RockHoundR

Rockhounding in New Hampshire

Updated August 2026

43 mapped spots for rock hunting and rock collecting across 9 counties. New Hampshire rockhounding is White Mountain smoky quartz and amethyst on Moat Mountain and the Baldfaces, beryl and aquamarine from the Grafton and Keene pegmatite districts, staurolite in the Littleton schists, and gold panning on the Wild Ammonoosuc, Tunnel Brook, and Indian Stream. The White Mountain National Forest is the public ground that makes most of it possible.

Where is the best rockhounding in New Hampshire?

The best rockhounding in New Hampshire is at Conway in Carroll County (feldspar, smoky quartz), Redstone in Carroll County (amethyst, apatite), and Indian Stream in Coös County (gold nugget, gold placer). In total, 43 mapped collecting spots across 9 counties produce beryl, amethyst, and smoky quartz, each listed below with its land access.

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Every rockhounding spot in New Hampshire

New Hampshire rockhounding photos

Representative spot and material photos from locations in this state, shown where verified public image records are available.

5 photos

Top minerals found in New Hampshire

Counts reflect how many spots in this list mention each mineral.

Notable areas: Moat Mountain smoky quartz and amethyst, Grafton district beryl, Palermo phosphates, Gilsum aquamarine, and Wild Ammonoosuc gold are the New Hampshire targets collectors travel for.

Geology behind New Hampshire rockhounding

The White Mountain batholith is Jurassic granite whose miarolitic cavities on Moat Mountain, South Baldface, and the Conway area grow smoky quartz, amethyst, topaz, and fluorite, the source of the state gem. Devonian pegmatites in the Grafton district (Ruggles, Palermo, and dozens of smaller mica and feldspar mines around Grafton and North Groton) and the Keene and Gilsum district in Cheshire County produced beryl, aquamarine, rose quartz, columbite, uraninite, and the phosphate minerals that made Palermo famous. Redstone's granite quarries near Conway cut the pink and green stone for city buildings. The Littleton Formation schist across Grafton and Coös counties carries staurolite and garnet. Glacial reworking of quartz veins left placer gold in the Wild Ammonoosuc and Tunnel Brook near Bath and Lisbon and in Indian Stream near Pittsburg.

Best regions to focus your search

White Mountains (Carroll, Coös)

Moat Mountain and South Baldface smoky quartz and amethyst, the Conway and Redstone granite, and the Deer Hill and Lord Hill collecting areas just over the Maine line, all on White Mountain National Forest ground open to hand collecting.

Grafton pegmatite district (Grafton, Sullivan)

Beryl, mica, and feldspar on the Grafton and North Groton dumps, phosphates at Palermo. Ruggles Mine's public status has changed hands; check before you go. Most dumps are private.

Keene and Gilsum district (Cheshire)

Beryl and aquamarine from the Gilsum mica mines and the Beryl Mountain area at Acworth, on private land; the Gilsum Rock Swap each June is the entry point.

Gold streams (Grafton, Coös)

The Wild Ammonoosuc near Bath, Tunnel Brook, and Indian Stream near Pittsburg for pan gold; national forest stretches are open to panning with hand tools.

Best season

June through October for the White Mountains, after snowmelt clears the trails; Moat Mountain and the Baldfaces are hikes, not drive-ups. Pegmatite dumps are best in spring and fall. Gold panning is easiest at late-summer low water. Snow closes the high sites from November to May.

What to bring

A three-pound sledge, chisels, safety glasses, gloves, and a small pry bar for granite pockets; a gold pan and trowel for the streams; a hand lens for beryl in feldspar. Pack for a mountain hike on Moat and the Baldfaces: water, layers, a map, and daylight.

Local collecting history

Ruggles Mine at Grafton, opened in 1803, was the first commercial mica mine in the United States and later a public dig site for generations of New England collectors. Gold was found on the Wild Ammonoosuc in 1864. Beryl became the state mineral and smoky quartz the state gem in 1985.

Rockhounding near major New Hampshire cities

Day-trip range. Each section lists the closest mapped rockhounding spots within about 150 miles of the city. Most are inside a 2 to 3 hour drive.

Rockhounding near Manchester

See all →

6 closest spots to Manchester, NH.

  • RaymondRockingham County · Feldspar, Beryl12 mi16 min drive
  • FrancestownHillsborough County · Jasper18 mi22 min drive
  • WestfieldMiddlesex County · Chiastolite27 mi34 min drive
  • GilmantonBelknap County · Jasper29 mi37 min drive
  • NewburyportEssex County · Chalcopyrite, Galena31 mi39 min drive
  • RowleyEssex County · Jasper33 mi41 min drive

Neighboring states with rockhounding

Geology rarely respects state borders. These states share mapped rockhounding country with New Hampshire, useful when New Hampshire is the start, not the whole trip. Each card links to the closest county across the line.

Rockhounding by county in New Hampshire

County pages are linked once we have at least 3 mapped spots for a focused guide with coordinates, mineral notes, and nearby spots.

Top picks in New Hampshire

7 best spots

Hand-picked standouts from the New Hampshire list, chosen for unusual mineralogy, documented public access, or both. Each card links to coordinates, access notes, and what to look for.

Fee digs and gem mining in New Hampshire

5 places in New Hampshire where you pay to dig and keep what you find. Prices and seasons change, so check with the operator before you drive out.

Gem mining in New Hampshire, on its own map →

Rock and mineral clubs in New Hampshire

4 clubs in New Hampshire. Clubs run field trips, shows and workshops, and many trips go to private claims you can't reach alone.

Full club directory →

New Hampshire rockhounding FAQ

Is rockhounding legal in New Hampshire?+
Yes, on White Mountain National Forest land for personal-use hand collecting and pan-only gold panning, on club field trips, and on private land with permission. New Hampshire State Parks and state forests prohibit removing rocks and minerals.
Where can I find smoky quartz in New Hampshire?+
Moat Mountain west of North Conway, South Baldface, and the surrounding White Mountain granite, where pockets in the ledges hold smoky quartz, amethyst, and occasionally topaz. These are hikes on national forest land; hand tools only, and check the Saco Ranger District for any posted closures.
Is Ruggles Mine open?+
Ruggles Mine at Grafton closed as a public attraction in 2016 and has changed ownership since. Check its current status before driving; the surrounding Grafton district dumps are private, and local clubs know which are accessible.
Can I pan for gold in New Hampshire?+
Yes, with a pan and hand tools on national forest stretches of the Wild Ammonoosuc River, Tunnel Brook, and Indian Stream, and on private frontage with permission. Sluices and dredges need a permit. Expect fine flakes and flour gold.
What rocks and minerals can you find in New Hampshire?+
New Hampshire spots in this list most often produce beryl, amethyst, aquamarine, jasper, quartz, smoky quartz, staurolite, and feldspar, plus placer gold, topaz, fluorite, and Palermo phosphates.
Where can I go rock hunting in New Hampshire?+
Rock hunting, rock collecting and rockhounding are the same hobby under different names. 43 spots are mapped in New Hampshire, 34 of them with public access. Grafton County, Cheshire County, and Carroll County have the most.
Is there gem mining or pay-to-dig in New Hampshire?+
Yes. 5 fee digs are mapped in New Hampshire, where you pay to dig and keep what you find: Chickering Mine, Clark Mine, Island Mine, Tripp Mine, and 1 more. Prices and seasons change, so check with the operator before you drive out.
Where can I dig for crystals in New Hampshire?+
17 mapped spots in New Hampshire report quartz, amethyst, or smoky quartz, mostly in Carroll County, Grafton County, and Coös County. Each one is in the list on this page with its land access.
Can you find geodes in New Hampshire?+
None of the 43 mapped spots in New Hampshire report geodes. The nearest states with mapped geode spots are New York (1) and New Jersey (1).

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