Rose River: Unakite & Epidote Rockhounding in Madison County, Virginia

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Madison County

State

Virginia

Nearest road

Old Blue Ridge Turnpike

Postcode

22727

Coordinates

38.48492, -78.32327

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 Rose River

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 46°F in winter to 85°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, BIG MEADOWS station (7 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Rose River

This spot sits on Mylonite, Mylonite Gneiss, and Cataclastic Rocks, mapped as mylonite, gneiss, and cataclasite that formed within roughly the last 2500 million years. Metamorphic rock like this weathers into resistant float, and minerals that survive transport typically concentrate in nearby drainages.

Mapped unit

Mylonite, Mylonite Gneiss, and Cataclastic Rocks

Age

2500 Ma to present (Proterozoic to Phanerozoic)

Rock types

mylonite, gneiss, and cataclasite

Elevation

670 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.

• Virginia Energy, Geology and Mineral Resources
• Virginia State Parks
• George Washington & Jefferson National Forests
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules