Pitts Garnet Mine: Actinolite & Calcite Rockhounding in Androscoggin County, Maine

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Androscoggin County

State

Maine

Nearest road

Woodman Hill Road

Postcode

04258

Coordinates

44.10562, -70.33320

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.

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 Pitts Garnet Mine

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: April to November. Typical highs run 80°F in midsummer and 28°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 11°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, LEWISTON station (6 mi away).

Geology at Pitts Garnet Mine

This spot sits on Sangerville Formation, mapped as shale and sandstone that formed roughly 435 to 425 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

Sangerville Formation

Age

435–425 Ma (Wenlock)

Rock types

shale and sandstone

Elevation

290 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.

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: April 1, 2026

• Maine Geological Survey
• Maine Mineral & Gem Museum
• Acadia National Park rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules