Where to Find Quartz in Virginia

Virginia quartz follows the Blue Ridge metamorphic belt and the Piedmont pegmatite zones. Amelia Court House in Amelia County is the historic flagship, with smoky, milky, and rose quartz coming out of the old feldspar mines along the Rutherford pegmatite. The Morefield mine, when open to public digs, has yielded gem-grade amazonite-and-quartz pockets. Rockbridge and Botetourt counties produce vein quartz with hematite inclusions, and the Stuart area in Patrick County is known for blue-gray phantom quartz from the same pegmatite belt that crosses into North Carolina. Field finds in red Piedmont soil clean up well with mild dish soap.

Map of 28 quartz collecting spots in Virginia

Best counties for quartz in Virginia

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

Every quartz spot we track in Virginia

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

SpotCountyMineralsCoordinatesAccess
FaberGreen Creek RoadAlbemarle County37.8316, -78.6669Public
Amelia Court HouseButlers RoadAmelia County37.3582, -77.9185Public
Sayler's CreekSayler's Creek RoadAmelia County37.3109, -78.2301Public
Fancy HillThrashers Creek RoadAmherst County37.6702, -79.1263Public
Chestnut RidgeBath County38.0924, -79.5232Public
Chestnut MountainHazelwood TerraceBedford County37.2757, -79.8430Public
MonetaReindeer PointBedford County37.1947, -79.5686Public
Peaks of OtterSharp Top Access TrailBedford County37.4329, -79.6043Public
Walker MountainSouth Scenic HighwayBland County37.0505, -81.2256Public
LadysmithGalyen LaneCaroline County37.9821, -77.5831Public
Hanks KnobCoal Creek RoadCarroll County36.6272, -80.8589Public
Laurel ForkFireside DriveCarroll County36.7276, -80.5062Public
Charlotte CourthouseDogwood RoadCharlotte County37.0522, -78.6777Public
Chestnut Creek WetlandsKyle Weeks Road SouthwestFloyd County36.8470, -80.4462Public
FloydValley Drive NorthwestFloyd County36.9290, -80.3569Public
Byrd CreekShannon Hill RoadFluvanna County37.8155, -78.1456Public
Spruce RunSpruce Run RoadGiles County37.2729, -80.5531Public
Ashland MillI 95Hanover County37.8138, -77.4613Public
Loudon CountyCochran Mill RoadLoudoun County39.0819, -77.5219Public
TreviliansBrickhouse RoadLouisa County38.0083, -78.1267Public
Rose RiverOld Blue Ridge TurnpikeMadison County38.4849, -78.3233Public
MinnievilleRunning Creek DrivePrince William County38.6359, -77.3997Public
SpottswoodOtterbein Farm LaneRockbridge County37.9490, -79.2695Public
Tye River GapTye River TurnpikeRockbridge County37.8869, -79.1565Public
South Fork Shenandoah RiverOld Spotswood TrailRockingham County38.4081, -78.6354Public
BrokenburgCourthouse RoadSpotsylvania County38.1465, -77.7005Public
Front RoyalDeerhaven RoadWarren County38.9153, -78.1349Public
RivertonI 66Warren County38.9483, -78.1831Public

Before you go

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

Quartz in Virginia FAQ

Where can you find quartz in Virginia?+
The mapped spots concentrate in Bedford County County, Amelia County County, and Carroll County County. Known collecting areas include Amelia Court House pegmatites (Amelia County), Morefield mine (Amelia County), and Stuart pegmatites (Patrick County). Every spot on this page appears on the map above with coordinates and access notes.
How many quartz spots are mapped in Virginia?+
28 spots across 21 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 quartz in Virginia?+
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. 28 of the 28 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.

Where else to find quartz

More minerals to hunt in Virginia

Hunt quartz in Virginia 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.

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