Floyd: Quartz Rockhounding in Floyd County, Virginia

Quick details

Access

Permission required

County

Floyd County

State

Virginia

Nearest road

Valley Drive Northwest

Postcode

24091

Coordinates

36.92900, -80.35695

Geology at Floyd

This spot sits on Ashe Formation - Biotite gneiss, mapped as biotite gneiss that formed roughly 1000 to 540 million years ago. Metamorphic terrain like this typically carries quartz veins and sweats, and weathered crystals tend to end up in the soils and streams below.

Mapped unit

Ashe Formation - Biotite gneiss

Age

1000–540 Ma (Neoproterozoic)

Rock types

biotite gneiss

Elevation

2,300 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 Floyd

Best months: February to December. Typical highs run 82°F in midsummer and 42°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 24°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, FLOYD 2 NE station (4 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 Floyd

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

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