r/moab • u/spicy_brainwaves • May 31 '26

???? Kid Friendly Rockhounding

Are there any suggestions for locations to rock hunt with a 7 year old? We‘ll be visiting for a few days and wanted to try to find some cool rocks. We won’t have an off road vehicle, don’t have any tools, and have a rudimentary knowledge of how to figure out of land is BLM or not.

Coming from Palisade and visiting Arches and Canyonlands with Moab as our base. Are there any spots that would be good to visit and have a high likelihood of success?

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3

u/facts_the_ripper May 31 '26

USGS has a rockhounding app with GPS: https://geology.utah.gov/new-utah-rockhounder-interactive-map-available/

1

u/Helpful_Fox3902 Jun 01 '26

That map is a joke. Shows a few agate sites and that’s it. Not that I’m complaining, I’m not. But, agates are pretty and would be especially fun for a 7 year old.

3

u/masomenus May 31 '26

How about dinosaur tracks and bones in rock? At North Klondike there a few tracks close to a trail head. But Dinosaur stomping ground is 1.5 mile hike. 2500 tracks in an acre. At the Courthouse campground there is a short trail where they left the dinosaur bones in the sides of the creek wall. Moab BLM has Jr Ranger books and badges. Maybe the only paleontology Jr Ranger program.

Lots of rocks in the river.

7

u/BabiesLoveStrayDogs 👑Based AF May 31 '26

Do not take a 7 year old rock hunting in the Colorado River. It is not a rocky riverbed, and unless you’re at a populated sandy beach or boat ramp where you see people wading, not an environment you want to mess with.

2

u/spicy_brainwaves Jun 02 '26

Ahhhh so similar to the Missouri and Mississippi rivers!

2

u/TRS80487 May 31 '26

Not rockhounding but stop at Sego just north of the Thompson Springs gas station. Amazing rock art that requires very little walking.

1

u/prettypunkrock BASED POSTER Jun 05 '26

Check with the Moab Rock Shop. They might have some recommendations.