Malden: Novaculite Rockhounding in Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Quick details

Access

Permission required

County

Middlesex County

State

Massachusetts

Nearest road

Rock Circuit Trail

Postcode

02176

Coordinates

42.44292, -71.07715

Geology at Malden

This spot sits on Lynn Volcanic Complex, mapped as rhyolite and felsic volcanic that formed roughly 635 to 540 million years ago. Volcanic ground like this weathers into rocky slopes and float, and fresh exposures in cuts and drainages are usually the most productive places to look.

Mapped unit

Lynn Volcanic Complex

Age

635–540 Ma (Neoproterozoic)

Rock types

rhyolite and felsic volcanic

Elevation

240 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 Malden

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 37°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 18°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, READING 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 Malden

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

• Novaculite