Quartsville Creek

Your day starts normal enough, then Quartzville Creek flashes a little gold shimmer and suddenly you’re knee-deep in rockhounding Quartzville Creek like you were born for this. Pyrite hides everywhere out here, acting smug while you dig around with the focus of someone who definitely swore they were only staying an hour. The hunt pulls you in fast. The water runs clear. Your pockets get heavier. You tell yourself you’ll sort the chaos later. This guide walks you through everything you need for pyrite success, whether you’re chasing rockhounding in Sweet Home Oregon, exploring Foster Lake, wandering Green Peter Lake, roaming the Santiam River, or diving into the backroads near the Willamette National Forest at the end.

Getting There

You will be lead down a surprisingly smooth dirt road, and there’s a little pull-off where you can find endless pyrite. Yeah, fool’s gold for days. It’s like the universe saying, “Here’s some shiny stuff that looks fancy but won’t pay your rent.” Sometimes you just need a for-sure win, and scooping up a handful of glittery dirt that sparkles like crazy is exactly that. 

This spot does the heavy lifting for you. The hillside stays wide open and ready, with the dirt showing you exactly where to climb. Park off the road and walk up slow unless you enjoy surprise slides. The pyrite sits in the ground, in the walls, and basically everywhere that makes your pockets twitch. Take only what you want to carry because this place throws more at you than you’ll ever need. Leave the rest so the magic survives your visit. Keep it simple. Keep it quick. Keep it fun.
You’ll hit the exact spot at 44°34’10.3″N 122°23’05.4″W.