WEST VIRGINIA

State Stone: Bituminous Coal (2009)
State Gemstone: Lithostrotionella (1990)
State Fossil: Megalonyx jeffersonii (2008)

West Virginia is loaded with coal deposits as well as fossils in the exposed Silurian, Devonian, and Mississippian formations.

Coal beds can be found exposed along the highways in the southern, northwestern, and north-central parts of the state while fossil seashells are usually found in the eastern counties bording Virginia and Maryland.

You can find quite a wide selection of interesting rocks and minerals including quartz, calcite, and petrified wood if you know where to search.

The best places to rockhound in West Virginia are outcrops, quarries, and gravels in the Allegheny Mountains.
The area south of Charleston is a popular spot for finding petrified wood, and quartz crystals can be found in the southern Alleghenies.

Disclaimer

Please note that rock collecting locations are always changing so be sure to check with the site owner for the most current information before going.

Dig safe, never go underground, and make sure to get permission from the landowner to search for and collect rocks.