Guide

Where You Can Legally Collect Rocks in New Hampshire (2026 Rules by Land Type)

Most mineral sites in USGS records are old mines and prospects on private land. Here is what the land managers themselves say about collecting in New Hampshire, by type of land.

White Mountain National Forest

• Picking up a loose rock (no digging) needs no permit, except in Alpine Zones, Experimental Forests, on the Appalachian Trail and in Research Natural Areas.
• Any hand tool counts as surface disturbance. Surface-disturbing collecting is allowed only at three designated sites, with a free one-day permit from the site: Moat Mountain (Conway, NH), Deer Hill and Lord Hill (both just over the line in Maine, but managed by the WMNF).
• Limit: 50 lb or one 5-gallon bucket per permit. Hand tools only: no power equipment, mechanized equipment or explosives.
• Gold panning needs a separate permit from a WMNF district office.

Source: USDA Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest: Rockhounding; Moat Mountain Mineral Site.

NH state parks and other state Department properties

New Hampshire's Department of Natural and Cultural Resources rules say mineral exploration and collecting with hand tools or mechanized equipment is not permitted on Department properties unless granted by special use permit, by rights reserved in a recorded deed, or by a property management plan (Ncr 731.21(a)). It is not permitted at all at geologic sites, natural preserves, historic sites, or above tree line (Ncr 731.21(b)). A separate rule bars removing or disturbing any natural or geological feature on Department properties (Ncr 731.05).

Source: NH Administrative Rules, Ncr 700 (effective June 25, 2025).

National Park Service land

Federal park rules prohibit possessing, removing, digging or disturbing a mineral resource from its natural state in National Park Service units (36 CFR 2.1(a)). Check the specific unit before picking anything up.

Source: eCFR, 36 CFR 2.1.

Fee digs and private land

Private land always needs the owner's permission. Some owners run fee digs: Ruggles Mine in Grafton charges $30 per person (kids under 10 free) with up to a 5-gallon bucket per paid admission. The operator says its 2026 season is over and it reopens in spring 2027.

Source: Ruggles Mine (operator), checked Oct 31, 2026.

How RockWoof labels access

On our county and mineral pages, every USGS record starts as Access unknown. We only mark a site Public collecting access verified when a land agency, official policy or the operator says so, and we link that source. See the best rockhounding spots in NH and places you can actually visit.

Rules checked against the linked sources on Oct 31, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.