HWY 50 Calcite
Colorado
Find: Calcite, selenite
GPS: 38.95068, -108.41221
Nearest city: Grand Junction, CO
Recommended Vehicle: Any
Season: Accessible year-round, Summer may be a little hot. No shade.
Summary:
The area surrounding Grand Junction, Colorado has multiple well-known areas to dig for calcite. Most accessible of them is this one, tucked just off HWY 50. Pull into the parking area and explore the slopes with a hammer and chisel and you’ll have a hard time leaving without at least a little calcite and selenite.
The pieces here don’t have substantial characteristics, but it can be a great place to do some nice easy crystal digging right off the highway without intense hiking.
When facing North, I found most of the calcite deposits along the Western side of the hillside you see from the parking area. To the East is where I found mostly selenite.
3 Helpful Tools
Gad Bar
A gad bar is my favorite all-around tool for both prying and breaking rock.
3lb Hammer
Pair the gad bar with a 3lb hammer for the perfect lightweight combo to walk around with and explore.
Rubber Tip Gloves
Gloves are helpful for keeping your hands in good shape while pulling and prying rock to free up the calcite.
This is what the hillsides look like hiking up from the parking area.
This is the selenite you'll find here. It's thin and brittle, so probably not great for collecting.
On the Western end of the hillside is where I found more calcite.
The surrounding rock broke pretty easily using a hammer and chisel.
An example of a solid mass of calcite within the matrix rock.
A gad bar comes in handy. It's a seriously helpful tool if you've never used one before.
Here is some calcite with actual crystal faces. Again, this is a spot that's convenient and accessible for the whole family - not one that is likely to produce pieces to end up in a local newspaper.