![Abandoned Limerock Quarry, Fl Highway 26 [williston Limestone] — fossil rockhounding site near Florida, FL](/images/locations/fallback/fossils-card.webp)
FossilFL
Abandoned Limerock Quarry, Fl Highway 26 [williston Limestone]
Fossil collection site in the Williston Limestone, Alachua County, Florida. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsRockhounding sites near Gainesville
24 rockhounding collecting sites within about 100 miles of Gainesville, Florida.
This page lists 24 natural rockhounding sites near Gainesville, Florida, sorted by distance within about 100 miles.
Where can you collect near Gainesville?
Near Gainesville, Florida, our directory maps 24 natural rockhounding sites within about 100 miles of the city center — including 1 quartz & crystals, 3 agate & jaspers, 11 fossilss, and 9 others. The closest mapped spot is Abandoned Limerock Quarry, Fl Highway 26 [williston Limestone] (9.4 mi straight-line). Distances are not drive time; open each listing for directions, fee notes, access rules, and safety context before you travel.
At a glance — rockhounding sites near Gainesville
| Central place | Gainesville, Florida |
|---|---|
| Search radius | About 100 miles |
| Mapped spots | 24 |
| Closest listing | Abandoned Limerock Quarry, Fl Highway 26 [williston Limestone] (9.4 mi) |
| Specimen types | Quartz & Crystals (1), Agate & Jasper (3), Fossils (11), Other (9) |
| Typical fees | 24 varies |
All rockhounding sites near Gainesville
24 rockhounding collecting sites in Florida, sorted by distance from the city center. For live GPS sorting, use rockhounding sites near me.
FossilFL
Haile 7c
Fossil collection site, Alachua County, Florida. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View details
AgateFL
Alachua County Quarries
Alachua County Quarries is a documented mineral occurrence near FL. Reported specimens include Chert, Fossilized ivory. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossilFL
Haile V/xixa
Fossil collection site, Alachua County, Florida. Environment: fluvial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilFL
Dickerson Limerock Mines, Haile Complex, Alachua County
Fossil collection site in the Ocala Limestone, Alachua County, Florida. Environment: deep subtidal indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsFossilFL
Marion County
Fossil collection site, Marion County, Florida. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsAgateFL
Marion County Quarries
Marion County Quarries is a documented mineral occurrence near FL. Reported specimens include Chert, Fossilized ivory. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossilFL
Eureka Lock
Fossil collection site, Marion County, Florida. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View details
KyaniteFL
Lawtey Highland Mine
Lawtey Highland Mine is a documented mineral occurrence near FL. Reported specimens include Kyanite, Zircon, Ilmenite. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossilFL
Cross Florida Barge Canal
Cross Florida Barge Canal is a documented mineral occurrence near FL. Reported specimens include Fossils, Silicified Coral. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossilFL
Fgs C-11 - Dunnellon Phosphate Minig Company Pit [inglis Limestone]
Fossil collection site in the Inglis Limestone, Citrus County, Florida. Environment: marine indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsAgatized CoralFL
Withlacoochee Agatized Coral
Eocene coral heads silicified to agate occur in Withlacoochee River gravels of north-central Florida.
View detailsFossilFL
Eichelberger Cave
Fossil collection site, Marion County, Florida. Environment: cave. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsSilicified CoralFL
Suwannee River (north)
Suwannee River (North) is a documented mineral occurrence near FL. Reported specimens include Silicified Coral. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFluoriteFL
North Lake City
North Lake City is a mineral prospect in Columbia, Florida, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Fluorite, Iron, Magnesite.
View detailsFossilFL
Inglis 1f
Fossil collection site, Levy County, Florida. Environment: terrestrial indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View details
QuartzFL
Crystal River
Crystal River is a documented mineral occurrence near FL. Reported specimens include Calcite Crystal, Quartz, Chert, Fossils. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFossilFL
Usgs Loc. 6178, 6774, 12745 - Island Near White Springs [suwanee Lmst]
Fossil collection site in the Suwannee Limestone, Columbia County, Florida. Environment: carbonate indet.. Source: Paleobiology Database (PBDB), CC BY 4.0.
View detailsAgatized CoralFL
Stephen Foster State Park
Stephen Foster State Park is a documented mineral occurrence near FL. Reported specimens include Agatized Coral. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsAgatized CoralFL
Suwannee River
Suwannee River is a documented mineral occurrence near FL. Reported specimens include Agatized Coral. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsAgateFL
Bradford County
Bradford County is a documented mineral occurrence near FL. Reported specimens include Chert, Fossilized ivory. Verify land access and collecting rules before visiting.
View detailsFluoriteFL
North Columbia County #2
North Columbia County #2 is a mineral prospect in Columbia, Florida, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Fluorite, Iron, Magnesite.
View detailsFluoriteFL
Baker County Deposit #1
Baker County Deposit #1 is a known mineral occurrence in Baker, Florida, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Fluorite, Iron, Magnesite.
View detailsFluoriteFL
North Columbia Deposit
North Columbia Deposit is a mineral prospect in Columbia, Florida, documented by the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. Reported specimens include Fluorite, Iron, Magnesite.
