Best spot

Hog Mountain: Arsenic & Arsenopyrite Rockhounding in Tallapoosa County, Alabama

Updated July 2026

Hog Mountain was the most productive lode gold mine in Alabama, yielding roughly 24,000 ounces from quartz veins in the Tallapoosa County schists during the early 20th century. The deposit pairs free gold with a sulfide suite of pyrite, galena, sphalerite, and arsenopyrite that marks the heart of the state's gold belt. The site is private and reclaimed, so it stands as the belt's marquee locality best worked with landowner permission or panned in the surrounding public creeks. Reported finds include arsenic, arsenopyrite, galena, gold, graphite, and more. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Hog Mountain photos

Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.

1 photo

Goldville historical marker commemorating the 1840s gold rush in Alabama's gold belt, near the Hog Mountain mine, Tallapoosa County, Alabama

Quick details

Access: Permission required
County: Tallapoosa County
State: Alabama
Coordinates: 33.07594, -85.84974

Geology at Hog Mountain

This spot sits on Bluff Springs Granite, mapped as tonalite, quartz monzonite, and trondhjemite that formed roughly 390 to 330 million years ago. Gold in granitic terrain like this is typically tied to quartz veins along contacts and shear zones, with placer color in the streams that drain them.

Mapped unit: Bluff Springs Granite
Age: 390–330 Ma (Middle Devonian to Mississippian)
Rock types: tonalite, quartz monzonite, and trondhjemite
Elevation: 1,070 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Best time to visit Hog Mountain

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 55°F in winter to 90°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ALEXANDER CITY station (12 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.

Found at Hog Mountain

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

Nearby rockhounding spots

Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Hog Mountain.

Across the state line from Hog Mountain

Hog Mountain is close enough to the Alabama border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

Hog Mountain FAQ

Where is Hog Mountain?+

Hog Mountain is in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, at 33.07594, -85.84974.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Hog Mountain?+

Hog Mountain is reported to produce Arsenic, Arsenopyrite, Galena, Gold, Graphite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite.

Is collecting allowed at Hog Mountain?+

Permission required before collecting. Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Hog Mountain?+

A gold pan, a classifier screen, a small shovel, and a snuffer bottle cover the basics. Motorized equipment and sluices fall under separate rules in most states, so start with hand tools.

When is the best time to visit Hog Mountain?+

Hog Mountain is workable year-round.

How do I get to Hog Mountain?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 33.07594, -85.84974 in Google Maps. Some spots are remote, so check road conditions before driving out.

More rockhounding in Alabama

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Open Hog Mountain on the map

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