GPS: 35.0135, -83.25749
Treat these as a rough starting point. It’s a general area to explore, not one specific point.
Land type:
National Forest
Digging fee:
None

Description:
Blue corundum (sapphire) and almandine garnet are the headline finds, consistent with the broader Ellijay/Cowee-Buck Creek corundum belt that runs through this part of Macon County. As with most of this district, expect to be surface prospecting and creek-panning rather than tunneling — corundum here weathers out of the metamorphic host rock into stream gravels and hillside soil, so a shovel, screen, and patience go further than a rock hammer.

With a little bit of creek panning and sifting with a screen, blue corundum can still be found in the Blue Valley. It can be difficult to spot corundum in regular light among river gravels. Try using an ultraviolet light in the shade after concentrating some gravels or picking out some that you think may be sapphires. Ruby can also be found in the area, as it is simply just a different color of corundum. Almandine garnets are present in the area too and can be commonly mistaken for ruby without using a UV light. Typically, you’ll have best results using a 365nm UV light when looking for rubies/sapphires.

Seasonality:

Open year round, provided that roads are passable. This area appears to be fully accessible again following Hurricane Helene in 2024.

Road condition notes:

Gravel National Forest roads. The roads around this area are reportedly rougher the further in you go off of the paved roads in the area. Be specifically cautious after heavy rainfalls for potholes, washouts, and mud.

Additional information:

Important: There is a designated zone called the Blue Valley Experimental Forest, which sits to the South of these coordinates. Do not collect there, mineral collecting in that specific area is prohibited.