Rockhound Locations in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Rockhound Locations

The state of Pennsylvania offers a lot of incredible rockhound locations to explore. Whether you live in the area or plan to visit any time soon, you’ll want to check out these fantastic rock-hounding locations in Pennsylvania.

Have you ever dreamed of going on a rock-hounding adventure in Pennsylvania? Rockhounds can find Agate, Jasper, Geodes, Serpentine, and other crystals. With its diverse landscape, Pennsylvania can be a perfect place for you to hunt for rocks!

Be polite wherever you explore. Always pack out what you packed in. Meaning if you stop for a snack while rockhounding at any site, clean up after yourself and pack your trash items back out with you.

Always do your research regarding laws and regulations, and don’t forget to ask for permission to access an area and collect specimens.

This article will discuss the top rockhound locations in Pennsylvania and the different types of rocks and minerals you can collect. Don’t forget to make it to the bottom of the page because we list out the best rock and mineral societies in the state. If you’re serious about collecting rocks then you’ll want to join one of these amazing clubs.

If you’re an active rock collector in Pennsylvania then send us an email about your favorite locations and we will feature you on the site and we might sponsor you as well. That’s right, we will pay you to go dig for rocks and minerals.

So, if you’re ready to embark on a rock-hounding journey, then grab your rock hammer, and let’s get started!

Dig For Agate and Jasper

McAdoo is a beautiful woodland area in Pennsylvania. It’s also one of the best places for rockhounds to begin their rockhounding journey in PA. This area offers an abundance of clear quartz crystals. You might also find petrified wood and small concentrations of Amethyst and Smoky Quartz in McAdoo.

The Quartz is seemingly easy to find in McAdoo. While some surface-level quartz can be found, there are large concentrations of this specimen just beneath the surface. That said, you shouldn’t need any complicated tools to bring home a decent bounty of Quartz.

The wooded regions of McAdoo are free to explore and hunt. However, you’ll want to be careful when you’re out and about. During the autumn and winter, you can count on a heavy hunter’s presence as they’re out there stalking the area’s whitetail deer population. Honestly, it’s best to avoid the area entirely during hunting seasons unless you have a general understanding of a hunter’s etiquette. Wearing a bright orange vest and avoiding the hunters is your safest bet if you choose to visit during hunting season.

Because of the seasonal risks and the fact that there is a lack of variety in geodes, it may be best to leave this area for experienced rockhounds. When the hunting season has passed, the site is safe for anyone to explore.

Dig For Geodes

While trilobites may not be as highly sought-after as jade, amethyst, and other beautiful gemstones, they offer a relatively rare glimpse into a time that’s long gone. And they’re abundant in Pennsylvania’s Mahantango Formation.

Trilobites are castings of fossilized marine life. They’re typically relatively small, but there are large specimens that exist, and they can be quite valuable. Regardless, a trilobite can make an interesting addition to any rockhound’s collection.

Collecting trilobites requires a bit of caution and skill. Trilobites are hidden within layers of sandstone that need rockhounds to splint to find the specimens. That said, the trilobites you’re working so hard to collect can be destroyed if one’s not careful.

If you’re in Pennsylvania, I suggest traveling along Mahantango Creek to look for the formation. It’s free to the public, but you’ll need some essential tools to safely remove the fossils. The formation extends into West Virginia and Maryland. So, you should check out the area if you live close to Pennsylvania’s border.

While it’s not likely that you’ll find geodes at the formation, they are present. However, they’re typically buried deep beneath the surface and are not nearly as common as trilobites. Suppose you’re interested in minerals and crystals. In that case, you’ll want to pass on this rock-hounding location since this area is for fossil hunters.

Dig For Gems

The Historic Crystal Cave isn’t a free site for rockhounds, but it is easy to access, and you’re almost guaranteed to find worthwhile specimens without having to break your back, pulling them out of the ground.

The owner of the cave offers buckets of loose sediment for rockhounds to sift through at a relatively reasonable price. There are many different geodes to find, but the most commonly found types are forms of quartz.

Historic Crystal Cave is an excellent place for rockhounds to go if you don’t have a full day to dedicate to rockhounding. The environment is also ideal for beginners. However, you can find more significant, more valuable specimens if you head out into some of the remote locations on this list. If you’re a seasoned geode hunter, you may be interested in finding another rock-hounding location.

Dig For Petrified Wood

Southern Public Land isn’t one set location; it’s more of a group of sites. The entire southeastern section of Pennsylvania is home to Triassic-era petrified wood. While the wood isn’t as fancy or elaborate as the specimens you’ll find in places like Washington and Arizona, it is excellent for making beautiful carvings. Not to mention, they’ll look fantastic in any collector’s cabinet, which makes them incredibly valuable to artisans and whittlers.

One of the tricky things is rockhounds will have to hunt for these specimens on public land, which can be a problem. Most of the land in the southeastern portion of Pennsylvania is privately owned, and homeowners don’t necessarily like it when people go exploring and scrounging around on their personal property.

You can visit any public waterway or park to find legal rock-hounding locations. Try and check the gravel beside riverbanks and creeks. This is where most of the petrified wood is found, and it’s completely legal to take home what you find. If you’re really lucky, you might come across some agate-based wood specimens. These specimens are filled with small, amber-colored deposits, and they’re prized by hardcore rockhounding collectors.

Dig For Crystals

The Echo is an old mine system once used by coal miners decades ago. The mine’s been stripped of all of its coal. However, miners left massive deposits of Quartz behind. If you’re a seasoned rockhound with a desire to find large specimens of quartz for your collection, you might want to check out The Echo on your next exploration.

The Echo is free to enter, but your safety is on you. This is because the location isn’t manned by a safety team, nor do they have anyone on standby. You will also have to bring the proper tools required to move around in an old mine. You’ll need to bring your best rockhounding tools because you’ll be pulling specimens out of the walls.

The Echo doesn’t house many geodes or many other varieties of stones. However, the main thing that keeps rockhounds coming to this location is the size of the Quartz. The Echo Mine is relatively close to McAdoo, and once you enter the town, it’s easy to find. For your safety, only go as deep as you have to unless you are highly experienced with traveling mine systems.