Jim Thorpe: Jasper Rockhounding in Carbon County, Pennsylvania

Quick details

Access

Permission required

County

Carbon County

State

Pennsylvania

Nearest road

Jeans' Run Trail

Postcode

18229

Coordinates

40.87291, -75.76882

Geology at Jim Thorpe

This spot sits on Mauch Chunk Formation, mapped as shale, siltstone, and sandstone that formed roughly 360 to 325 million years ago. Tough silica like agate, jasper, and chert typically weathers out of beds like these and collects as float in drainages and on deflation surfaces.

Mapped unit

Mauch Chunk Formation

Age

360–325 Ma (Mississippian)

Rock types

shale, siltstone, and sandstone

Elevation

630 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 Jim Thorpe

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 81°F in midsummer and 35°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 18°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, LEHIGHTON 1SSW station (5 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Land & collecting status

Permission required before collecting

Requires landowner or agency permission before any collecting. Do not enter without explicit authorization.

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 Jim Thorpe

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

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