Florence County: Petrified Wood Rockhounding in Florence County, South Carolina
Updated July 2026
The Pee Dee region is South Carolina's petrified wood country, and Florence County's river gravels along the Great Pee Dee and lower Lynches rivers are a classic source of silicified wood weathered out of the Coastal Plain sediments. Because these are navigable public rivers, collecting loose material from gravel bars below the ordinary high-water mark is a defensible free option where most inland sites are private. The wood ranges from small water-worn cobbles to larger limb sections. Reported finds include petrified wood. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Florence County photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Florence County in Florence County, South Carolina
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Florence County
- State
- South Carolina
- Nearest road
- Jeffords Road
- Postcode
- 29583
- Coordinates
- 34.01777, -79.71311
Geology at Florence County
This spot sits on Waccamaw Formation, mapped as limestone and sand that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Petrified wood typically travels as tough float, and worked gravels like these are exactly where weathered pieces tend to collect.
- Mapped unit
- Waccamaw Formation
- Age
- 3 Ma to present (Pleistocene)
- Rock types
- limestone and sand
- Elevation
- 70 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 Florence County
Best months: September to June. Typical highs run 92°F in midsummer and 58°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 34°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, LAKE CITY 2 SE station (11 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 Florence County
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 Florence County.
- DarlingtonFlorence County, South Carolina · 20 mi awayPetrified Wood
- Bellyache CreekDarlington County, South Carolina · 27 mi awayPetrified Wood
- BlenheimMarlboro County, South Carolina · 29 mi awayPetrified Wood
- Diamond Hill MineWilliamsburg County, South Carolina · 31 mi awayQuartz, Amethyst, Smoky Quartz
- Myrtle BeachTop pick in South CarolinaHorry County, South Carolina · 53 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Quartz
- Cooper RiverBerkeley County, South Carolina · 59 mi awayMegalodon Teeth
- JeffersonChesterfield County, South Carolina · 61 mi awayTopaz
- Haile Gold MineLancaster County, South Carolina · 61 mi awayGold, Pyrite, Quartz
Across the state line from Florence County
Florence County is close enough to the South Carolina border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- WadesboroAnson County, North Carolina · 66 mi awayGold
- Anson CountyAnson County, North Carolina · 69 mi awayGold, Calcite, Garnet
- EllberleRichmond County, North Carolina · 75 mi awayPetrified Wood
- Pee Dee RiverAnson County, North Carolina · 78 mi awayAgatized Wood, Chalcedony, Jasper
- Cumberland CountyCumberland County, North Carolina · 79 mi awayAgate, Chalcedony, Chert
Florence County FAQ
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More rockhounding in South Carolina
See all 49 South Carolina spots →Open Florence County on the map
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