Garnet Hill - Ruth, Nevada

Autumn E.

I made my way up the dirt road to see the sunset on Garnet hill. When I got up there, there wasn't too many people there. There were a couple of picnic tables, which would be beautiful to do during warmer days. Just before sunset, I was the only one there and didn't feel totally comfortable, so I made my way back to the highway. The dirt road is pretty well maintained. I don't think I would take a sedan up there, although it probably could make it. Most of the cars that were at the top were trucks or suvs. The drive up is all dirt road, not rough but at times could be a little bumpy. I loved the drive up it was really beautiful and serene.

Michael R.

Easy drive up on a well-graded road. Turn onto Pole Line Road at the sign and follow the signs up. Bring a good rock pick. Your best bet for finding nice garnets is to find rocks with lots of holes in them and break the rock to find the garnets. My first time ever visiting, in one hour I found half a dozen garnets between 1/4" & 1/2" across plus even more smaller ones. Safety glasses! Sunscreen!

K G.

We went to Garnet Hill 3x during our visit to Ely. Make sure you do not end up on the jeep route that google maps sends you to. Look for the Garnet Hill sign and turn there. It is a well maintained dirt road.

We had so much fun, but you have to know what you're looking for. Do yourself a favor and watch a couple videos first. The first time, we had no clue. The second day, I almost instantly found a garnet that had separated from thr matrix rock. After that, we found several rocks with small garnets in it. The best part it is free.

TIP: Make sure you have your phone so you can use the GPS to find the parking lot if you get lost. Ask me how I know. 🤔

Amy H.

Great place for garnet hunting! Bring a chisel and a hammer and remember to grab a good set of gloves and lots of water. They have bathrooms up there and places to camp. And you can find some great garnets in the rocks! You are on your own, it’s an easy drive in on a dirt road. We drove our little Prius up there with no problem.

Michael S.

BRING TOOLS:
Sledge Hammer, Breaking Bar, Chisel for hardrock breaking. Lot of effort to break rock with regular hammer. (OR)

Soil sifter 3mm or gold prospecting classifier 1/ 8 inch, and shovel for loose garnets on the ground. Removes dirt so you can search thru remaining gravels for garnets. (OR)

Hard Tong (Teeth) Rake to turn over ground to expose loose garnets.

Garnet size average 1/4 to 1/2 inch

Mary B.

We gave it a try, but the snow won. We are snow impaired... we'll definitely give it a try late spring. Visited Christmas Day 2024

Nicholas K.

Make sure you go to the Garnet Hill rec area, and not the summit! The summit is a washed out dirt road that even an all wheel off-road vehicle had some issues on.
The rec area was clean, easy to get to, and a lot of fun to walk around. Restrooms were clean, but basic park style. Research the best ways to search, and what you are looking for ahead of going.
A rock hammer would be helpful, but don't be a destructive jerk if you bring one.

Jen O.

This was such a treat. I didn't have time to search for anything but I was able to enjoy working while watching the sunset and had the whole place to myself.

Road in was not too bad.