Sunstone Public Collection Area - Plush, Oregon

Vengar

The collection area was lots of fun! We did not dig because it was 94 that day but we gathered lots of little sunstones just on the surface in many areas that we drove around in. The Vault toilet here was VERY clean, such a pleasant bonus.

cindy H.

Public Sunstone collection area
For a place like this I like to do pros and cons and after I’ll put in tips I learned
Pros
* There are shade spots with nice picnic tables for your camping spot
* The bathrooms are very clean
* There are miles of land you can walk to collect sun stone
* The sunsets are incredible
* The stones are abundant and easy to find
* The place is quiet
* Version does get a small signal enough to send off a text but maybe not picture or videos
* It’s a FREE campsite
* Large Rv’s can easily park and camp here. If they can handle a bumpy gravel road.
* Even if the campground is full beyond is a road you can camp on if your able to fit.
Cons
* It’s a long very bumpy road to get here
* The dust is beyond the imagination
* There is no electricity or water
* T mobile does not get service
* Snake holes are everywhere so wear the right shoes/boots

Tips
* Pack a rock sifter and a shovel trust me
* The stones are everywhere but super tiny. You need to walk out far to find any stones larger than your pinky nail so be ready for a little bit of a walk. Thankfully you won’t get lost you can see your car in the parking lot for miles because it’s flat ground and no trees
* You are in the middle of nowhere and the store closest (30 long dirt road miles away) so bring plenty of food water, medical supplies and something to protect yourself.
* Plan to take the road slow if you’re in an RV but yes you can take this road in any size rig as long as you take your time.
* BRING A MAP! This is no place to get lost
* Up the road is the spectrum mine for larger sunstones and they have showers so if you’re dying for a shower head up there and maybe see if you want to mine there for a bit.
* bring firewood if you like when it isn’t fire season you can build a fire but bring plenty of water to keep things safe.
* The sunstones here are clear like glass. Walk facing the sun so you can see the sun glistening off them that makes them easier to find.
* If you want colored larger stones you need to walk really far out if you find them at all. Remember this is a campground where people stay a lot so they are probably picked through close to camp.

Hilary N.

Cool experience! I walked as far as I could before not being able to see camp anymore and collected lots of mostly very little pieces on the surface. I’m not sure if little is typical or if the area is just really picked through. It did seem very stomped through, as if no two bushes hadn’t been walked between! But I still found lots and was happy. I don’t think a shovel would’ve helped me.
CAMPING
Lovely, free campsites, each with a picnic table under an awning and a fire pit. Nice clean pit toilet. No running water.
GETTING THERE
It was FINE. Some reviews and even just looking at the map scared me about getting here but… the roads were great! Smooth gravel with no potholes. There was one “Hell no” road that my gps wanted me to go down, that was really just 2 ruts in the dirt. It was easy to reroute though, and miraculously, I occasionally got cell service to double check my route. Come armed with a map just in case. Road signs were good. Scenery was beautiful.

Heather D.

I found a nice little handful of sunstones within a couple hours of wandering around. Bring plenty of water and make sure your spare tire is functional just in case. There are no stores nearby just a couple sunstone mines that might be able to help. I definitely want to go back more prepared we just stopped on our way home from another place.

Michael R.

Can be a fun trip, especially if you have an RV. The dirt road in from the highway is a bit rough but not bad Collecting in the public area isn't great. The vast majority are small clear sunstones and an occasional one with schiller. You will have much better luck at the Spectrum sunstone mine adjacent to the public area.

Niko Z.

A wonderful spot for a trip. Pretty remote so make sure you have a spare tire, but the roads are definitely 2WD accessible. Bring enough water/food in case you get stuck.

Soooo many stones, way more than I thought there would be. Pleasantly surprised by my dig.

Kristina

The Sunstone Public Collection area is remote but definitely worth the trip. It took me about an hour to get to the site after turning off the main highway. The roads were unpaved and sometimes quite bumpy with potholes. If you drive carefully, you should be alright. Google maps tried to direct me down roads that didn't exist or were two ruts along a grassy expanse a few times, but I stayed on the road more traveled and got there fine with some "rerouting." There were only occasional signs, so don't get too discouraged. There is no cell signal this far out, so make sure you have your map downloaded. There is a vault toilet but no running water, so bring water. The ground is littered with sunstones. I found lots of small stones lying around and a few medium sized stones from digging. Definitely an adventure off the beaten trail.

Gabriella M.

The sun stone public collection area in Central Oregon is so beautiful. We are camped out there and it was lovely. The sunset and sunrise was spectacular. We spent the day and maybe two hours collecting five or six handfuls of sun stones. I would suggest you bring a hat something to cover your skin if you feel hot but also shorts and a tank top. If you were glasses make sure to wear your glasses and bring them with you or you’ll have a hard time finding the sun stones you do need to be down on your hands and knees and less you’re a professional and have a sifting tray it might be helpful to bring jugs of water to help you sift through the silt. Collecting Sunstone here is free!