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Joe’s Rock Shop in Orderville, Utah

Text from my Places to Visit and Collect in the Southwest file

Joe’s Rock Shop
425 E 100 N or HWY 89@100 N
P.O. Box 116
Orderville, UT 84758
435-648-2737

37°16.671′ N 112°37.818′ W

https://www.facebook.com/joesrockshoputah/

Joes Rock Shop has been family run since at least 1952. It specializes in digging, cutting, and polishing septarian nodules, petrified wood and more. Rough and finished stones of all types. Custom rock cutting done. Located in Kane County whose county seat is Kanab.

Septarian nodules are limestone rocks filled with calcite and aragonite. Decorative patterns are revealed when cut open. Some show crystals from the outside. Orderville is the most famous locality for these uncommon stones. The owners provide local rockhounding directions when asked. They also ship by mail and are closed in the winter. A rock yard and eccentric oddities sold in the store itself.

A “glamping” campground with Yurts was operating across US-89 from Joe’s Rock Shop when I visited in the fall of 2019. This area is picturesque and somewhat close to Zion, now charging thirty dollars to drive through. At least three other rock shops are along Highway 89 in Orderville. Maynard Dixon’s summer home and a museum to him is further down the road in Mt. Carmel. If you don’t know who Maynard Dixon is, I weep for you.

Update: June 1, 2020. Judging by their Facebook Page, Joe’s is fully operational. You should go. Now. Pretty country. Dixie National Forest nearby with camping and some interesting road cuts. 

My purchases. The one in the background has been polished on three sides and also left naturally open to display its crystals. The second is unpolished broken rough. Mild cream colored response to SW UV.


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Full Disclosure

My latest posts reviewing different rock shops have proved popular with my readers and unpopular with a few people who imagine that I am profiting from them. Let me make this very clear, I have no financial relation with any company I review or describe and I make no money from this site. Is that clear?

There are no ads on this site, no effort to monetize my writing or photographs, no copyright restrictions spelled out, nothing. I deliberately started paying for Vimeo to host my videos so people don’t have to see ads with YouTube. I pay full rate for web hosting to avoid all ads.

There are banners for my Patreon site but that is only for people who want to help support me. It’s voluntary, strictly that. I make no money from Patreon by the way, since no one has signed up. No matter. None of the content on this site is locked down or costs. Nothing. There is no charge to use this site, no e-mail to give, no password to set, no cookies enabled. Nothing.

My reviews of any rock shop stems from coverage I had originally intended to use in my book. The death of that contract leaves me with hundreds of unused photos that I can now share. I’m getting the text for each post from my travel list, which is also free.

I am very happy to support all of the rocks shops that helped me with my book by letting me take photos and by providing information on their operations. Most of these shops support rockhounds with local hunting advice and they often support their local rock club. We should wish them well and it is sorrowful that some people mistake my promoting for profiteering. Like the poor, the stupid will always be with us.

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Rock-A-Buy: Rocks and Gifts in Duncan, Arizona

Update: I posted a link to this article at the Rock Connection on Facebook. It was pulled by the admins, all of them, as it was linking to a commercial site. “It’s in the rules. Read them.” People like Doug Barlow deserve the support of the entire rock and gem community because he supports them.

I don’t get any money for promoting him and he is totally unaware that I am posting about him. Rules are good to prevent chaotic behavior but I see nothing in this post to be alarmed about. My response from rockhounds on rock shop posts is 100% positive. The admins left up my post about Jim Gray’s Company, a much bigger outfit. Nothing makes sense from these admins and I have quit the group.

This is from my travel list:

Rock-A-Buy: Rocks and Gifts
809 SE Old West Highway
Duncan, AZ 85534
928-215-1641

32°42.791′ N 109°05.921′ W

http://www.rockabuyrocksandgifts.com/

Doug Barlow is the affable owner of this east-central Arizona rock shop in Greenlee County. Fire agate is the big draw in this area and Doug will show you samples of what to look for. He will even provide a map of promising locations for anyone who comes into his shop and signs his guest book.

BLM’s Round Mountain Rockhound Area is close and Doug has advice for anyone heading out. Ask, too, about Black Hills, another BLM rockhounding area. Call to make certain Barlow’s shop will be open when you visit. He’s a great guy. He gave me a piece of calcite he had named the “The Volcano.” Gifted it, mind you. It glows beautifully under short wave. I treasure that piece.


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Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Company in Holbrook, Arizona

A monument to petrified wood allthough they have plenty of other material. That stock is not too focused on Arizona rocks and gems. A must stop in Holbrook which is in Navajo County. With all pet wood, test for “UV” and “U” if you can. Here’s what I write in  my travel list:

Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Company

147 Highway 180
Holbrook, AZ 86025
928-524-1842

34°53.433′ N 110°09.581′ W

https://shop.jimgrayspetrifiedwoodco.com

Self-billed as the largest rock shop in the world, this store may qualify as such. Located on the way to the Petrified Forest National Park, the outside rock yard contains tons of petrified wood, a veritable forest of its own. Inside, polished pieces present themselves in all forms, from table tops to book ends.


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The Rainbow Rock Shop in Holbrook, Arizona

This shop was closed when I visited in spring. I took a few pictures and rolled on. Apologies for not adding it to my travel list. A must stop. Call ahead to make sure they are open. Holbrook is in Navajo County, close to the Petrified Forest National Park.

Rainbow Rock Shop (Indian Rock Shop)
101 Navajo Blvd
Holbrook, Arizona 86025
928-524-2384

34°54.080′ N 110°09.528′

Google map link:

https://goo.gl/maps/Hgkjrv7QRccmofdZ7

Multiple dinosaur statutes out front. Do you need any more encouragement?


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Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rainbow-Rock-Shop/146894192022374
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