Hammonasset Beach State Park
Approximate — check official site before visiting
Garnet grains in the sand, especially near Webster Point. So prevalent they give the sand a pinkish color. Great family-friendly rockhounding.
🪨 What You Can Find Here
Garnets
Deep red almandine garnets are found in many states. Idaho's star garnets are among the rarest in the world.
Also found at:
📍 Nearby Locations in Connecticut
Connecticut Pegmatite Mines
Portland, Connecticut · Fee Dig
Historic pegmatite mines in the Middletown district. Fee-dig operations for garnet, beryl, and quartz crystals. Classic New England rockhounding.
Roxbury / Hickory Flat Garnets
Roxbury, Connecticut · Public Land
Road cuts and exposures in western Connecticut for almandine garnet crystals. Part of the New England garnet belt.
Strickland Quarry
Portland, Connecticut · Fee Dig
Historic pegmatite quarry in the Portland area. Known for beryl, tourmaline, and garnet specimens. A classic Connecticut mineral locality.
Gillette Quarry
Haddam, Connecticut · Fee Dig
Famous fee-to-dig quarry in Haddam, Middlesex County. Known for amazonite, aquamarine, beryl, chrysoberyl, garnet, quartz crystals, and tourmaline. On...
Long Hill Mine (Old Mine Park)
Trumbull, Connecticut · Public Land
Well-known historic collecting site in Old Mine Park, Trumbull. Produces calcite, fluorite, pyrite cubes, scheelite, and blue topaz crystals. Public p...
Salmon River State Forest
Colchester, Connecticut · State Park
Best place in Connecticut to find garnets. Search near Comstock Covered Bridge and check gravels along the Salmon River in Middlesex County.
⛏️ Recommended Gear
Make the most of your visit to Hammonasset Beach State Park with the right equipment.
Rock Hammer
The most essential rockhounding tool. Choose a hammer with both a flat striking face and a pointed pick end.
Typical: $25-45
Safety Glasses
Mandatory protective gear. Rock chips fly unpredictably when hammering.
Typical: $10-20
Chisel Set
Cold chisels in 3-4 sizes for precise extraction from matrix rock.
Typical: $15-30
Geologist's Pick
A heavier crack hammer for splitting hard rock. Essential for hard rock mining areas.
Typical: $35-60
Sifting Screen
Stackable mesh screens for sifting gravel and dirt. Essential for gem and fossil hunting.
Typical: $20-40
UV Flashlight
Long-wave UV light for finding fluorescent minerals and Yooperlites.
Typical: $15-35