Buck Mountain Creek: Agate Rockhounding in Albemarle County, Virginia
Updated July 2026
Buck Mountain Creek is a documented Albemarle County agate locality where chalcedony and banded agate weather into the stream gravels of the western Piedmont. Mindat records the agate occurrence, and stream-gravel hunting makes it an easy, low-impact free stop near Charlottesville. Reported finds include agate. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Buck Mountain Creek photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Buck Mountain Creek in Albemarle County, Virginia
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Albemarle County
- State
- Virginia
- Nearest road
- Buck Mountain Road
- Postcode
- 22940
- Coordinates
- 38.14954, -78.53949
Geology at Buck Mountain Creek
This spot sits on Fauquier Formation - Metasiltstone and phyllite, mapped as metasiltstone and phyllite that formed roughly 1000 to 540 million years ago. Metamorphic rock like this weathers into resistant float, and minerals that survive transport typically concentrate in nearby drainages.
- Mapped unit
- Fauquier Formation - Metasiltstone and phyllite
- Age
- 1000–540 Ma (Neoproterozoic)
- Rock types
- metasiltstone and phyllite
- Elevation
- 440 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 Buck Mountain Creek
Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 48°F in winter to 90°F in summer.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, CHARLOTTESVILLE ALBEMARLE AP station (5 mi away), adjusted for elevation.
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 Buck Mountain Creek
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 Buck Mountain Creek.
- Moormans RiverAlbemarle County, Virginia · 8 mi awayEpidote, Jasper
- Bacon HollowGreene County, Virginia · 9 mi awayUnakite
- Southwest MountainsAlbemarle County, Virginia · 11 mi awayChalcopyrite
- Stockton CreekAlbemarle County, Virginia · 11 mi awayAmethyst
- ShadwellAlbemarle County, Virginia · 12 mi awayGreen Quartzite, Unakite, Epidote
- Red Hill QuarryAlbemarle County, Virginia · 13 mi awayEpidote, Microcline, Unakite
- CharlottesvilleAlbemarle County, Virginia · 15 mi awayAmethyst
- South Fork Shenandoah RiverRockingham County, Virginia · 19 mi awayQuartz
Across the state line from Buck Mountain Creek
Buck Mountain Creek is close enough to the Virginia border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.
- Sugar Grove road cutTop pick in West VirginiaPendleton County, West Virginia · 49 mi awayChabazite
- FranklinPendleton County, West Virginia · 58 mi awayChert, Smoky Quartz, Quartz
- South Fork MountainGrant County, West Virginia · 58 mi awayHematite
- Smoke HoleTop pick in West VirginiaPendleton County, West Virginia · 63 mi awayGeode, Gypsum, Pyrite
- Judy GapPendleton County, West Virginia · 63 mi awayCalcite, Dolomite, Smoky Quartz
- PetersburgTop pick in West VirginiaGrant County, West Virginia · 65 mi awayCalcite, Dolomite, Quartz
Buck Mountain Creek FAQ
Where is Buck Mountain Creek?+
What rocks and minerals can you find at Buck Mountain Creek?+
Is collecting allowed at Buck Mountain Creek?+
What tools should I bring to Buck Mountain Creek?+
When is the best time to visit Buck Mountain Creek?+
How do I get to Buck Mountain Creek?+
More rockhounding in Virginia
See all 93 Virginia spots →Open Buck Mountain Creek on the map
Use the RockHoundR app for live land overlays, weather, geology, directions, and saved finds.
