William A. Kappele

This completely updated and revised, full-color edition of Rockhounding Utah reveals the grandeur of the state's exposed formations, its canyon walls etched with fossils, and the spires and arches of the Needles District in Canyonlands National Park. Each description of the 86 state's sites includes concise information on the material to be found there, the tools to bring, the best season to visit, the vehicle to drive, or when a remote find suggests it's time to lace up the hiking boots. Readers will glean new insights into the obsidian of the Black Rock sites, jasper at Hell's Backbone, petrified wood at Bullfrog Turnoff, and fossils of sea lillies along the Wasatch Range.

Rockhounding Colorado takes you to 100 of the best rockhounding sites in the state. Search for amethyst and quartz at the Crystal Hill Mine, check out the view at Douglas Pass while looking for leaf imprints and insect fossils, or head to Saint Peters Dome to uncover green, white, and purple fluorite.