Where to Find Chert in Florida

Florida has 10 mapped collecting spots that report chert, spread across 7 counties. The largest share sits in Citrus County with 2 spots. 10 of the spots are on land mapped as publicly accessible.

Standout chert spots in Florida

Hand-picked from the full list below, with the reason each one earns a trip.

Crystal River
Citrus County
Crystal River sits on the Nature Coast where the Eocene Crystal River Formation limestone hosts calcite and quartz crystal pockets, chalcedony-filled fossil molds, and chert, along with fossil echinoids and mollusks.
Cottondale Area
Jackson County
Jackson County in the western Panhandle exposes the Oligocene Marianna Limestone and its Marianna chert, a highly fossiliferous unit carrying echinoids, mollusks, and bryozoans along the Chipola River near Marianna and Cottondale.

Best counties for chert in Florida

Ranked by the number of mapped chert spots. County links open the full rockhounding page for that county.

Citrus County2 spots
Jackson County2 spots
Washington County2 spots
Alachua County1 spot
Marion County1 spot
Pinellas County1 spot
Sumter County1 spot

Every chert spot we track in Florida

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Alachua County QuarriesNorthwest 202nd Street	Alachua County	Chert Fossilized Ivory	29.6745, -82.5626	Public
Bradford CountyEagle Ridge Horse Trail	Citrus County	Chert Fossilized Ivory	28.8191, -82.4822	Public
Crystal RiverSuncoast Boulevard	Citrus County	Calcite Quartz Chert Fossils	28.9642, -82.6352	Public
Cottondale AreaPeanut Road	Jackson County	Chert	30.8291, -85.4018	Public
Jackson County AreaValley View Road	Jackson County	Fossils Chert	30.8051, -85.2591	Public
Marion County QuarriesUS 301;US 441	Marion County	Chert Fossilized Ivory	29.2491, -82.1497	Public
Pinellas & Hillsborough Beaches120th Avenue West	Pinellas County	Agate Carnelian Chalcedony Chert Fossilized Coral	27.7740, -82.7793	Public
Sumter County QuarriesCR 470	Sumter County	Chert Fossilized Ivory	28.7676, -82.0472	Public
Chipley AreaJackson Avenue	Washington County	Calcite Chalk Chert	30.7795, -85.5384	Public
Washington County AreaBunyon Drive	Washington County	Chert Flint	30.5639, -85.6309	Public

Before you go

Read the chert identification guide so you know what a keeper looks like in the field: Chert in the encyclopedia.

Chert in Florida FAQ

Where can you find chert in Florida?+

The mapped spots concentrate in Citrus County, Jackson County, and Washington County. Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.

How many chert spots are mapped in Florida?+

10 spots across 7 counties. The RockHoundR app keeps the same spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, and your saved finds.

Is it legal to collect chert in Florida?+

Hand collecting of common rocks and minerals in small amounts for personal use is generally allowed on BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are closed to collecting. 10 of the 10 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find chert

More minerals to hunt in Florida

Hunt chert in Florida with the map in your pocket

RockHoundR puts these spots on an offline map with BLM and Forest Service overlays, geology layers, and a log for your finds.