Where to Find Garnet in Maine
Maine has 8 mapped collecting spots that report garnet, spread across 4 counties. The largest share sits in Oxford County County with 5 spots. 8 of the spots are on land mapped as publicly accessible.
Spot list checked against source data on April 1, 2026.
Map of 8 garnet collecting spots in Maine
Standout garnet spots in Maine
Hand-picked from the full list below, with the reason each one earns a trip.
Sandy River at New Sharon
Franklin County County
The Maine Geological Survey lists the Sandy River from Avon to New Sharon as open to recreational gold prospecting, one of the few reaches where even motorized methods are allowed. The gold is fine placer flour gold carried in the river's black sand, with garnet and magnetite among the heavy concentrates. The state maintains a free public boat access on the river off Route 2.
Deer Hill (White Mountain National Forest)
Oxford County County
Deer Hill is a US Forest Service designated mineral collecting area in the White Mountain National Forest, known for amethyst recovered by screening the sandy soil. Feldspar, beryl, garnet, columbite, and pyrite are also documented at the site. Hobby collecting is allowed under a no-fee day permit.
Lord Hill (White Mountain National Forest)
Oxford County County
Lord Hill is a granite pegmatite in the White Mountain National Forest where more than 50 minerals have been recorded, most famously large white topaz and smoky quartz crystals encrusted with rare phenakite. The US Forest Service runs it as a designated collecting area open under a no-fee day permit. Feldspar and garnet round out the finds.
Swift River at Coos Canyon
Oxford County County
The Swift River at Coos Canyon in Byron carries fine glacial gold and is the most famous recreational gold-panning spot in New England, with flakes recoverable from bedrock crevices in the roadside gorge. Nine acres of the canyon were permanently protected through Maine's Land for Maine's Future program in 2006. Garnet and magnetite concentrate in the same black sand.
St. Croix River at Grand Falls Flowage
Washington County County
The Maine Geological Survey lists the St. Croix River at Baileyville among the state's recreational gold-panning streams, where the gold is very fine flour gold thought to be shed from nearby base-metal mineralization. A state-owned boat access on the Grand Falls Flowage gives free public entry to the water. Garnet and magnetite occur in the same black sand.
Best counties for garnet in Maine
Ranked by the number of mapped garnet spots. County links open the full rockhounding page for that county.
Every garnet spot we track in Maine
Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.
| Spot | County | Minerals | Coordinates | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitts Garnet MineWoodman Hill Road | Androscoggin County |
| 44.1056, -70.3332 | Public |
| Sandy River at New Sharon | Franklin County | 44.6206, -70.0653 | Public | |
| Deer Hill (White Mountain National Forest)Evergreen Valley Road | Oxford County | 44.2313, -70.9801 | Public | |
| Deer Hill MineralEvergreen Valley Road | Oxford County | 44.2313, -70.9799 | Public | |
| Lord Hill (White Mountain National Forest)Lord Hill | Oxford County |
| 44.2241, -70.9536 | Public |
| Lord Hill MineralLord Hill | Oxford County | 44.2241, -70.9536 | Public | |
| Swift River at Coos CanyonTekwood Road | Oxford County | 44.7208, -70.6322 | Public | |
| St. Croix River at Grand Falls Flowage | Washington County | 45.2513, -67.5230 | Public |
Garnet in Maine FAQ
Where can you find garnet in Maine?+
How many garnet spots are mapped in Maine?+
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Where else to find garnet
More minerals to hunt in Maine
Hunt garnet in Maine with the map in your pocket
RockHoundR puts these spots on an offline map with BLM and Forest Service overlays, geology layers, and a log for your finds.
