Best spot

CCC Quarry: Beryl & Aquamarine Rockhounding in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut

Updated July 2026

The CCC Quarry, a 19th-century feldspar working near the old Civilian Conservation Corps camp in Cockaponset State Forest, is the third state-sanctioned collecting site in Connecticut. Its pegmatite carries microcline, albite, muscovite, schorl, and beryl including aquamarine, with historic reports of uraninite and autunite. It rounds out the DEEP trio that keeps legal pegmatite collecting alive in the state. Reported finds include beryl, aquamarine, microcline, albite, muscovite, and more. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

CCC Quarry photos

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

1 photo

Rock ledge in Cockaponset State Forest, Haddam, Connecticut, near the CCC Quarry

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region
State: Connecticut
Nearest road: Filley Road
Postcode: 06438
Coordinates: 41.47000, -72.51000

Geology at CCC Quarry

This spot sits on Collins Hill Formation, mapped as schist that formed roughly 470 to 445 million years ago. Metamorphic belts like this often host pegmatite dikes, the coarse-crystal bodies that typically carry beryl, tourmaline, and sheet mica.

Mapped unit: Collins Hill Formation
Age: 470–445 Ma (Middle Ordovician to Late Ordovician)
Rock types: schist
Elevation: 270 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 CCC Quarry

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 36°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 18°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MERIDEN MARKHAM MUNI AP station (17 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.

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

Found at CCC Quarry

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 CCC Quarry.

Across the state line from CCC Quarry

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

CCC Quarry FAQ

Where is CCC Quarry?+

CCC Quarry is in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut, at 41.47000, -72.51000. Nearest road: Filley Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at CCC Quarry?+

CCC Quarry is reported to produce Beryl, Aquamarine, Microcline, Albite, Muscovite, Schorl, Autunite, Quartz.

Is collecting allowed at CCC Quarry?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to CCC Quarry?+

A rock hammer, a pry bar, gloves, and safety glasses suit pegmatite ground. Work weathered zones and check dump piles; coarse crystals often sit in decomposed rock.

When is the best time to visit CCC Quarry?+

The most comfortable months at CCC Quarry are March to November.

How do I get to CCC Quarry?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 41.47000, -72.51000 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Filley Road.

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