Tunk Mountain: Smoky Quartz & Feldspar Rockhounding in Hancock County, Maine

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Hancock County

State

Maine

Coordinates

44.62514, -68.08891

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

Land & collecting status

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.

Access note: Free public access from the Tunk Mountain trailhead on Route 182 between Sullivan and Cherryfield. Limit collecting to loose surface float and hand specimens, since part of the area is an ecological reserve where digging is discouraged.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Best time to visit Tunk Mountain

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: April to November. Typical highs run 80°F in midsummer and 33°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 16°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ACADIA NP station (19 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at Tunk Mountain

This spot sits on granite (hornblende accessory mineral), mapped as granite that formed roughly 420 to 360 million years ago. Granitic ground like this typically carries quartz veins and pockets, and weathered crystals tend to collect in the soils and drainages below.

Mapped unit

granite (hornblende accessory mineral)

Age

420–360 Ma (Devonian)

Rock types

granite

Elevation

260 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• Maine Geological Survey
• Maine Mineral & Gem Museum
• Acadia National Park rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules