The Long Way
Millard County
A close-up photograph of a yellow plastic pipe resting on gravel and rocks.
Plate I. Sunstones on the ground, Sunstone Knoll. From geology.utah.gov
Volcanic landscape at Sunstone Knoll.
Plate II. Volcanic landscape at Sunstone Knoll. Photograph by Tiffany A. Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sunstone crystal on basalt, Sunstone Knoll.
Plate III. Sunstone crystal on basalt, Sunstone Knoll. Photograph by Tiffany A. Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sunstone Knoll

Delta, Millard County, Utah. Knoll formed of volcanic vents (early Pleistocene eruptions).

Details

Map. Delta, Millard County, Utah. Larger map
Where
Delta, Millard County, UT. No street address stated. Directions
Season
You can visit Sunstone Knoll year round but aim to visit on a sunny day. Sunstones are much easier to spot when the sun reflects off their surface, mornings and evenings seem to be the ideal time to catch the sun's reflections.
Getting there
From the west edge of Delta, travel west on U.S. Highway 6/50 about 4.3 miles to the State Highway 257 junction; turn south on highway 257 approximately 13.4 miles (just before mile-marker 56); a sign on the west side of the road marks the entrance.
Access
A private claim is on part of this site, but individuals are generously allowed to collect; sign the register at the entrance.
Walk-in or reserve
No special permit for casual collecting on unrestricted federal lands for personal, non-commercial purposes; a rockhounding permit is required on School and Institutional Trust Lands.
Managed by
Private mining claim and BLM public lands.
Coordinates
39.14659, -112.71682.

Sunstone is a transparent, yellowish labradorite (a plagioclase feldspar mineral) found as crystals in these volcanic rocks and on the flats surrounding the knoll.

Sources

  1. visitmillardcounty.com/adventures/rockhounding-adventures/sunstone-knoll
  2. geology.utah.gov/popular/rocks-minerals/rock-mineral-collecting-sites/sunstones