Gem hunting at Deer Hill by Deborah

      Just 3.5 miles from our condo is the Hobby Mineral Site known as Deer Hill.   Gem hunters and rock hounds have searched for minerals here since the late 1800’s.  This particular area has produced some impressive gem quality amethyst (purple quartz) as well as beryl, garnet, columbite, pyrite and muscovite. 

    I visited this mineral site one summer day with 3 other family members.  Located on Shell Pond road it is owned and operated by the White Mountain National Forest.  The area where you can dig is marked and there is small self service station at the trail head.  Make sure to read and follow the guidelines as they are posted.

       Follow the yellow marked hiking trails one tenth of a mile to a fork in the trail.  You can follow the trail to the right for 4 tenths of a mile to Area 1 or you can turn left and follow the trail 4 tenths of a mile to areas 2 and 3.  Hobby mineral collecting is allowed with the blue painted boundaries seen on the trees.  You will see areas that have been previously dug.  You should go prepared with a shovel for digging and a sifting screen.  During warm weather you should also bring, sunscreen, hat, water and bug spray although the day we visited there were no bugs.   We met a couple of young men who were serious rock hounds and they both brought pointed shovels and dug down quite deeply in their search.  On previous visits they claimed to have found good specimens of amethyst. We were not as well prepared and only had a small fireplace shovel and kitchen colander.   Despite our unpreparedness we were able to find small chips of amethyst and one good size quartz crystal.

             This is a fun and inexpensive way to spend a few hours as a family.   The hike is short, you could pack a picnic lunch and who knows maybe even find a true gem.

             For more information see the Forest Services web site

 http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recreation/recarea/?recid=79453&actid=73