Best spot

Nahant: Jasper & Epidote Rockhounding in Essex County, Massachusetts

Updated July 2026

Nahant's rocky shore exposes the Nahant gabbro and diabase, a dark intrusive rock cut by veins and vesicles that carry jasper, epidote, prehnite, datolite, and chalcedony, documented here since the nineteenth century. Storm-washed cobbles and the ledges around Bass Point concentrate colorful jasper and pistachio-green epidote. The site pairs an easy public beach walk with a genuinely varied hard-rock mineral suite. Reported finds include jasper, epidote, prehnite, datolite, chalcedony. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Nahant photos

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

1 photo

The rocky gabbro shoreline and cobble beach at Forty Steps, Nahant, Essex County, Massachusetts

Quick details

Access: Permission required
County: Essex County
State: Massachusetts
Postcode: 01908
Coordinates: 42.42250, -70.91270

Geology at Nahant

This spot sits on Nahant Gabbro and gabbro at Salem Neck, mapped as gabbro and diorite that formed roughly 485 to 445 million years ago. Plutonic rock like this weathers slowly into grus and boulders, and the most productive collecting is typically in weathered zones and drainages.

Mapped unit: Nahant Gabbro and gabbro at Salem Neck
Age: 485–445 Ma (Ordovician)
Rock types: gabbro and diorite
Elevation: 30 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 Nahant

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 81°F in midsummer and 36°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 18°F.

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

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

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 Nahant

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 Nahant.

Across the state line from Nahant

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

Nahant FAQ

Where is Nahant?+

Nahant is in Essex County, Massachusetts, at 42.42250, -70.91270.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Nahant?+

Nahant is reported to produce Jasper, Epidote, Prehnite, Datolite, Chalcedony.

Is collecting allowed at Nahant?+

Permission required before collecting. Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Nahant?+

Most agate and jasper is surface float: bring a spray bottle, a pick or small shovel, and a sturdy bag. Wet stones show their banding and translucence.

When is the best time to visit Nahant?+

The most comfortable months at Nahant are March to November.

How do I get to Nahant?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 42.42250, -70.91270 in Google Maps. Some spots are remote, so check road conditions before driving out.

More rockhounding in Massachusetts

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Open Nahant on the map

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