Colorado Rockhounding: A Guide to Minerals, Gemstones, and Fossils (Rock Collecting) [Paperback]

Stephen M. Voynick (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rock Collecting | Publication Date: February 1, 1995

Colorado Rockhounding is a complete guide to the state's rich and varied mineral, gemstone, and fossil sources. In Colorado, rockhounds may pick agate and petrified wood from the vast Great Plains, follow dinosaur tracks on hogback ridges, pan gold in mountain streams, hunt gemstones on towering peaks, and search for metal sulfide minerals in historic mining districts.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stephen M. Voynick has worked as an advertising, industrial, and technical photographer; a marine salvage diver in the Caribbean and South America; and a hardrock miner in Colorado, Wyoming, and Arizona. Since 1982 he has worked as a full-time freelance writer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing Company; Revised edition (February 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878422927
• ISBN-13: 978-0878422920
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #488,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #63 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Animals > Fossils

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rocky Mountain HIGH!, May 20, 2001

By 

Bruce Crocker "agnostictrickster" (Whittier, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Colorado Rockhounding: A Guide to Minerals, Gemstones, and Fossils (Rock Collecting) (Paperback)

Several years ago, I made a swing through Colorado and, as always, collected rocks and minerals [mainly for my class that I teach at a California high school]. This book was at my side and served me well, leading to many beautiful specimens [and two blown tires-it was an excellent trip]. I never failed to find a site and all sites were better than average quality. Warning: many of these sites are at high elevation and may involve a little hiking [I'm out of shape and stayed to the sites close to the roads and still had quite a haul]. As always, please collect respectfully and only in places where it is legal to collect.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 2003 review, June 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Colorado Rockhounding: A Guide to Minerals, Gemstones, and Fossils (Rock Collecting) (Paperback)

I am giving this book a three star rating, I believe that it was a five star rating when first published. My copy shows a copyright of 1994 and a fifth printing in 2000. I enjoyed the historic and background geology information provided by the author. It was good evening reading. I did have problems in locating the sites listed. Colorado has grown a bit since 1994. I prefer the detailed format in the falcon guides. They do not have the background Voynick's book does but they get you to most of the sites. In all cases I would like to see the authors show the dates they visited recommended sites.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Buyer beware!, July 25, 2007

By 

happyjack (Page, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Colorado Rockhounding: A Guide to Minerals, Gemstones, and Fossils (Rock Collecting) (Paperback)

I spent most of the last week in the Salida/Buena Vista/Royal Gorge area, and wasted ALOT of money on gas trying to find some of the fantastic mine tailings dumps and rock shops claimed to be in the area by this book. When one of the most highly recommended rock shops turned out to have been closed for five years, I started to wonder. I realized this book is just a summary of articles from Rock and Gem magazine, and many date back to the 1960s or earlier (1917???)! This book should be classified as fiction. For that matter, a few months back I tried to contact the state of Utah for permission to pan in the easements, as recommended in an article in R & G. They were horrified and knew nothing about it! It is illegal in Utah to be in the easements unless it is an emergency. So those of you planning a trip out west, don't base your agenda on either of these sources! Mitchell is cheaper and more reliable.