Franklin: Chert & Smoky Quartz Rockhounding in Pendleton County, West Virginia

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Pendleton County

State

West Virginia

Nearest road

Mountaineer Drive

Coordinates

38.65419, -79.38643

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 Franklin

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: February to December. Typical highs run 83°F in midsummer and 42°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 21°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, FRANKLIN 2 NE station (4 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Franklin

This spot sits on Tonoloway, Wills Creek, and Williamsport Formations, mapped as limestone, shale, and sandstone that formed roughly 445 to 420 million years ago. Chert and agate nodules typically form inside carbonate rock like this and weather out as tough, waxy lumps in soils and creek beds.

Mapped unit

Tonoloway, Wills Creek, and Williamsport Formations

Age

445–420 Ma (Silurian)

Rock types

limestone, shale, and sandstone

Elevation

2,190 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.

• West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
• Monongahela National Forest
• West Virginia State Parks rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules