The Pleiades Mine pay-to-dig

Austin, Lander County, Nevada. Rockhounding site; May – October (weather permitting).

Details

Map. Austin, Lander County, Nevada. Larger map

Where: Austin, Lander County, NV. No street address stated. Directions
When: Arrival 7:00–8:00 AM, departure for the mine 8:00 AM sharp, digging starts around 9:00 AM, typical end around 2:00 PM.
Getting there: Guests are met in the parking lot of Champ's Gas Station at 16 Main Street, Austin, Nevada, then caravan together to the mine in the mountains.
Fees: $200 per 5-gallon bucket, each bucket can be shared by two adults or a family; additional buckets available on-site for $200 each.
Access: All-wheel drive (AWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD) is strongly recommended for the rough dirt roads. Low-clearance vehicles won't make it up the mountain and the operators will arrange a ride up from the valley with advance notice. Closed-toe shoes are mandatory. No age limit (kids welcome), parents or guardians must sign liability waivers for minors, and friendly dogs are welcome. All roads to the mine entrance are public access roads on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, which is open to the public.
Walk-in or reserve: Reservations are essential; walk-ins welcome if space is available, with a call or text ahead.
Phone: (970) 497-6539
Managed by: MVM Artistic Stone Designs LLC (Vince and Michelle Dyer and Michael O'Donnell).

Family-run experience in the mountains north of Austin where visitors dig for rare opalized fluorite found almost nowhere else on Earth.