Mount Ida: Quartz Rockhounding in Montgomery County, Arkansas
Updated June 2026
Mount Ida sits in the heart of Arkansas's Ouachita quartz province, where hot fluids moved through fractured Paleozoic sandstone, shale, and chert to form crystal-bearing veins. That regional geology, documented by USGS and the Arkansas Geological Survey, is why the area remains the state's clearest benchmark locality for rock crystal collecting. Reported finds include quartz. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Mount Ida photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Mount Ida in Montgomery County, Arkansas
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Montgomery County
- State
- Arkansas
- Nearest road
- Maplewood Lane
- Coordinates
- 34.54163, -93.63338
Geology at Mount Ida
This spot sits on Crystal Mountain Sandstone, mapped as sandstone that formed roughly 485 to 470 million years ago. Sedimentary rock like this erodes unevenly, so the most productive collecting is typically along fresh cuts, badland slopes, and active drainages.
- Mapped unit
- Crystal Mountain Sandstone
- Age
- 485–470 Ma (Early Ordovician)
- Rock types
- sandstone
- Elevation
- 930 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 Mount Ida
Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 49°F in winter to 89°F in summer.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MT IDA 3 SE station (3 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
Land & collecting status
Generally open to casual rockhounding
Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.
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.
State guidance last verified:
- Ouachita National Forest — Mineral Collecting
- Crater of Diamonds State Park — Rules and finds
- Arkansas Geological Survey
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Mount Ida
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 Mount Ida.
- Wegner Quartz Mines (Phantom Mine)Montgomery County, Arkansas · 1 mi awayQuartz, Smoky Quartz, Amethyst
- Wegner Quartz MinesTop pick in ArkansasMontgomery County, Arkansas · 2 mi awayQuartz
- Wegner Crystal MinesMontgomery County, Arkansas · 2 mi away
- Sweet Surrender Crystal MineMontgomery County, Arkansas · 3 mi awayQuartz, Calcite
- Unnamed Quarry (Wavellite)Top pick in ArkansasMontgomery County, Arkansas · 4 mi awayWavellite
- Unnamed Location (Wavellite/Variscite)Garland County, Arkansas · 19 mi awayWavellite, Variscite
- Unnamed Location (Wavellite #2)Garland County, Arkansas · 20 mi awayWavellite
- Board Camp Crystal MinePolk County, Arkansas · 26 mi away
Across the state line from Mount Ida
Mount Ida is close enough to the Arkansas border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
Mount Ida FAQ
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More rockhounding in Arkansas
See all 32 Arkansas spots →Open Mount Ida on the map
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