Rockhound State Park

Rockhound was established in 1966 as the first park in the United States to allow visitors to collect rocks and minerals. It covers about 1,100 acres on the slopes of the Little Florida Mountains and includes a separate unit, the Spring Canyon Recreation Area, in a sheltered canyon of the Florida Mountains to the south. Check the park's current collecting rules before filling a bag; the limit on the panel dates from when it was cast.

What the plaque says

Official Scenic Historic Marker Rockhound State Park Located on the rugged slopes of the Florida Mountains, this is one of the most unusual parks in the nation. Here "rockhounds" are encouraged to take home samples (up to 15 pounds) of rocks and minerals. The park also offers camping and picnicking facilities, hiking trails and a playground.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Pancho Villa State Park — 25 mi
  The site of Camp Furlong at Columbus, named for the revolutionary whose raiders attacked the town in 1916, as a gesture of friendship toward Mexico.

More markers nearby

• Mary Ann Deming Crocker — 9.9 mi
• Deming — 11 mi
• Cathay Williams — 12 mi
• Columbus — 23 mi