West Chesterfield: Smoky Quartz Rockhounding in Hampshire County, Massachusetts

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Hampshire County

State

Massachusetts

Nearest road

Main Road

Postcode

01084

Coordinates

42.40315, -72.88067

Geology at West Chesterfield

This spot sits on Goshen Formation, mapped as schist that formed roughly 420 to 395 million years ago. Metamorphic terrain like this typically carries quartz veins and sweats, and weathered crystals tend to end up in the soils and streams below.

Mapped unit

Goshen Formation

Age

420–395 Ma (Early Devonian)

Rock types

schist

Elevation

830 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.

Best time to visit West Chesterfield

Best months: April to November. Typical highs run 81°F in midsummer and 33°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 14°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, WORTHINGTON station (2 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

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.

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.

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.

Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.

Found at West Chesterfield

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

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