Devils Head (Rampart Range): Smoky Quartz & Topaz Rockhounding in Douglas County, Colorado

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Douglas County

State

Colorado

Coordinates

39.27560, -105.10770

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

Land & collecting status

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.

Access note: Reach the area via Rampart Range Road southwest of Sedalia; the road is closed roughly December through April. Several classic pocket sites within about a half mile of the road are under active mining claims and posted closed, so stay on unclaimed open National Forest ground.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Best time to visit Devils Head (Rampart Range)

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 77°F in midsummer and 38°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 7°F. At about 8,810 ft, snow can block access from late fall well into spring, so check conditions outside of summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, CHEESMAN station (10 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Devils Head (Rampart Range)

This spot sits on Rocks of Pikes Peak Batholith (1000-m.y. age group), mapped as granite and alkali feldspar granite that formed roughly 1600 to 1000 million years ago. Granitic ground like this typically carries quartz veins and pockets, and weathered crystals tend to collect in the soils and drainages below.

Mapped unit

Rocks of Pikes Peak Batholith (1000-m.y. age group)

Age

1600–1000 Ma (Mesoproterozoic)

Rock types

granite and alkali feldspar granite

Elevation

8,810 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

• BLM Colorado rockhounding rules
• Colorado Geological Survey
• Pike and San Isabel National Forests
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules