Irish Creek — Rockhounding in Rockbridge County, Virginia
Updated July 2026
Irish Creek is Virginia's classic tin locality, a greisen and pegmatite system in the George Washington National Forest that produced the state's best cassiterite along with blue moonstone feldspar. Mindat and Virginia Division of Mineral Resources reports document the tin-bearing pegmatites, and the national-forest setting makes it one of the more accessible historic mineral districts in the state. Reported finds include blue moonstone, cassiterite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Irish Creek photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Irish Creek in Rockbridge County, Virginia
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Rockbridge County
- State
- Virginia
- Nearest road
- Irish Creek Road
- Postcode
- 24483
- Coordinates
- 37.84989, -79.17037
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 Irish Creek
Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.
- Blue MoonstoneEncyclopedia →
- CassiteriteEncyclopedia →
Nearby rockhounding spots
Other rockhounding spots within driving distance of Irish Creek.
- Tye River GapRockbridge County, Virginia · 3 mi awayEpidote, Unakite, Beryl
- Big Mary's CreekRockbridge County, Virginia · 3 mi awayUnakite
- SpottswoodRockbridge County, Virginia · 9 mi awayQuartz
- Fancy HillTop pick in VirginiaAmherst County, Virginia · 13 mi awayAmethyst, Quartz
- RoselandNelson County, Virginia · 13 mi awayBlue Quartz, Ilmenite, Rutile
- Saunders FarmNelson County, Virginia · 14 mi awayAmethyst
- LexingtonRockbridge County, Virginia · 15 mi awayCalcite, Chalcopyrite, Dolomite
- AmherstAmherst County, Virginia · 23 mi awayAmethyst
Across the state line from Irish Creek
Irish 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 cutPendleton County, West Virginia · 45 mi awayChabazite
- HuntersvillePocahontas County, West Virginia · 50 mi awayChert Nodules
- FranklinPendleton County, West Virginia · 57 mi awayChert, Smoky Quartz, Quartz
- Mill PointPocahontas County, West Virginia · 59 mi awayRed Silicified Coral
- HillsboroPocahontas County, West Virginia · 61 mi awayBlue Silicified Coral
- Judy GapPendleton County, West Virginia · 61 mi awayCalcite, Dolomite, Smoky Quartz
Irish Creek FAQ
Why is Irish Creek one of the best rockhounding spots in Virginia?+
Where is Irish Creek?+
What rocks and minerals can you find at Irish Creek?+
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More rockhounding in Virginia
See all 93 Virginia spots →Open Irish Creek on the map
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