Sugar Grove road cut: Chabazite Rockhounding in Pendleton County, West Virginia
Updated July 2026
The Sugar Grove Basalt is one of the few zeolite localities in the central Appalachians, an Eocene amygdaloidal basalt dike-sill about 45 million years old that intrudes the Devonian Millboro Shale south of Sugar Grove. Its amygdules yield chabazite (including the rare phacolite variety) along with analcime, natrolite, thomsonite, mesolite, phillipsite, and harmotome, a suite far more typical of Oregon or New Jersey than of West Virginia. The small amygdule size makes it primarily a micromount locality, prized by collectors who work the weathered basalt for crisp, gemmy crystals. Reported finds include chabazite. Below: coordinates, access notes, nearby spots, and trip-planning links.
Sugar Grove road cut photos
Public image records connected to this spot or its reported material.
Map showing Sugar Grove road cut in Pendleton County, West Virginia
Quick details
- Access
- Public area
- County
- Pendleton County
- State
- West Virginia
- Nearest road
- Sugar Grove Road
- Postcode
- 26815
- Coordinates
- 38.48401, -79.32671
Geology at Sugar Grove road cut
This spot sits on Brallier Formation, mapped as shale and siltstone that formed roughly 420 to 360 million years ago. Sedimentary rock like this erodes unevenly, so the most productive collecting is typically along fresh cuts, badland slopes, and active drainages.
- Mapped unit
- Brallier Formation
- Age
- 420–360 Ma (Devonian)
- Rock types
- shale and siltstone
- Elevation
- 1,940 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 Sugar Grove road cut
Best months: February to December. Typical highs run 84°F in midsummer and 43°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 22°F.
Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, FRANKLIN 2 NE station (13 mi away).
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 Sugar Grove road cut
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 Sugar Grove road cut.
- FranklinPendleton County, West Virginia · 12 mi awayChert, Smoky Quartz, Quartz
- Judy GapPendleton County, West Virginia · 17 mi awayCalcite, Dolomite, Smoky Quartz
- Smoke HoleTop pick in West VirginiaPendleton County, West Virginia · 26 mi awayGeode, Gypsum, Pyrite
- South Fork MountainGrant County, West Virginia · 30 mi awayHematite
- HarmanTop pick in West VirginiaRandolph County, West Virginia · 31 mi awayCalcite, Dolomite, Quartz
- North Fork GapGrant County, West Virginia · 35 mi awayCalcite, Celestite, Dolomite
- PetersburgTop pick in West VirginiaGrant County, West Virginia · 38 mi awayCalcite, Dolomite, Quartz
- HuntersvillePocahontas County, West Virginia · 42 mi awayChert Nodules
Across the state line from Sugar Grove road cut
Sugar Grove road cut 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.
- Chestnut RidgeBath County, Virginia · 29 mi awayQuartz
- SpottswoodRockbridge County, Virginia · 37 mi awayQuartz
- South Fork Shenandoah RiverRockingham County, Virginia · 38 mi awayQuartz
- Tye River GapRockbridge County, Virginia · 42 mi awayEpidote, Unakite, Beryl
- Moormans RiverAlbemarle County, Virginia · 42 mi awayEpidote, Jasper
- Big Mary's CreekRockbridge County, Virginia · 42 mi awayUnakite
Sugar Grove road cut FAQ
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More rockhounding in West Virginia
See all 34 West Virginia spots →Open Sugar Grove road cut on the map
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