Opal Trail

Opal Trail is aptly named as at the end of the trail are two famous opal mines, Nowak's Opal Mine and Barnett's Opals. The very light-colored terrain in this canyon consists of volcanic ash. It has yielded many opals over the years. Back in the day, Barnett's Opals charged $2 a head for a day pass to mine, and you could keep whatever you found. Currently, rock collecting is not allowed within the Red Rock Canyon State Park. It is said that among the Barnetts' luminous treasures found is the "Mojave Flame," an opal that glows like coal in a barbecue pit. In 1975, the Opal Miners Association valued the stone at over $50,000. All that remains now are dilapidated buildings and the equipment used to mine.