View detailsMap of rockhounding sites near Gainesville
Pins within about 100 miles — open a listing for fees, access, and directions.
24 sites mapped near Gainesville
Closest sites by distance
- Abandoned Limerock Quarry, Fl Highway 26 [williston Limestone] — 9 mi · Fossil
- Haile 7c — 14 mi · Fossil
- Alachua County Quarries — 14 mi · Agate
- Haile V/xixa — 15 mi · Fossil
- Dickerson Limerock Mines, Haile Complex, Alachua County — 15 mi · Fossil
- Marion County — 28 mi · Fossil
- Marion County Quarries — 30 mi · Agate
- Eureka Lock — 32 mi · Fossil
- Lawtey Highland Mine — 32 mi · Kyanite
- Cross Florida Barge Canal — 37 mi · Fossil
- Fgs C-11 - Dunnellon Phosphate Minig Company Pit [inglis Limestone] — 42 mi · Fossil
- Withlacoochee Agatized Coral — 42 mi · Agatized Coral
- Eichelberger Cave — 44 mi · Fossil
- Suwannee River (north) — 45 mi · Silicified Coral
- North Lake City — 46 mi · Fluorite
Types of rockhounding sites near Gainesville
Browse by specimen type in Florida — each link opens the full state directory for that category.
Quartz & Crystals (1)
Quartz veins, crystal pockets, and pegmatite sites — from Herkimer diamonds to Arkansas clear quartz.
Agate & Jasper (3)
Where to find agates and jasper in the U.S. — Lake Superior beaches, Ellensburg blue, Wyoming Sweetwater fields, Texas Terlingua, Mojave desert beds, and colorful chalcedony shorelines.
Fossils (11)
Trilobites, brachiopods, petrified wood, and other paleontological collecting on public land.
Other (9)
Mixed or specialty collecting — zeolites, fluorescent minerals, thundereggs, and unique regional finds.
Natural collecting sites in the Gainesville area
Gainesville is a practical launch point for day trips to natural rockhounding sites in Florida. Within about 100 miles you will find 24 mapped destinations in our directory, starting with Abandoned Limerock Quarry, Fl Highway 26 [williston Limestone] about 9.4 mi from the city center.
The mix spans quartz & crystals, agate & jasper, fossils, other — related terms searchers use include creek gravel collecting, desert washes, road cuts, and field collecting.
How distances work near Gainesville
Every card on this page is a verified directory entry in Florida with map coordinates. We measure straight-line distance from the Gainesville city center — not driving time. A creek rockhounding site 12 miles away on forest roads can take longer than a river access point 20 miles away on a highway.
Field collecting near Gainesville includes informal gravel bars, dry washes, quarry faces, and developed park collecting areas. Rules, fees, and seasonal access differ by land manager. Never assume collecting is allowed without checking the listing and posted signs the day you visit.
Safety and field conditions near you
Field conditions near Gainesville change after rain, snowmelt, and summer heat. Unstable slopes, heat exhaustion, loose rock, and flash floods are real risks at creek and quarry rockhounding sites — most sites have no supervision. Check weather and local advisories before you start digging.
We publish original planning copy, safety tips, and last-updated dates on each listing. See our editorial policy for sourcing standards, or contact us if access or conditions have changed.
Rockhounding sites near Gainesville — FAQ
Where can you collect near Gainesville?
Near Gainesville, Florida, our directory lists 24 natural rockhounding sites within about 100 miles — mainly 1 quartz & crystals, 3 agate & jaspers, 11 fossilss, and 9 others. Each listing links to directions, fee notes, and safety context. Use near me on your phone for live distance sorting from your location.
How many rockhounding sites are near Gainesville, Florida?
This page shows 24 mapped rockhounding collecting sites within about 100 miles of Gainesville. The full Florida directory may list additional holes farther out or awaiting coordinates. Counts update as we verify new listings.
What is the closest rockhounding site to Gainesville?
The closest mapped spot to Gainesville is Abandoned Limerock Quarry, Fl Highway 26 [williston Limestone] (9.4 mi straight-line). Open that listing for driving directions, access notes, and current fee information — unofficial holes can change without notice.
Are rockhounding sites near Gainesville free?
24 have variable or unverified fees. Open each spot page for current fee details.
What types of rockhounding sites are near Gainesville?
Near Gainesville, documented specimen types include quartz & crystals, agate & jaspers, fossilss, others. A rockhounding site is a natural outcrop, wash, or creek gravel bar — not a fee dig or shop. Filter by type on the Florida state page or open each card for specimen and access details.
When is the best time to visit rockhounding sites near Gainesville?
Late spring through early fall is the usual field season near Gainesville, but snowmelt, drought, and weekend crowds change conditions week to week. Check each listing before you drive — storms can make washes and creek banks unsafe.
Is it safe to collect near Gainesville?
Field collecting near Gainesville carries real risks: unstable slopes, heat, loose rock, and no rangers at most unofficial sites. Check weather and posted warnings the day you visit. Read our rockhounding safety basics guide and each listing's safety section before you dig.
Listing data last updated across spots on this page.