Rockhounding Near Lexington, Kentucky: 7 Places To Hunt Rocks, Crystals, and Fossils

Are you looking for the best places to go rock hounding Kentucky?

If so, you might find various native resources around Lexington, Kentucky.

Since Kentucky is one of the best states for geode hunting, and Lexington is in the middle of the state, there are plenty of places where you can go rock collecting and collect a variety of geodes.

Below you’ll discover the 7 best places to go rock hounding near Lexington, Kentucky.

Rockhounding Near Lexington, Kentucky: Let’s Get Started

Disclaimer

The information provided in this article by YesDirt.com is for informational purposes and is subject to change. Laws are updated. Accessibility guidelines and restrictions change. Be sure to confirm the land status and collection rules before you travel to an unfamiliar location or collect any material.

1 Kentucky River: Lexington

If you live in Lexington and want to do some rock collecting, luckily for you, the Kentucky River flows through the city.

Just a 30-minute drive, you can find a spot along the river to dig for gems.

Since the river flows through the city, you’ll find a variety of parking spots nearby and can rock to the areas where you can collect rocks.

Also, the gems you collect are for yours to keep! Some of the stones found within the area are geodes, calcite, galena, fluorite, and agate.

The Blue Grass Gem and Mineral Club hold a two-day event for rock collectors in Lexington, Kentucky.

The event is usually held around the end of March or the beginning of April.

There is an entry fee, and you’ll have to check the website to learn more about the event. During the event, the club owners display a variety of gems such as agates, fluorite, and quartz.

Often the dealers will have minerals in their natural state and some crafted into jewelry.

If you would like to learn more about the Lexington Rock Gem Show, check out their website here.

2 Woodford County: Troy

About 30 minutes away from the bustling lights of Lexington, you’ll find an unincorporated town known as Troy Kentucky.

In the small community, you’ll find a great rock collecting site near some old mines.

Of course, these mines are now abandoned and may be located on private land, so when rock hounding within the area, make sure you are not trespassing on anyone’s land.

Those who have gone rock collecting within the small town have found barite, calcite, fluorite, galena, and sphalerite.

3 Lincoln County: Green River

With a quick drive over to the next county of Lincoln, you’ll find the green river.

Depending on traffic, the drive from Lexington, Kentucky, to Green River is a little over an hour.

From King Mountain, the river flows westward for 360 miles until it enters a well-defined gorge, and from there flows northwestward to the Ohio River.

Most rock hunters find their rewards in the heart of the Green River, lying on top of the river’s banks, just waiting for them to pick them up.

The Green River flourishes with a variety of geodes for you to add to your collection, although you may find plenty of other rocks there too.

Some of the other stones you may be able to add to your collection are agates, quartz, and fluorite.

When you go rock collecting within the area, the locals say what you find is yours to keep.

The word of advice is to be careful near the river banks as the current can be intense at times.

4 Caldwell Quarry: Danville

About an hour away south of Lexington, Kentucky, you’ll find the city of Danville is home to the Caldwell Quarry.

Caldwell Stone Company has been in business for over 90 years and provides resources for its surrounding area.

You can’t go rock collecting at the quarry unless you’re a part of a school field trip, so if your child’s class is planning to take a trip there, make sure to see if you can join in.

Until then, you’ll have to go searching around the surrounding areas of the quarry.

Around the area are a railroad cut, local streams, and rivers full of geodes waiting for people to collect.

Besides geodes, people have been able to find fluorite and agates within the city of Danville.

5 Mount Vernon

An hour away from Lexington is the city of Mount Vernon, which’s full of places for you to go rock collecting in Kentucky.

Throughout Rockcastle County, plenty of streams flows through, reaching the city.

Also, there are plenty of abandoned mines that you can visit.

For example, Crooked Creek is not only a great place to go fishing, but it is also filled with minerals such as geodes and agates.

Of course, don’t forget to visit the creek named after the city, Mount Vernon Creek.

Throughout the Anglin Falls trail, there are some places where you can go rock collecting. However, be careful around the waterfall during the rainy season, which is spring.

The best time to visit the area is around the summer and fall seasons.

Also, there are plenty of abandoned mines that you can visit.

For example, the Mullins Mine and the Mount Vernon Mine are great places for finding geodes.

6 Louisville: Outskirts and Old Quarries

On a short drive from Lexington to Louisville, you’ll find some areas where you can go rock collecting.

Locals in the area say that you can go digging around to collect rocks on the outskirts of the city.

Some of the rocks people have found are geodes, silicified fossils, and oolites.

If you go rock hounding in this area, it is essential for you to keep in mind the land may be privately owned.

Be aware of your surroundings, since some owners may not like it if you trespass on their property.

If you find out you are rockhounding on private land, leave or ask the owners if it’s ok for you to do so.

7 Clarksville, IN: Ohio River

If you want to visit another major river, then take an hour’s drive to Clarksville, IN, to see the Ohio River.

Yes, you can visit parts of the Ohio River in Louisville, KY, but if you want the full rock hounding experience, it’s best to head over to the next city.

The Falls of Ohio State Park allow those interested in hiking around the banks and collecting minerals. If you would like more information, make sure to visit their website here.

Wrapping Up

The Ol’ Bluegrass state has some nice areas around Lexington for you to go rock collecting.

Of course, these are not the only places where you can find some of the city’s prettiest geodes, agate, and other minerals.

They’re just known as the best places for you to go rock hounding near Lexington, Kentucky.