Myrtle Beach: Agate & Chalcedony Rockhounding in Horry County, South Carolina

Public accessBest spot5 mineralsHorry County, South CarolinaUpdated July 2026

Minerals reported: 5
Elevation: 0 ft
Best months: Year-round

Myrtle Beach anchors the Grand Strand as the go-to public shark-tooth stretch on South Carolina's northern coast, where small dark fossil teeth wash in along miles of open beach. The best searching is low tide in the swash zone, and the nearby Myrtle Beach and Huntington Beach state parks add quieter, more productive alternatives. Its enormous public frontage means anyone can search without a boat or a fee. Reported finds include agate, chalcedony, quartz, fossilized shark tooth, megalodon tooth. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County: Horry County
State: South Carolina
Nearest road: Myrtle Beach Boardwalk
Coordinates: 33.68787, -78.88217

Get directions View on Google Maps

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

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.

Access note: Free public beach with many access points; surface collecting of loose shark teeth is legal and license-free. Low tide, and the hours after a storm, are the most productive. This is primarily a small shark-tooth and shell beach rather than a lapidary agate site.

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 Myrtle Beach

56°J

58°F

64°M

72°A

79°M

85°J

88°J

87°A

83°S

76°O

67°N

59°D

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 56°F in winter to 88°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MYRTLE BEACH station (6 mi away).

Geology at Myrtle Beach

This spot sits on Socastee Formation, mapped as sand and clay that formed within roughly the last 3 million years. Reworked sediments like these can carry fossils eroded from older beds upstream, typically as rolled bone fragments, teeth, and shell material.

Mapped unit: Socastee Formation
Age: 3 Ma to present (Quaternary)
Rock types: sand and clay
Elevation: 0 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.

Today's weather

Is today a good day to go?

The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Myrtle Beach.

Get the app

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.

South Carolina Geological Survey
South Carolina State Parks rules
Sumter and Francis Marion National Forests
Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Myrtle Beach

Each name 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 Myrtle Beach.

Florence CountyFlorence County, South Carolina · 53 mi awayPetrified Wood
Diamond Hill MineWilliamsburg County, South Carolina · 61 mi awayQuartz, Amethyst, Smoky Quartz
DarlingtonFlorence County, South Carolina · 62 mi awayPetrified Wood
BlenheimMarlboro County, South Carolina · 69 mi awayPetrified Wood
Cooper RiverBerkeley County, South Carolina · 71 mi awayMegalodon Tooth
Bellyache CreekDarlington County, South Carolina · 77 mi awayPetrified Wood
Palmetto Fossil ExcursionsDorchester County, South Carolina · 87 mi awayFossil, Megalodon Tooth
Morris IslandCharleston County, South Carolina · 89 mi awayMegalodon Tooth

Myrtle Beach FAQ

Where is Myrtle Beach?+

Myrtle Beach is in Horry County, South Carolina, at 33.68787, -78.88217. Nearest road: Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Myrtle Beach?+

Myrtle Beach is reported to produce Agate, Chalcedony, Quartz, Fossilized Shark Tooth, Megalodon Tooth.

Is collecting allowed at Myrtle Beach?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Myrtle Beach?+

A rock hammer, a cold chisel, safety glasses, and newspaper or foam for wrapping finds cover most fossil ground. A trowel and a sieve help in soft exposures.

When is the best time to visit Myrtle Beach?+

Myrtle Beach is workable year-round.

How do I get to Myrtle Beach?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 33.68787, -78.88217 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.

More rockhounding in South Carolina

See all 51 South Carolina spots →

Open Myrtle Beach on the map

Use the RockHoundR app for live land overlays, weather, geology, directions, and saved finds.

QR code that opens RockHoundR in your phone's app store

Get directionsDirections