Humphrey Mountain: Almandine & Garnet Rockhounding in Hamilton County, New York

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Hamilton County

State

New York

Postcode

12190

Coordinates

43.63515, -74.23698

Geology at Humphrey Mountain

This spot sits on Biotite and/or hornblende granite gneiss, mapped as gneiss that formed roughly 1600 to 1000 million years ago. Metamorphic rock like this is where garnet, staurolite, and kyanite typically grow as the rock recrystallizes under heat and pressure.

Mapped unit

Biotite and/or hornblende granite gneiss

Age

1600–1000 Ma (Mesoproterozoic)

Rock types

gneiss

Elevation

2,970 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 Humphrey Mountain

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 70°F in midsummer and 21°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 1°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, INDIAN LAKE 2SW station (8 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 Humphrey Mountain

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

• Almandine
• GarnetEncyclopedia →