Hey, if you are planning a quick trip over to Wendover to make some money or to the Bonneville Salt Flats to see just how fast that old clunker can go, you may want to consider popping over to the mountains just North of Wendover for some fine quality agate.

When I went, there were veins, chunks, and chips of agate all around the area I pinned on the map. It was mostly white agate, but I saw red, black, blue, yellow, and even a candy-looking agate (interesting mixture of purple and red).

One of my favorites was a mossy red agate. It is hard to spot at first, but you can tell, with a little polish, it will come out looking pretty nice. My other fascination is any of the botryoidal agate (which I found quite a bit of). I think the little bubbles just look so alien and weird that I want to collect every piece I find.

Again, just as the Eureka agate area, I would recommend a high clearance vehicle. Although a lot of the roads in the area are sand/dirt, you will find some outcroppings of rock and deep ruts at times and it makes for a bumpy ride. However, the views of the salt flats are amazing. You might even want to add a hike up to Pilot Peak if you have the time.

Directions to North of Wendover Agate:

From the intersection of 800 North and I-15 in Orem, Utah

1. Drive North on I-15 for 36 miles until the exit for I-80 Westbound

2. Drive on Westbound I-80 for 115 miles to exit 4 (The only thing at this exit is a gas station and the entrance to the Salt Flats)

3. From exit 4 turn right (North) for 1.2 miles on Leppy Pass Road to a fork where you’ll want to hang left for another 3.15 miles

4. You should see a small building here at the fork and you’ll want to hang right for 1.1 miles on Silver Island Loop Road

5. Turn right onto a small connecting road for about 830 feet (you’ll pass a road going perpendicular)

6. You’ll merge onto a slightly larger road heading Southeast for another 730 feet until veering off due East onto a separate road

7. Drive 1.07 miles as it winds around at the very end before you turn right (South) up a small canyon for about 300 feet to your destination

8. There might be easier ways to get here, but this is the route I take as it is easier on non four wheel drive vehicles