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Desert Treasures

The day after we drove 50 miles of unpaved and very poorly maintained roads to hunt for geodes at the Dugway Geode Beds southwest of Salt Lake City, we found ourselves yet again on dirt roads. Thankfully, these were not as long, nor poorly maintained. Our first stop was at the Obsidian Beds. Honestly, we didn't make it all the way to the actual beds. The BLM visits the beds every so often and digs them, then carries the tailings out from the beds (I'm guessing for those of us without 4-wheel drive). There are actually two locations.... one for the Snowflake Obsidian and another for the Mahogany Obsidian. The two pits are about 1/4 mile apart. Where we parked was down the hill from where a huge pile of Mahogany Obsidian had been dumped. We found so many beautiful pieces that will make beautiful cabochons (I've already made one!). We plan to revisit this location. The next time, we'll rent a 4-wheel in order to get to the pits. If you go and are able to make it to the pits, be mindful that there are claims in the area. Be watchful for signs that will help you know if you're on a claim. The two pits of Obsidian are free and are managed by the BLM. You are allowed to collect 25 pounds per day per person. Our second stop for the day was for Last Chance Agates. This was a bit of a wild ride. We went through canyons, dry washes and over ridges where one side of the road hugged the hill and the other side was a sheer drop off. Last Chance is named for the Last Chance Ranch. When you get to the site (which is on BLM land and totally free to collect), you'll park, get out, look down and see that the ground is paved with small rocks. Upon inspection you'll see that every single rock is a beautiful agate! These are not banded, but the colors are orange, yellow, red and even purple. They are so beautiful If you go... beware of the wind. You could camp there, but the spot would be no fun for doing such because of the wind. Free camping is along the road soon after you leave the Interstate. We actually decided to leave and get all the way to the beginning of the Buckhorn Draw where there is a free camping area (no facilities). Enjoy!