Rockhounding near Wilmington, NC

40 mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Wilmington, most inside a 2 to 3 hour drive. Below: a map, the closest spots, what they produce, and full coordinates with access notes.

Covering parts of South Carolina, North Carolina.

Closest rockhounding spots to Wilmington

The 6 nearest mapped spots, with straight-line distance and an approximate drive time.

Myrtle BeachHorry County, South Carolina65 mi · 1 hr 22 min driveAgate, Chalcedony, Quartz
Cumberland CountyCumberland County, North Carolina76 mi · 1 hr 35 min driveAgate, Chalcedony, Chert
Cape Fear River and tributariesCumberland County, North Carolina80 mi · 1 hr 40 min driveAgate, Chalcedony, Chert
Gardner QuarryHarnett County, North Carolina93 mi · 1 hr 56 min driveFluorite, Chalcopyrite, Calcite
DarlingtonFlorence County, South Carolina98 mi · 2 hr 3 min drivePetrified Wood
BlenheimMarlboro County, South Carolina99 mi · 2 hr 4 min drivePetrified Wood

Most-reported finds near Wilmington

Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each material.

Hunting something specific near Wilmington?

These materials have enough dedicated spots around Wilmington to earn their own page, with distances and a separate map.

Every spot within 150 miles of Wilmington

Sorted by distance from Wilmington. Tap a row to open the spot detail page with full directions, access status, and nearby trips.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Myrtle BeachMyrtle Beach Boardwalk	Horry County	Agate Chalcedony Quartz Fossilized Shark Tooth Megalodon Tooth	33.6879, -78.8822	Public
Cumberland CountyFreedom Lane	Cumberland County	Agate Chalcedony Chert Jasper Common Opal Agatized Wood	34.9592, -78.9394	Public
Cape Fear River and tributariesHijacked	Cumberland County	Agate Chalcedony Chert Jasper Common Opal Agatized Wood	35.1012, -78.8569	Public
Gardner QuarryMcNeill Hobbs Road	Harnett County	Fluorite Chalcopyrite Calcite Molybdenite Pyrite Quartz Muscovite	35.3564, -78.8381	Permission
Darlington	Florence County	Petrified Wood	34.3054, -79.6589	Public
Blenheim	Marlboro County	Petrified Wood	34.4421, -79.6618	Public
Florence CountyJeffords Road	Florence County	Petrified Wood	34.0178, -79.7131	Public
Neuse RiverNeuse River Trail	Wake County	Amethyst	35.7966, -78.5424	Public
RaleighLake Johnson Trail	Wake County	Amethyst	35.7673, -78.7222	Public
Bellyache CreekWest Billy Farrow Highway	Darlington County	Petrified Wood	34.3375, -79.9841	Public
EllberleNC 73	Richmond County	Petrified Wood	35.0963, -79.7697	Public
Diamond Hill MineSouth Williamsburg County Highway	Williamsburg County	Quartz Amethyst Smoky Quartz Citrine	33.6148, -79.9357	Paid / fee
MontvaleIndian Creek Lane	Chatham County	Ruby Sapphire	35.8149, -78.9372	Public
Cabin Creek & Dry CreekGurney West Road	Moore County	Amethyst Quartz	35.4183, -79.6271	Public
PittsboroNC 87 North	Chatham County	Limonite	35.7403, -79.2016	Public
HilliardstonRex Place	Franklin County	Gold Diamond	36.0838, -78.2917	Public
WadesboroMoore's Lake Road	Anson County	Gold	34.9356, -80.0594	Public
BethesdaJones Circle	Durham County	Silicified Wood	35.9587, -78.8474	Public
LouisburgRed Bud Road	Nash County	Amethyst	36.1110, -78.0075	Public
Chapel HillBolin Creek Trail	Orange County	Moss Agate Petrified Wood	35.9248, -79.0453	Public
Troy	Montgomery County	Petrified Wood	35.3681, -79.8395	Public
Anson CountyWhite Store Road	Anson County	Gold Calcite Garnet Galena Pyrite Siderite Rutile Sphalerite	34.9570, -80.1227	Public
PocomokeSuitts Store Road	Granville County	Lepidolite Rubellite	36.1108, -78.5416	Public
Pee Dee River	Anson County	Agatized Wood Chalcedony Jasper	35.1071, -80.0563	Public
Nash & Franklin CountiesNC 561	Franklin County	Gold	36.1956, -78.0135	Public

Wilmington rockhounding FAQ

Where can I go rockhounding near Wilmington?+

There are 40 mapped rockhounding spots within about 150 miles of Wilmington, North Carolina. The closest is Myrtle Beach in Horry County, roughly 65 miles away. The full list is on this page with coordinates and drive times.

What rocks and minerals can you find near Wilmington?+

Spots within driving distance of Wilmington most commonly produce gold, petrified wood, quartz, amethyst, agate, chalcedony.

Is rockhounding legal near Wilmington?+

Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Each spot page on this site lists access status; always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

How far do most rockhounders drive from Wilmington?+

Most weekend trips from Wilmington fall inside a 2 to 3 hour drive, which is roughly the 150-mile radius shown on this page. Closer spots are good for half-day outings; the outer ones are better as overnight trips.

More state coverage

The spots above span 2 states. Open the state page for the full county-by-county view.

Pack Wilmington's rockhounding map in your pocket

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