Best spot

Mount Vernon: Geode Digging in Rockcastle County, Kentucky

Updated July 2026

Rockcastle County lies inside both the Kentucky Agate District and the Daniel Boone National Forest, a rare pairing of collectible geology and legal public access. Chert, jasper, oolite and geodes weather from the Mississippian section along the Rockcastle River and its tributaries, and banded Kentucky agate is documented from the surrounding Knobs. The navigable Rockcastle River adds gravel-bar collecting to the forest's open-collecting policy. Reported finds include chert, jasper, geode, oolite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Mount Vernon photos

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

1 photo

The Rockcastle River in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, within the Daniel Boone National Forest and the Kentucky Agate District

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Rockcastle County
State: Kentucky
Nearest road: Hansford Road
Postcode: 40492
Coordinates: 37.44492, -84.32273

Geology at Mount Vernon

This spot sits on Borden Formation, mapped as shale | interbedded siltstone | sandstone that formed roughly 360 to 330 million years ago. Concretions and geodes typically weather out of sedimentary beds like these, standing out as rounded, heavier-or-lighter-than-expected lumps.

Mapped unit: Borden Formation
Age: 360–330 Ma (Early Mississippian)
Rock types: shale | interbedded siltstone | sandstone
Elevation: 980 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 Vernon

Best months: February to December. Typical highs run 85°F in midsummer and 43°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 25°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MT VERNON station (6 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 Mount Vernon

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 Vernon.

Across the state line from Mount Vernon

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

Mount Vernon FAQ

Where is Mount Vernon?+

Mount Vernon is in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, at 37.44492, -84.32273. Nearest road: Hansford Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Mount Vernon?+

Mount Vernon is reported to produce Chert, Jasper, Geode, Oolite.

Is collecting allowed at Mount Vernon?+

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 Mount Vernon?+

Bring a crack hammer, a chisel, safety glasses, and a bucket. Candidates are rounder and lighter than solid rock; a soil pipe cutter opens them cleaner than a flat smash.

When is the best time to visit Mount Vernon?+

The most comfortable months at Mount Vernon are February to December.

How do I get to Mount Vernon?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 37.44492, -84.32273 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Hansford Road.

More rockhounding in Kentucky

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Open Mount Vernon on the map

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