Mine Ridge: Copper & Iron Rockhounding in Cocke County, Tennessee

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Cocke County

State

Tennessee

Nearest road

Bible Way

Postcode

37753

Coordinates

35.83273, -83.12293

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.

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 Mine Ridge

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 47°F in winter to 85°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, WATERVILLE 2 station (4 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Mine Ridge

This spot sits on ground mapped as Roaring Fork Sandstone that formed roughly 1000 to 540 million years ago. Sedimentary rock like this erodes unevenly, so the most productive collecting is typically along fresh cuts, badland slopes, and active drainages.

Mapped unit

Roaring Fork Sandstone

Age

1000–540 Ma (Neoproterozoic)

Elevation

1,860 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.

• Tennessee Division of Geology
• Cherokee National Forest
• Tennessee State Parks rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules