Pennington Mountain
Approximate — check official site before visiting
Well-known area producing a wide variety of gem-quality minerals. Best collecting on the north side of the mountain. Roadside exposures and debris piles from the quarry are accessible.
🌐 Visit Official Site →🪨 What You Can Find Here
Quartz Crystals
Clear, smoky, and rose quartz crystals are among the most common and rewarding rockhounding finds. Arkansas produces world-class quartz.
Also found at:
Agates
Banded chalcedony prized for their colors and patterns. Lake Superior agates, Fairburn agates, and Montana moss agates are especially famous.
Also found at:
Amethyst
Purple quartz crystals found in geodes and pegmatites. Notable sources include Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Maine.
Also found at:
📍 Nearby Locations in New Jersey
Franklin Furnace / Sterling Hill
Franklin/Ogdensburg, New Jersey · Museum
World-famous for fluorescent minerals. Over 340 minerals identified here including 35 type localities. Sterling Hill Mining Museum offers public colle...
Cape May County (Cape May Diamonds)
Cape May, New Jersey · Public Land
Beachcombing for 'Cape May diamonds' — clear quartz pebbles worn smooth by the ocean. Found along Cape May beaches after storms.
New Jersey Zeolite Beds (Watchung)
Watchung, New Jersey · Public Land
Watchung basalt flows for zeolite minerals, prehnite, and quartz. Road cuts and exposures in the First Watchung Mountain area.
Paterson Quarry / Lambert Castle
Paterson, New Jersey · Public Land
Historic quarry in Paterson for prehnite, zeolites, and quartz crystals. A classic New Jersey mineral collecting locality.
Franklin Mineral Museum
Franklin, New Jersey · Museum
Geology and mining museum at the former Franklin Mine, one of the world's finest permanent exhibits of fluorescent minerals. Visitors can collect spec...
Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park
Sewell, New Jersey · Museum
A large marl pit operated by Rowan University where visitors can search for amber and Cretaceous fossils. 72-million-year-old fossil beds with shells,...
⛏️ Recommended Gear
Make the most of your visit to Pennington Mountain 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