Topaz, Juab, Utah

Topaz, Popular name in the area:

Utahns talking about rockhounding will surely mention Topaz Mountain. Low-grade real topaz is there for the taking. Stories are written about sure-fire ways to find the most, including a flashlight at night being an advantage over daylight. Bring a small hammer, it will make you feel prepared. Simple dust covers many good specimens. You will see other destinations on the way including Notch Peak, Swasey Peak, Tatow Knob, Marjum Pass and many others. The Japanese-American Relocation Camp in World War II days near Delta, Utah was also named after the mountain area.

Getting there:

US Highway 6 from Eureka southbound, halfway between Lynndyl and Delta has a local highway 174 taking off westbound. There are offices and smelters for the mine at that junction. It should have a sign saying "no services for 135 miles" but not today. The road is for the byrillium mine past Topaz mountain. There is a sign noting Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge being about 68 miles ahead. The last part of that is dirt. Your road is paved for about an hour's travel, until a BLM sign on your right (north) directs you to a good dirt road (about 3 miles) to the destination. There are "shortcuts" available, depending on your location and how much dirt road you like. The Jericho sand-dunes has a dirt road leaving westbound called Weiss Highway. It has some of the best, smoothest dirt in Utah. You could find it for the trip home. It passes remote, beautiful territory.

Notice on your way to Topaz Mountain:

Along Highway 6, you have been seeing a coal-fired power plant with a 714-foot high smokestack. You will pass right by it at milemarker 9 on local highway 174. Called Intermountain Power Project, it was built in the Great Basin area, due north of Delta, Utah. Twice a day, about 100 coal-filled train cars leave Wellington, Utah and travel up Price Canyon and out Spanish Fork Canyon on their way to the destination. The necessary water comes from the Sevier River captured in a dam northeast of Delta. Los Angeles writes a check for the coal and sends it to Utah. Think of how many local, good paying jobs this enterprise provides.