Tuledad/Lost Creek Field Trip 
Map of Tuledad
The Tuledad/Lost Creek Field Trip actually includes areas close to Cedarville, 45 miles easterly of Cedarville in theNevadaDesert, and Tuledad Canyon/Lost Creek 45 miles south of Cedarville in the desert. There are sites for finding petrified/opalized wood and agate within several miles of Cedarville. I located a map in my archives that show the general location of the Cedarville and Tuledad/Lost Creek sites. This map is located at the end of this newsletter.
The camping area is approximately 170 miles fromKlamath Falls, 70 miles from Alturas, and 45 miles from Cedarville. Fuel is available in Alturas and Cedarville but the station in Cedarville closes at 5 p.m.
The camping area is primitive in a small bowl just off the main road in the sagebrush, no trees – no shade. Individual camping areas with shade can be found several miles westerly in areas with juniper trees. A porta-potti can be trailered from Klamath Falls if we can find a volunteer to haul it. The club has hauled a porta-potti to several of our field trips and it makes camping a lot more enjoyable to have it in camp. I will make arrangements for the porta-potti rental if we can find somebody to pull it.
Cedarville Sites. As shown on the map, one site is located high up in theWarnerMountains, some 5 miles west of Cedarville, and less than a mile south of Highway 299. A second and third site are located southwest of Cedarville and can be reached by traveling about 2 and 4 miles respectively south on the paved road to Gerlach and 4 miles westerly to the collecting sites. These two sites are in the foothills of theWarnerMountains.
Nevada Sites. Obsidian, including apache tears, can be found inNevada, starting about 45 miles easterly of Cedarville. To get there, travel easterly on Highway 299 intoNevada. Obsidian can be found from about the 45 mile point all the way to Highway 140, 71 miles from Cedarville. Concentrations of obsidian can be found at approximately 46, 54, 64, and 67 miles from Cedarville with obsidian covering almost all of the area within this 21 mile stretch.
Tuledad Canyon. Agate, jasper, and petrified wood will be found in Tuledad Canyon which is also the location of the camping area. To get there, travel south from Cedarville on the paved road to Gerlach. At about the 28 mile point you will enter Nevada, about 9 miles into Nevada will be the junction for Tuledad Canyon which is located at the north end of Duck Lake (a dry lake). At this point, turn right (west) onto the double lane Duck Lake dirt road. It will follow the base of the mountain. Proceed for about 5 miles and turn right onto Tuledad road which climbs uphill on the end of a ridge. The camping area will be roughly 2 miles ahead. You turn right off the Tuledad road at the RAC sign and it is an uphill pull to the camp spot about 150 yds. from the road. This right hand turn is so sharp that large vehicles may have to go on down the hill and turn around and come back. The campsite is not visible from the road——– The route to the camp will be marked, from where you leave the paved highway to the camp spot, by white signs with RAC on them.
Lost Creek opalized/petrified wood is located about 16 road miles easterly of the camp. To get there, travel the 7 miles back to the paved road, take a right on the pavement, travel about 6 miles, turn left (east) through a wire gate, just prior to a cattle guard on the highway. Proceed on a primitive dirt road, go a mile, more or less (strictly a guess), take the first left on this road, proceed another 1/2 to 3/4 mile (another guess), turn right and in a short distance you will start seeing the wood. For the folks who went to Tuledad in 2011 will you please bring material from these sites to the May meeting so that the new members get an idea what the material looks like.
A friend was on a field trip last year to tuledad canyon. He brought back chunks of a dark green material with a red skin. Do you know what it is. He thinks it is jade. But with so much of it lying around as he described we would all be rich. Thanks. Cathy. Sequoia Gem and Mineral Society of Redwood City, Ca.
I recently tumbled a few pieces of dark green rock in a sandwich of red from Tuledad Canyon; it was 100% opaque and about the same hardness as the Nevada agate with which it was sawn into pieces and tumbled (7-7.5). It appears to be granular SiO2 – a jasper. (The red wore away more than the green when tumbled so is dissimilar.)
Your friend’s specimens may have lower hardness (nephrite is 6-6.5), in which case my comments will be of no value. Thank you.