Westerly Granite Quarries
Approximate — check official site before visiting
Historic granite quarrying region. Old quarries and exposed rock faces yield feldspar, mica, quartz, beryl, and garnet specimens. The area was a major granite quarrying center in the 19th-20th centuries. Flat terrain, easy access from roadsides. Pink orthoclase feldspar and silvery mica flakes common. Collect along public roadsides and near old quarry edges.
🪨 What You Can Find Here
Beryl
Mineral species that includes emerald, aquamarine, and morganite. Found in pegmatites across the US, with notable deposits in New England and the West.
Also found at:
Garnets
Deep red almandine garnets are found in many states. Idaho's star garnets are among the rarest in the world.
Also found at:
Feldspar
Common rock-forming mineral group. Found in granites and pegmatites throughout the US, often associated with gem minerals.
Also found at:
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:
📍 Nearby Locations in Rhode Island
Beavertail State Park Minerals
Jamestown, Rhode Island · State Park
Rocky shoreline for quartz veins and unusual metamorphic rock formations. Beavertail's geology is some of the oldest in the region.
Bonnet Shore Beach
Narragansett, Rhode Island · Public Beach
Pegmatite outcrops along the Bonnet Shores coast carrying beryl and quartz in coarse granitic pods — rare gem-family minerals in place on a public RI ...
Cumberlandite Beds
Cumberland, Rhode Island · Public Land
The only location in the world for cumberlandite (Rhode Island's state rock). A rare iron-rich igneous rock found only in a small area of RI.
Diamond Hill Quartz
Cumberland, Rhode Island · Public Land
Massive white quartz outcrop at Diamond Hill Town Park in Cumberland, featuring a 350-foot vertical face on 'The Big Hill.' Historically Rhode Island'...
Jamestown Bridge Area
Jamestown, Rhode Island · Public Land
Metamorphic rocks exposed near the Jamestown bridge landing on Conanicut Island, a well-documented mineral locality known for staurolite (cross-shaped...
Moosup River
Coventry, Rhode Island · Public Land
River gravels and exposures along the Moosup River, which flows through the Moosup Valley area underlain by Moosup Valley gabbro, Northbridge and Putn...
⛏️ Recommended Gear
Make the most of your visit to Westerly Granite Quarries 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