Hibriten Mountain: Feldspar Rockhounding in Caldwell County, North Carolina

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Caldwell County

State

North Carolina

Nearest road

Hibriten Mountain Trail and Service Road

Postcode

28645

Coordinates

35.90405, -81.48857

Geology at Hibriten Mountain

This spot sits on Mica Schist, mapped as mica schist that formed roughly 1000 to 485 million years ago. Metamorphic belts like this often host pegmatite dikes, the coarse-crystal bodies that typically carry beryl, tourmaline, and sheet mica.

Mapped unit

Mica Schist

Age

1000–485 Ma (Neoproterozoic to Cambrian)

Rock types

mica schist

Elevation

1,830 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 Hibriten Mountain

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 47°F in winter to 85°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, LENOIR station (3 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.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• North Carolina Geological Survey
• Nantahala/Pisgah National Forests
• Emerald Hollow Mine (fee-dig operator)
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Hibriten Mountain

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

• FeldsparEncyclopedia →