GPS: 35.08928, -83.61994
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:
Chunky Gal is an 8 mile or so ridge sitting on an ultramafic bedrock called dunite. The corundum here is typically found found embedded in smaragdite, which is a green host rock that’s full of chrome. Looking at night with an ultraviolet night will make it far easier to see corundum, especially if pieces are partially covered in muck or mud. It has a bright orange-red fluorescence.

Alongside the corundum, you may also come across almandine garnets, spinels, and rutile. There’s a lot of variety here, and by no means is this a complete or highly technical list. If you choose to hunt with a UV light here, one challenge to be aware of is the moss/algae in this region is also fluorescent red under a blacklight. This can make it tricky to discern what you’re looking at sometimes.

When out here, you’ll be hiking and doing true backcountry prospecting. There isn’t one exact point or spot here. Searching gravels can also be productive for small gemstones that have made their way out of the host rock.

Make preparations to be in remote country with wildlife including bears.

This site has been prospected and enjoyed for many, many years - If you see any holes out here, try backfilling them a little to keep the area in nice shape. You shouldn’t need to dig to find anything if you’ve got a blacklight or search for hexagonal structure of the corundum.

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:

Road conditions vary on National Forest roads, 4×4 is recommended.

Location-specific note: There are some locations in Western North Carolina that are still closed in Summer of 2026 following extensive damage from Hurricane Helene. Currently, it appears that the Chunky Gal area is open and accessible. Follow Forest Service guidelines if this changes or if roadways shut down for construction/repair. There are still many areas being rebuilt at the time of writing this, nearly 2 years after the storm.