Purse State Park — Rockhounding in Charles County, Maryland
Updated July 2026
Purse State Park sits on the tidal Potomac where the Paleocene Aquia Formation, roughly 56 to 60 million years old, is exposed along the shore, making its teeth older than the Miocene material at Calvert Cliffs. It is one of the best public places on the East Coast to find Paleocene shark teeth such as Otodus obliquus, along with ray dental plates. The site is documented by the Maryland Geological Survey and long-running fossil guides as a reliable free collecting beach. Reported finds include shark teeth, fossils. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Purse State Park photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Purse State Park in Charles County, Maryland
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Charles County
- State
- Maryland
- Nearest road
- Riverside Road
- Postcode
- 20662
- Coordinates
- 38.43028, -77.25278
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 Purse State Park
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 Purse State Park.
- Douglas PointTop pick in MarylandCharles County, Maryland · 1 mi awayShark Teeth, Fossils
- Mallows Bay ParkTop pick in MarylandCharles County, Maryland · 3 mi awayShark Teeth, Fossils, Quartz
- Prince George’s CountyPrince George's County, Maryland · 31 mi awayPetrified Wood
- Bear IslandMontgomery County, Maryland · 38 mi awayApatite, Epidote, Amphibolite
- Flag Ponds Nature ParkTop pick in MarylandCalvert County, Maryland · 43 mi awayShark Teeth, Fossils
- Chesapeake BayCalvert County, Maryland · 43 mi awayFossils
- Hunting HillMontgomery County, Maryland · 45 mi awayCalcite, Diopside, Garnet
- Kensington Mica MineMontgomery County, Maryland · 45 mi awayGolden Beryl, Mica
Across the state line from Purse State Park
Purse State Park is close enough to the Maryland border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- QuanticoStafford County, Virginia · 5 mi awayPetrified Wood, Opalized Wood
- Stafford CountyStafford County, Virginia · 9 mi awayVivianite
- MinnievillePrince William County, Virginia · 16 mi awayAmethyst, Quartz
- CentrevilleFairfax County, Virginia · 29 mi awayAmethyst
- ArlingtonArlington County, Virginia · 30 mi awayBlue Quartz
- BrokenburgSpotsylvania County, Virginia · 31 mi awayBeryl, Feldspar, Quartz
Purse State Park FAQ
Why is Purse State Park one of the best rockhounding spots in Maryland?+
Where is Purse State Park?+
What rocks and minerals can you find at Purse State Park?+
Is collecting allowed at Purse State Park?+
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More rockhounding in Maryland
See all 42 Maryland spots →Open Purse State Park on the map
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