Garnet Hill is a Bureau of Land Management site located near the top of a hill that offers excellent views of the surrounding landscape.
Located at an elevation of about 7000', Garnet Hill is high and exposed to the wind. Several picnic tables with grills are set around the parking area, and a single vault toilet is located at the edge of the parking lot.
The garnet was created by volcanic activity that occurred between 32-40 million years ago. This activity resulted in the occurrence of the ruby colored gems inside the rhyolite stone throughout the area. This area is one of the few collecting sites in the state, so visitors are welcome to take their finds home.
Methods of finding and collecting the stones include bringing tools such as shovels and rock hammers and breaking the igneous stone apart, however it is also possible to visit with no tools and keep your eyes open for the dark colored gems inside the rock on the ground. It's worth venturing a short distance away from the parking area to find the areas that aren't completely picked over, however if you spend some time exploring, it is easy to find the small stones.
Garnet Hill is great for rockhounding, but also just for getting up to a quiet area for a picnic or to catch a sunset from.
There are no fees to visit, and guests are welcome to take home stones they find.
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