Hunting Sunstones in Oregon’s Open Desert

A tiny flash on the ground can stop you in your tracks at Oregon’s Sunstone Public Collection Area. Against the pale dirt, sand and sagebrush, a small clear or yellow stone can catch the light like a fragment of glass. Bend down, pick it up, turn it in your hand, and the day’s treasure hunt has begun.

This is a remote BLM-area destination in southeastern Oregon, reached by a long run of gravel and dirt roads rather than a roadside pull-off. The reward is a remarkably open piece of high desert: miles of ground to wander, distant bluffs on the horizon, and enough quiet to make a passing vehicle feel like an event.

It is a place for people who enjoy an outing with some dust on it. You come prepared, set up a simple camp or park near the collection area, then spend a few hours walking slowly and looking down. The stones are the reason for the trip, but the broad desert setting has a way of keeping people around for sunset.

The appealing thing here is that surface collecting can begin almost immediately. Small sunstones are scattered across the ground, including near the camping area, and no digging is needed to give the search a try. Children, first-time rockhounds and serious collectors can all start with the same simple move: scan the surface and see what turns up.

Most finds are small. Clear, pale yellow and glasslike pieces are common possibilities, and a handful of tiny stones is a realistic prize for an unhurried walk. Red material and medium-size pieces do show up from time to time, but they are the pleasant surprise rather than the expectation.

Looking while facing the sun can help, since the stones may glint in the light. It is a low-tech method that suits the landscape. Walk a little, pause, let your eyes adjust to the ground, and suddenly a spot that looked like ordinary gravel begins to offer possibilities.

Near camp, many of the easy-to-reach places have naturally seen plenty of attention, though there are still small pieces to find. Larger or more colorful material is more often found farther from the campground, where a longer walk opens up fresh ground. With so much open land available, the search can be as casual or as determined as you want it to be.

Surface collecting is pleasantly simple, but it is not always standing-up work. A close search can mean crouching, kneeling and inspecting the ground at arm’s length. A small mat gives knees a break and makes it easier to settle into one patch without rushing.

People who want to work beyond the visible surface sometimes bring a sifting tray, shovel or other digging tools. Those extras are optional; they are for extending the hunt, not a requirement for finding a few stones. The accessible surface material is one reason the area works well for a mixed-age group.

The nearly treeless terrain also makes the geography easy to read. A vehicle can often remain visible from quite a distance, a useful point of orientation when you have wandered out among the sagebrush and are deciding which direction to search next.

There is room to spread out. One person may focus on a likely patch of gravel while another follows a loose route through the open ground, stopping whenever a glimmer catches the eye. The pace is more ramble than race.

Camping is free in the main area, which has tent pads, covered picnic-table structures, fire rings and space used by RVs and vans. The covered tables are especially welcome in a landscape with little natural shade; they give a camp a small, useful center for meals, sorting stones or simply taking a break from the sun.

Additional dispersed spots extend beyond the main campground for campers who prefer more separation. Facilities remain primitive. There are no hookups, electricity or running water, but there is a vault toilet that is generally kept clean.

Bring everything needed for the stay, including ample water, food and a way to handle the heat. There is no nearby store to fill a forgotten cooler or replace a missing campsite item. Trash also needs to leave with you, since there is no on-site garbage-dump service.

Fire rings are available, but fire use depends on current seasonal restrictions. When fires are permitted, campers need to supply their own firewood. In a dry, exposed landscape, that is a detail worth checking before planning an evening around the ring.

Sunstones give the day a purpose, but sunrise and sunset provide the scenery. The open ground and distant bluffs make the changing light easy to watch, with sagebrush stretching across a view that has almost no visual clutter.

The desert can be exceptionally quiet during less busy periods. On weekends, the collection area may have a noticeably livelier feel, but there is still enough country around it to make a short walk feel private.

Antelope are among the wildlife that may appear in the open country. Even without a sighting, the big-sky setting does much of the work. A campsite chair, a cool drink and a view across the flats can be a perfectly good use of the late afternoon.

The approach itself adds to the outing. The drive through this corner of southeastern Oregon is scenic in its own spare way, and the collection area can fit nicely into a longer regional road trip rather than needing to be the only destination on the itinerary.

The collection area is a long way from the pavement. The approach is roughly an hour from the highway and about 24 miles from Plush, using unpaved gravel and dirt roads. Conditions can vary, with bumpy, dusty and uneven stretches, though careful drivers have found the roads generally manageable in two-wheel-drive vehicles.

A spare tire is a sensible piece of equipment on this route. The same goes for downloaded maps and a paper map: cell service is unreliable or absent, and navigation apps can point drivers toward incorrect two-rut tracks.

The sun exposure is serious business here. Sturdy footwear, sun protection, plenty of water and a way to stay cool belong in the vehicle before the drive begins. The desert also has its usual residents, including insects, snakes and possible scorpion habitat, so practical clothing and attention to where you step are useful.

Once you arrive with supplies handled and directions in hand, the day becomes wonderfully uncomplicated: walk, look down, pocket a few small flashes of color, and let the wide Oregon desert take care of the rest.