Lusby, MD
fossil shark teethmegalodon teethray dental plates
State park dig · Fee · Open sunrise to sunset, daily, year-round. Low tide and the day after a storm are when the beach refreshes.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Rockhounding in Maryland
The federal mineral record holds 1,091 entries for Maryland — 1,009 mines that shipped ore, 42 prospects that never became mines, 10 recorded occurrences. Below it: 4 places where you can legally collect.
What's in the ground
Mineral history, not an invitation. This mineral history comes from a federal record of historic mines, prospects, and occurrences. It is not a list of places to collect. Historic mine sites are usually on private land, under active mining claims, or unsafe to enter — and often all three. The places you can actually collect are in the legal-access directory below.
The commodities that drew miners and prospectors to Maryland, by number of historic records:
Iron · 346Feldspar · 97Chromium · 47Copper · 41Gold · 33Clay · 23Limestone · 18Silica · 14
For collectors, the record says:
- Copper — 41 records, clustered in Carroll, Frederick, Washington counties
- Gold — 33 records, clustered in Montgomery, Frederick, Baltimore City counties
Records from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System, a legacy federal database last revised August 2022 and no longer updated.
Where you can actually collect
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
-
-
Douglas Point Special Recreation Management Area
Nanjemoy, MD (Charles County), MD
paleocene shark teethfossil shellsfossil bone fragments
BLM collecting area · Free · Open dawn to dusk daily, year-round. BLM lists fossil collecting among the activities here. Usable shoreline depends heavily on tide, so plan around a low.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
-
Lusby, MD
fossil shark teethmiocene shellsray dental plates
Public land, rules apply · Fee, seasonal · Open year-round on a seasonal schedule. Memorial Day through Labor Day it runs 9am-6pm weekdays and 9am-8pm weekends; the rest of the year it opens Monday and Friday 9am-4pm and weekends 9am-5pm, and closes Tuesday through Thursday. Last entry and beach closing are an hour before the gate. Maryland DNR notes that shark teeth wash up in the surf especially during low tide and after storms.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
-
Purse State Park / Nanjemoy WMA Shoreline
Nanjemoy, MD (Charles County), MD
paleocene shark teethotodus teethsand tiger teeth
State-designated locality · Free · Open seven days a week, year-round, in daylight. Hunting is permitted across the surrounding 1,830-acre Nanjemoy WMA in accordance with open seasons, bag limits and shooting hours — check dates and wear blaze orange in fall.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Looking for something specific?
Questions collectors ask
Is rockhounding legal in Maryland?
Yes — at places that allow it. This page lists 4 in Maryland: fee digs, designated collecting areas, and official localities, each checked against its source. Everywhere else, legality depends on who owns the land and what rules apply. Before any trip: check land ownership and current mining claims, get permission, respect closures, and never enter old mine workings.
Can I collect at old mines in Maryland?
Treat Maryland's historic mines as history, not destinations. Most sit on private land or active mining claims, and old workings are dangerous even to walk. The mineral record on this page tells you what the ground holds — the directory tells you where you are welcome to look for it.