Gatlinburg: Quartz & Gemstones Rockhounding in Sevier County, Tennessee

Quick details

Access

Permission required

County

Sevier County

State

Tennessee

Nearest road

Grassy Branch Trail

Postcode

33738

Coordinates

35.69671, -83.50810

Geology at Gatlinburg

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

1,700 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 Gatlinburg

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 46°F in winter to 82°F in summer.

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

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

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 Gatlinburg

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

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• Gemstones