusual pairing recorded by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System and mindat. Quartz and plagioclase round out the assemblage in the Okanogan highlands. Reported finds include quartz, blue corundum, pink corundum, thulite, plagioclase. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Nearest road
Keystone Road
Get directionsView on Google Maps

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: Land ownership across Tunk Valley is checkerboarded among private parcels, the WDFW Tunk Valley Wildlife Area Unit, and scattered state and federal land, so ownership at any given point should be verified before collecting. A Discover Pass is required on the WDFW unit, where the access road is open July 1 to December 15, and written permission is required on any private parcel.

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 Tunk Creek

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to June. Typical highs run 91°F in midsummer and 34°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 25°F.

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

Geology at Tunk Creek

This spot sits on continental glacial drift, Fraser-age; mostly Vashon Stade in western WA; unnamed in eastern WA, mapped as sand and gravel that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Loose deposits like these are float-collecting ground: erosion keeps moving durable rocks and minerals into gravel bars, cutbanks, and washes.

Mapped unit
continental glacial drift, Fraser-age; mostly Vashon Stade in western WA; unnamed in eastern WA
Age
3 Ma to present (Pleistocene)
Rock types
sand and gravel
Elevation
860 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.

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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:

Found at Tunk Creek

Each name 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 Tunk Creek.

  • Lyman LakeOkanogan County, Washington · 21 mi awayGold, Quartz
  • Osoyoos LakeOkanogan County, Washington · 28 mi awayCopper, Pyrite
  • Mary Ann CreekOkanogan County, Washington · 32 mi awayGold
  • Gold CreekFerry County, Washington · 32 mi awayGold
  • MethowOkanogan County, Washington · 33 mi awayStibnite, Chalcopyrite
  • BridgeportDouglas County, Washington · 40 mi awayJadeite
  • Nespelem to Coulee DamDouglas County, Washington · 43 mi awayGold
  • Cathedral PeakOkanogan County, Washington · 43 mi awayWolframite

Tunk Creek FAQ

Where is Tunk Creek?+
Tunk Creek is in Okanogan County, Washington, at 48.56146, -119.48658. Nearest road: Keystone Road.
What rocks and minerals can you find at Tunk Creek?+
Tunk Creek is reported to produce Quartz, Blue Corundum, Pink Corundum, Thulite, Plagioclase.
Is collecting allowed at Tunk Creek?+
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 Tunk Creek?+
A rock hammer, a small pry bar, gloves, and safety glasses cover most crystal ground. A screen helps in loose pocket soil, and newspaper protects points on the way out.
When is the best time to visit Tunk Creek?+
The most comfortable months at Tunk Creek are March to June.
How do I get to Tunk Creek?+
Open the directions link to navigate to 48.56146, -119.48658 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Keystone Road.

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