Tunk Mountain: Smoky Quartz & Feldspar Rockhounding in Hancock County, Maine
Updated June 2026
Tunk Mountain is carved from the Tunk Lake pluton, a concentrically zoned alkali granite that grades into rapakivi granite, producing smoky quartz, perthitic feldspar, and dark hornblende-bearing rock. The peak sits on Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land, where the Maine Geological Survey allows casual hobby collecting without a permit. It is a granite-and-quartz site rather than a gem pegmatite. Reported finds include smoky quartz, feldspar, hornblende, biotite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Tunk Mountain photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Tunk Mountain in Hancock County, Maine
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Hancock County
- State
- Maine
- Coordinates
- 44.62514, -68.08891
Geology at Tunk Mountain
This spot sits on granite (hornblende accessory mineral), mapped as granite that formed roughly 420 to 360 million years ago. Granitic ground like this typically carries quartz veins and pockets, and weathered crystals tend to collect in the soils and drainages below.
- Mapped unit
- granite (hornblende accessory mineral)
- Age
- 420–360 Ma (Devonian)
- Rock types
- granite
- Elevation
- 260 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 Tunk Mountain
Best months: April to November. Typical highs run 80°F in midsummer and 33°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 16°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ACADIA NP station (19 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:
- Maine Geological Survey
- Maine Mineral & Gem Museum
- Acadia National Park rules
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Tunk Mountain
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 Tunk Mountain.
- Catherine Mountain (Donnell Pond)Top pick in MaineHancock County, Maine · 1 mi awayMolybdenite, Scheelite, Fluorapatite
- Jasper BeachWashington County, Maine · 34 mi awayRed Jasper
- St. Croix River at Grand Falls FlowageTop pick in MaineWashington County, Maine · 51 mi awayGold, Garnet, Magnetite
- Lubec Lead MineWashington County, Maine · 53 mi awayAnglesite, Bornite, Calcite
- Gleason CoverWashington County, Maine · 56 mi awayJasper
- PerryWashington County, Maine · 56 mi awayAnalcime, Calcite, Datolite
- Warren Nickel ProspectKnox County, Maine · 65 mi awayPyrrhotite, Chalcopyrite
- Edgecomb Quarry (Schmid Preserve)Top pick in MaineLincoln County, Maine · 88 mi awayAlmandine Garnet, Beryl, Aquamarine
Tunk Mountain FAQ
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More rockhounding in Maine
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