Reel Mine: Amethyst & Beryl Rockhounding in Lincoln County, North Carolina

Plan your visit

Pay-to-dig site

County

Lincoln County

State

North Carolina

Nearest road

Alwood Lane

Postcode

28080

Coordinates

35.45836, -81.11698

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

Land & collecting status

Pay-to-dig site

This is a fee-dig location. Hours, prices, and what you can keep vary by operator. Call ahead before driving out.

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.

Best time to visit Reel Mine

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 52°F in winter to 89°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, LINCOLNTON 4 W station (12 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Reel Mine

This spot sits on Foliated to Massive Granitic Rock, mapped as granite that formed roughly 325 to 265 million years ago. Granitic ground like this typically carries quartz veins and pockets, and weathered crystals tend to collect in the soils and drainages below.

Mapped unit

Foliated to Massive Granitic Rock

Age

325–265 Ma (Pennsylvanian to Guadalupian)

Rock types

granite

Elevation

740 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.

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.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• North Carolina Geological Survey
• Nantahala/Pisgah National Forests
• Emerald Hollow Mine (fee-dig operator)
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules