It comes as a surprise to many people that you can find gold in Ohio. Like most states, Ohio has seen a few small ‘gold rushes’, but gold has never been found here in large quantities. Still, there are quite a few areas that can be run and productive for recreational gold prospectors. If you …
Virginia is home to some of the best fossil collecting sites in the United States. Millions of years ago, Virginia was covered in a shallow sea that was teeming with life, leaving behind prolific fossil beds. Today, you can find the remains of those ancient life forms in locations all across the state, particularly in …
Ohio is one of the best states in the U.S. for fossil collecting. This often comes as a surprise to people who often associate fossils with desert digging or beaches, but Ohio is home to some of the most prolific fossil beds in the entire world. Millions of years ago, Ohio was covered in a …
If you’re in Hawaii, you are undoubtedly aware of the amazing geology surrounding you. These volcanic islands are world-famous for their magnificent lava flows and black sand beaches, so it may come as a disappointing surprise to learn that Hawaii is among the worst states in the country for rockhounding. The Hawaiian Islands are still …
Alaska can be a great state for rockhounding, and with its relatively unique challenges come equally rewarding results. With so much public land available for prospecting and exploration you can most likely find some great, unspoiled sites on which to do some rockhounding. The obvious challenges with rockhounding in Alaska are the weather and inaccessible …
If you’re lucky enough to be in Maine with the intention of doing some rockhounding, I’m jealous! Maine is, without a doubt, the best state in New England for rock and mineral collectors thanks to the widespread, high-quality pegmatites that make up a large portion of the surface geology. The gemstone production in Maine is …
If you’re hoping to do some rockhounding in New Hampshire, one of the first questions you’ve probably asked yourself is where to look. You’ll be delighted to learn that there are plenty of places to search for interesting rocks and minerals in New Hampshire and quite a nice variety of specimens to be found. The …
Vermont is a very unique, if often overlooked, state when it comes to rockhounding. It isn’t particularly well known for gemstones but there are some high-quality varieties of metamorphic rocks like marble and serpentine that make for great additions to any collection and are highly sought-after for their lapidary qualities. These metamorphic rocks also contain …
If you’re looking to do some rockhounding in Rhode Island, you should first temper your expectations. Unfortunately, Rhode Island is amongst the worst states in the country for rockhounding due to the lack of notable locations and the relatively small variety of interesting material that can be found But don’t lose hope! There are still …
Pennsylvania ranks among the best states in the country for rockhounding, both for the wide variety of rocks and minerals that can be found here and for the sheer number of prospective rockhounding locations. Most of the best gemstone collecting sites are in the southeastern part of the state where there are countless quarries and …