Mt. Hope Bay: Red Agate & Amethyst Rockhounding in Bristol County, Rhode Island
Updated July 2026
The beach gravels rimming Mt. Hope Bay hold Rhode Island's fullest spread of chalcedony, including red and green agate, carnelian, jasper, and thin plates of hematite eroded from the Narragansett Basin. Wave action on the Bristol and Tiverton shores keeps concentrating fresh material, so surface picking through the cobble lines after storms and high tides is productive without any digging. It is the single most varied pebble-hunting shoreline in the state. Reported finds include red agate, amethyst, carnelian, jasper, hematite, and more. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Mt. Hope Bay photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Mt. Hope Bay in Bristol County, Rhode Island
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Bristol County
- State
- Rhode Island
- Postcode
- 02809
- Coordinates
- 41.66737, -71.23764
Geology at Mt. Hope Bay
This spot sits on Granites of southeastern Rhode Island - granite, mapped as granite that formed roughly 1000 to 540 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
- Granites of southeastern Rhode Island - granite
- Age
- 1000–540 Ma (Neoproterozoic)
- Rock types
- granite
- 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 Mt. Hope Bay
Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 85°F in midsummer and 39°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 24°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, TIVERTON station (3 mi away).
Land & collecting status
Generally open to casual rockhounding
Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.
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 Mt. Hope Bay
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 Mt. Hope Bay.
- BristolTop pick in Rhode IslandBristol County, Rhode Island · 2 mi awayJasper
- TivertonNewport County, Rhode Island · 3 mi awayQuartz
- WarwickTop pick in Rhode IslandKent County, Rhode Island · 9 mi awayCarnelian
- PawtuxetTop pick in Rhode IslandProvidence County, Rhode Island · 10 mi awayAgate, Carnelian, Amethyst
- Jamestown BridgeTop pick in Rhode IslandNewport County, Rhode Island · 13 mi awayStaurolite
- ProvidenceProvidence County, Rhode Island · 16 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Jasper
- NarragansettTop pick in Rhode IslandSouth County, Rhode Island · 17 mi awayBeryl, Quartz
- JohnstonTop pick in Rhode IslandProvidence County, Rhode Island · 19 mi awayAmethyst
Across the state line from Mt. Hope Bay
Mt. Hope Bay is close enough to the Rhode Island border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- MiddlesboroughPlymouth County, Massachusetts · 22 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony
- Gay HeadDukes County, Massachusetts · 30 mi awayAlum, Amber
- SandwichTop pick in MassachusettsBarnstable County, Massachusetts · 39 mi awayJasper
- MarshfieldTop pick in MassachusettsPlymouth County, Massachusetts · 43 mi awayJasper
- NorwichSoutheastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut · 44 mi awayCorundum, Sillimanite
- New LondonSoutheastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut · 45 mi awayApatite, Spodumene
Mt. Hope Bay FAQ
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More rockhounding in Rhode Island
See all 17 Rhode Island spots →Open Mt. Hope Bay on the map
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