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Where to Find Quartz in Wisconsin

Wisconsin quartz comes from three main settings. The Mineral Point area in the southwestern lead-zinc belt (Iowa and Lafayette counties) yields small quartz crystals in dolomite vugs alongside galena and sphalerite. The Door Peninsula in Door County produces calcite-quartz geodes in Silurian dolomite, with crystal interiors up to fist size. Central Wisconsin pegmatites in Marathon and Wood counties carry smoky quartz and rose quartz in granite cores. The Ableman's Gorge area near Rock Springs in Sauk County adds drusy quartz on Cambrian sandstone. Most Wisconsin quartz is small but well-formed; surface collecting concentrates on quarry dumps and roadcuts.

13 mapped quartz rockhounding spots in Wisconsin, across 11 counties.

Map of 13 quartz rockhounding spots in Wisconsin

Quartz by county in Wisconsin

Counties ranked by number of quartz spots in our database.

Every quartz spot in Wisconsin

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps. Click a row for details.

SpotCountyMineralsCoordinatesAccess
Chippewa CountyChippewa County44.9497, -91.2400Public
Ounce CreekCoppermine Scenic Drive LoopDouglas County46.2192, -91.5640Public
Pine River ReservoirFlorence County45.8328, -88.2640Public
CassvilleBrewery Hollow RoadGrant County42.7292, -90.9924Public
General AreaState Highway 182Iron County46.0834, -89.9912Public
Montreal MineWisconsin AvenueIron County46.4281, -90.2337Public
Rib MountainState Park RoadMarathon County44.9192, -89.6791Public
Farr Lake S.E. AreaBachman RoadOconto County45.1570, -88.3621Public
General AreaCarter Fire Tower TrailOconto County45.3740, -88.6330Public
Dresser Trap Rock QuarryEast Avenue NorthPolk County45.3790, -92.6297Public
Flambeau Copper MineKennecott AvenueRusk County45.4427, -91.1209Public
Abelman's Gorge areaRiver StreetSauk County43.4904, -89.9174Public
TigertonSell LaneShawano County44.7330, -89.0736Public

Quartz in Wisconsin FAQ

Where can I find quartz in Wisconsin?+
Wisconsin quartz comes from three main settings. The Mineral Point area in the southwestern lead-zinc belt (Iowa and Lafayette counties) yields small quartz crystals in dolomite vugs alongside galena and sphalerite. The Door Peninsula in Door County produces calcite-quartz geodes in Silurian dolomite, with crystal interiors up to fist size. Central Wisconsin pegmatites in Marathon and Wood counties carry smoky quartz and rose quartz in granite cores. The Ableman's Gorge area near Rock Springs in Sauk County adds drusy quartz on Cambrian sandstone. Most Wisconsin quartz is small but well-formed; surface collecting concentrates on quarry dumps and roadcuts. The most productive ground is in Mineral Point dolomite (Iowa County), Door Peninsula geodes (Door County), Marathon County pegmatites.
Is collecting quartz legal in Wisconsin?+
Casual hand collection of common rocks and minerals like quartz is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land in Wisconsin, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Always confirm rules before a trip.
What is the best quartz location in Wisconsin?+
Mineral Point dolomite (Iowa County) is the standout. Other strong ground includes Door Peninsula geodes (Door County), Marathon County pegmatites.

Other states for quartz

Other minerals to find in Wisconsin

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