Little River: Gold Prospecting in Lamoille County, Vermont
- Mineral reported
- 1
- Elevation
- 700 ft
- Best months
- April to October
Little River, which drops from the hills above Stowe into the Waterbury Reservoir, is an aptly named Vermont gold stream with fine flour gold in its gravels. Little River State Park and the reservoir give it rare public-land access for panning. The setting inside the Mount Mansfield forest block makes it a pleasant day trip. Reported finds include gold. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual rockhounding
- County
- Lamoille County
- State
- Vermont
- Nearest road
- Cemetery Street
- Postcode
- 05672
- Coordinates
- 44.47132, -72.67911
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: Little River State Park and the Waterbury Reservoir provide public access; hand-panning is permit-free while sluices need a state permit and dredging is banned. Take only hand samples of surface gravel and do not dig into banks.
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 Little River
Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)
Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 77°F in midsummer and 25°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 3°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, MORRISVILLE-STOWE STATE AP station (5 mi away).
Geology at Little River
This spot sits on Ottauquechee Formation - carbonaceous phyllite member, mapped as phyllite that formed roughly 540 to 485 million years ago. Gold in metamorphic belts like this is typically tied to quartz veins and shear zones, with placer color in the creeks that cut them.
- Mapped unit
- Ottauquechee Formation - carbonaceous phyllite member
- Age
- 540–485 Ma (Cambrian)
- Rock types
- phyllite
- Elevation
- 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.
Today's weather
Is today a good day to go?
The app shows live weather, recent rain, and a daily rockhounding score for Little River.
Get the appSources & 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.
- Vermont Geological Survey
- Green Mountain National Forest
- Vermont State Parks, Camp Plymouth
- Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules
Found at Little River
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 Little River.
- Gold BrookLamoille County, Vermont · 2 mi awayGold
- Lamoille RiverLamoille County, Vermont · 11 mi awayGold
- Gihon RiverLamoille County, Vermont · 17 mi awayGold
- East FletcherFranklin County, Vermont · 19 mi awayPyrite
- EdenLamoille County, Vermont · 22 mi awayAsbestos, Vesuvianite, Serpentine
- Niquette BayChittenden County, Vermont · 27 mi awayAgate, Chert, Jasper
- Lamoille RiverChittenden County, Vermont · 27 mi awayDolomite, Chalcopyrite
- Mad RiverWashington County, Vermont · 28 mi awayGold
Across the state line from Little River
Little River is close enough to the Vermont border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- Port KentEssex County, New York · 35 mi awayLabradorite
- Buttermilk FallsEssex County, New York · 37 mi awaySerpentine
- KeesevilleClinton County, New York · 41 mi awayLabradorite
- LisbonGrafton County, New Hampshire · 42 mi awayStaurolite
- Wild Ammonoosuc RiverGrafton County, New Hampshire · 43 mi awayGold Placer, Gold Nugget
- Pearl LakeGrafton County, New Hampshire · 44 mi awayStaurolite
Little River FAQ
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More rockhounding in Vermont
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