Suwannee River: Agatized Coral Rockhounding in Hamilton County, Florida
- Mineral reported
- 1
- Elevation
- 60 ft
- Best months
- September to May
The Suwannee River bed and banks downstream of White Springs are one of the three classic sources of Florida's state stone, agatized coral, where silica has replaced fossil coral to form chalcedony that keeps the original coral structure. Agatized coral is an invertebrate fossil, so no state fossil permit is required to collect it. Colors run from white and pink through gray, brown, and red, and collecting is most productive during the low water of the dry season. Reported finds include agatized coral. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Hamilton County
- State
- Florida
- Nearest road
- CR 25A
- Coordinates
- 30.34314, -82.79824
Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.
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.
Access note: Public river access. Collecting is not allowed inside Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park at White Springs, so work the river bed and gravel bars from public launches and rights-of-way outside the park boundary. Agatized coral and other invertebrate fossils need no permit; any vertebrate fossils other than shark teeth require a five dollar Florida Fossil Permit from the Florida Museum of Natural History.
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.
Best time to visit Suwannee River
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: September to May. Typical highs run 93°F in midsummer and 66°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 42°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, WHITE SPRINGS 7N station (7 mi away).
Geology at Suwannee River
This spot sits on Suwannee Limestone, mapped as limestone and dolostone that formed roughly 34 to 23 million years ago. Limestone like this typically forms in ancient seas, so marine fossils such as brachiopods, corals, and crinoids tend to weather out of fresh exposures.
- Mapped unit
- Suwannee Limestone
- Age
- 34–23 Ma (Oligocene)
- Rock types
- limestone and dolostone
- Elevation
- 60 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.
Today's weather
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Get the appSources & 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.
- Florida Geological Survey
- Florida Museum vertebrate fossil permit
- Florida State Parks rules
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Suwannee River
Each name 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 Suwannee River.
- Stephen Foster State ParkHamilton County, Florida · 2 mi awayAgatized Coral
- Unnamed Area (Agatized Coral)Hamilton County, Florida · 8 mi awayAgatized Coral
- Suwannee River (North)Suwannee County, Florida · 26 mi awaySilicified Coral
- Alachua County QuarriesAlachua County, Florida · 48 mi awayChert, Fossilized Ivory
- Lawtey Highland MineBradford County, Florida · 49 mi awayKyanite, Zircon, Ilmenite
- Skinner MineDuval County, Florida · 74 mi awayIlmenite, Rutile, Zircon
- Cross Florida Barge CanalPutnam County, Florida · 85 mi awayFossil, Silicified Coral
- Marion County QuarriesMarion County, Florida · 85 mi awayChert, Fossilized Ivory
Across the state line from Suwannee River
Suwannee River is close enough to the Florida border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
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