Best spot

Smoke Hole: Geode Digging in Pendleton County, West Virginia

Updated July 2026

Smoke Hole Canyon is a 20 mile gorge cut by the South Branch Potomac River through the Cave Mountain anticline, exposing a full Silurian to Devonian section of limestones, sandstones, and shales inside the Monongahela National Forest. The Devonian and Silurian carbonates carry marine fossils, pyrite, and gypsum, and the river gravels concentrate quartz and resistant nodules washed from the ridges above. Because the canyon sits on National Forest land rather than in a state park, casual personal collecting is permitted, which is rare for a scenic locality of this caliber in West Virginia. Reported finds include geode, gypsum, pyrite, fossils. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.

Smoke Hole photos

Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.

1 photo

The South Branch Potomac River in Smoke Hole Canyon, Pendleton County, West Virginia.

Quick details

Access: Public area
County: Pendleton County
State: West Virginia
Nearest road: Smoke Hole Road
Coordinates: 38.85688, -79.27639

Geology at Smoke Hole

This spot sits on Oriskany Sandstone and Huntersville Chert, mapped as sandstone and chert that formed roughly 420 to 360 million years ago. Sedimentary layers like these are where fossils are typically preserved, and fresh exposures after rain or in active cuts tend to produce best.

Mapped unit: Oriskany Sandstone and Huntersville Chert
Age: 420–360 Ma (Devonian)
Rock types: sandstone and chert
Elevation: 1,610 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 Smoke Hole

Best months: February to December. Typical highs run 86°F in midsummer and 42°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 21°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, PETERSBURG station (12 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 Smoke Hole

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 Smoke Hole.

Across the state line from Smoke Hole

Smoke Hole is close enough to the West Virginia border that the next-closest rockhounding spots are in a neighboring state. Worth knowing if you are already on the road.

Smoke Hole FAQ

Where is Smoke Hole?+

Smoke Hole is in Pendleton County, West Virginia, at 38.85688, -79.27639. Nearest road: Smoke Hole Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Smoke Hole?+

Smoke Hole is reported to produce Geode, Gypsum, Pyrite, Fossils.

Is collecting allowed at Smoke Hole?+

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. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.

What tools should I bring to Smoke Hole?+

A rock hammer, a cold chisel, safety glasses, and newspaper or foam for wrapping finds cover most fossil ground. A trowel and a sieve help in soft exposures.

When is the best time to visit Smoke Hole?+

The most comfortable months at Smoke Hole are February to December.

How do I get to Smoke Hole?+

Open the directions link to navigate to 38.85688, -79.27639 in Google Maps. The nearest road is Smoke Hole Road.

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