From California to Maine: Your Ultimate Guide to Finding Rose Quartz in the U.S.

Rose quartz is a fine, pink form of quartz that generally shows up as a massive stone. It’s also surprisingly common, including being found in many places right here in the United States. For those who are on the hunt for it, a good list of locations is the right place to start.

So let’s take a look at where you can find rose quartz in the United States, to give you a jumping-off point to begin your own rockhounding adventure!

Where To Find Rose Quartz

1. Pala Mining District, California

Located at the north end of San Diego County, the Pala Mining District houses a wealth of minerals. Among them is some of the finest rose quartz in the country, always massive but bearing a rich pink tone that’s at the upper end of the quality spectrum for rose quartz. This region is also known for hosting tourmaline.

All of these crystals are locked into pegmatites that are scattered throughout the area. Pegmatites are extremely coarse-grained igneous stones, often resembling a pile of cemented crystals and minerals. Breaking them apart is hard work, but if it’s done carefully one can often find pockets of exquisite crystals within.

The rose quartz from this area sometimes bears an orange undertone in addition to the pink. It’s found in relatively large pieces both in the pegmatites and downstream from them where you can find the right spots. All of this together makes this location one of the best for those who want to hunt down a bit of rose quartz on their own.

2. Custer County, South Dakota

Custer County in South Dakota bears some of the finest rose quartz in the world, bar none. While most rose quartz is massive, meaning that its comprised of interlocking crystals in a single mass, the material that comes from here can sometimes even be found as single crystals. While still rare, these can fetch a high price in the right location.

The other oddity that emerges from this area, at least as far as rose quartz is concerned, is the appearance of star rose quartz. This variety of the mineral displays asterism, similar to a star sapphire or star garnet. This comes from rutile included in the crystals. When cut en cabochon and properly oriented the material displays a six or four rayed star!

Most of the material is on claims, but the Black Hills are known to house some impressive specimens. In this area, you’ll again be looking for pegmatites to dig the rose quartz out of. A bit of work with a rock pick and you may be able to free your own prize, and the specimens that come from this location can be world-class!

3. La Grange, Georgia

The area around La Grange, Georgia, bears quite a bit of rose quartz. In particular, the Hogg Mine bears some specimens, along with other interesting minerals and crystals. While the rose quartz may not be the finest, it’s more than made up for by the chance to find excellent specimens of beryl species and schorl (black tourmaline).

This is another area that produces star rose quartz. The only issue is the fact that the rose quartz here is often paler in color than you’ll find in other locations. It may not be the best spot to plan a trip if you’re looking for something bright pink, but the high clarity of the specimens does make them a bit of an oddity.

If you’re looking into heading out then first check out the website for the Hogg Mine. For a small fee, you can go on one of the public dig days and try your hand at finding some of these crystals. On other days you’ll need to call ahead and make arrangements, but it’s a great place to hunt if you’re not comfortable figuring out who owns which bit of land in the area.

4. Middlesex County, Connecticut

Middlesex County, in Connecticut, is another great place to find rose quartz. The samples here are unremarkable, with medium color saturation and the normal makeup seen in most rose quartz. They’re the epitome of what most of us picture when we think of the stuff, however, and these middle-of-the-road samples are often favored by collectors.

The rose quartz in this area is spread out quite a bit. You can find it anywhere there are creeks, quarries, or pegmatites in the local area. There are quite a few other interesting minerals in the same area, including such oddities as elbaite. There’s also quite a bit of beryl in the area.

The two best spots to look at are probably Riverside Quarry and the area around the Great Hill Pond. Both of these locations are easy to reach and have pegmatites that bear some of the interesting minerals from around the area, including the rose quartz described above.

5. Cumberland County, Maine

Maine has a surprising amount of gemstones hidden by its cold winters. If you make a trip during the summer months and are looking for rose quartz, however, then you’ll want to take a look around Cumberland County. This area bears rose quartz in a decent amount, making it a great spot to find your own specimen.

The interesting part about these formations is that single crystals are found here. Single crystals of rose quartz are an extreme rarity in most locations, and sizable ones can be worth quite a bit of money due to their rarity. While it’s not true of all rose quartz from the area, it’s certainly a higher probability than most of those on our list.

The best spot is probably the Estes Quarry but unless you have permission you’ll be trespassing. Instead, you may want to search the areas around the outskirts, where some rose quartz crystals can be found if you’re lucky. There are also some locations on the Eastern side of the county that are known to house rose quartz.