Hunting for amber in Tennessee can be a rewarding experience for anyone who enjoys searching for fossils and ancient treasures. With the right locations and a little patience, you might come across pieces that have been buried for millions of years.

Amber can be found in severa areas across the state, including riverbanks, creeks, and fossil-rich deposits. Some of these spots are well-known among collectors, while others require a bit more exploration.

Whether you’re searching in flowing streams, digging in old quarries, or sifting through gravel beds, there are plenty of opportunities to uncover amber. Knowing where to look and what to watch for can improve your chances of finding something special.

How Amber Forms Here

Amber begins its journey as sticky resin flowing from ancient trees millions of years ago. When insects or small plants got trapped in this golden liquid, they became perfectly preserved time capsules.

Over thousands of years, the resin hardens through a process called polymerization, where molecules link together to form larger, more complex structures.

As layers of sediment buried these hardened resin deposits, pressure and time transformed them into the gemstone we know as amber.

The process requires specific conditions: the resin must be protected from oxygen and excessive heat while maintaining steady pressure from surrounding rock and soil. That’s why we often find amber in sedimentary rock formations.

Types of Amber

You might think amber just comes in that classic honey color, but there’s actually an incredible variety of amber types out there – each with its own unique characteristics and formation story. Let’s dive into the most common ones you might come across.

Baltic Amber

Baltic amber stands out with its warm spectrum of colors ranging from honey yellow to deep cognac brown. Its surface can be transparent enough to see through or completely opaque.

The chemistry of Baltic amber is quite remarkable. It contains high amounts of succinic acid, which isn’t found in other ambers. This unique chemical makeup gives it special properties, like generating static electricity when rubbed.

At 30-50 million years old, Baltic amber tells fascinating stories about Earth’s past. The resin came from ancient pine forests that once covered Northern Europe. The sticky resin trapped small creatures and plant parts, preserving them in incredible detail.

Many pieces show interesting patterns created by air bubbles and natural flow lines from when the resin first dripped down tree trunks. These patterns, combined with its natural warmth and glow, make each piece one-of-a-kind.

Dominican Amber

Dominican amber is famous for its exceptional clarity and brilliant colors. While most pieces show honey and cognac tones, some rare specimens display stunning blue and green hues. The transparency is so remarkable that you can clearly see tiny details of preserved insects and plants inside.

A special variety called blue amber makes Dominican amber truly unique. When held under sunlight, these pieces transform from a pale yellow to a brilliant blue color. This happens because of a special way the amber interacts with light – a feature not found in other ambers.

The amber dates back approximately 16 to 25 million years, making it one of the youngest types of amber available.

Mexican Amber

Mexican amber captivates with its rich palette of colors, from golden yellow to deep red, with occasional pieces showing rare pink or purple tints. Its extraordinary clarity allows detailed views of the ancient life preserved within, including perfectly preserved insects and plant materials.

Dating back 15-30 million years, this amber formed during a time when the region was covered in tropical forests. The resin came from an extinct species of tree related to the modern legume family, giving it distinct characteristics from other ambers.

The preservation quality of inclusions in Mexican amber is exceptional. Scientists have discovered new species of ancient insects in these time capsules, with some specimens showing details as fine as individual hair strands and wing patterns.

Oise Amber

Oise amber, dating back 55-53 million years, shows remarkable transparency with subtle yellow to orange shades. Its clarity lets you see deep inside, where ancient insects and plants remain perfectly preserved since the early Eocene period.

The material has a unique density and structure that sets it apart. It’s generally thicker and more robust than other ambers, which has helped it preserve its contents so well over millions of years.

Scientists have identified over 20,000 different species in Oise amber specimens. These findings include rare insects and plants that help us understand what life was like during the early Cenozoic era.

The amber often contains multiple layers, showing different periods of resin flow. These layers create interesting patterns and sometimes trap air bubbles, making each piece unique.

Burmese Amber

Burmese amber is super old, about 99 million years! It’s usually shaped like a flat disc and comes in reds and browns. A distinctive feature of Burmese amber is the presence of thin calcite veins that can measure between 1 mm to 4.5 mm.

Scientists have found amazing things inside, including baby birds, lizards, and even parts of dinosaurs with feathers still attached. The preservation quality is so good that they can see tiny details that are millions of years old.

The inclusions in this amber are often larger than those found in other types. You might find complete insects with all their body parts intact, or plant materials showing clear cell structures.

These preserved specimens help scientists understand what life was like during the Cretaceous period.

Sicilian Amber

Sicilian amber shows off beautiful golden to yellowish-brown colors with exceptional clarity. The material has a uniform appearance and brilliant transparency that makes it stand out. You won’t find many air bubbles or cloudy areas in this amber.

This ancient material played a crucial role in early European trade, being used and valued about 2,000 years before Baltic amber became popular. Its age remains somewhat mysterious, but scientists believe it formed between 10 to 20 million years ago.

The formation process created amber with unique optical properties. When light passes through it, the amber seems to glow from within. This special characteristic made it highly prized throughout history.

What makes this amber special is its purity and brightness. Each piece typically shows consistent color throughout, unlike other ambers that might have varying shades or patterns. This uniformity gives it a distinct appearance that collectors can easily recognize.

Sumatran Amber

Sumatran amber comes in some really cool colors. You can find it in regular amber colors, but also in red, olive green, and even blue! The blue kind is super rare and special.

Here’s something awesome – when you shine a UV light on Sumatran blue amber, it glows! This happens because of special stuff inside the amber. Also when heated, some pieces even release a pleasant scent.

The blue Sumatran amber is famous because there are only two other places in the world where you can find blue amber. Scientists think this amber formed millions of years ago from trees that don’t exist anymore.

Collectors love Sumatran amber, especially the blue kind. It’s not just pretty – it also helps scientists learn about plants and animals that lived long ago.

Lebanese Amber

Lebanese amber shines with golden to yellowish-brown colors and remarkable clarity. The material is amazingly transparent, letting you see deep inside.

This 130-135 million-year-old amber stands out as one of the oldest known ambers in the world. Its age places it during a crucial time when flowering plants first appeared on Earth, capturing evidence of this major evolutionary transition.

The material contains some of the earliest known mosquitoes ever discovered, making it invaluable for understanding insect evolution. These mosquito specimens show how these insects adapted alongside the first flowering plants.

What’s particularly special about Lebanese amber is its role in documenting the rise of pollinating insects. The specimens inside show the beginning stages of insect-plant relationships that would later shape Earth’s ecosystems.

Bitterfeld Amber

Bitterfeld amber displays warm yellow to brown colors with fascinating transparency. This amber has distinct chemical markers that indicate it came from a different type of ancient forest than those that produced other well-known ambers.

The trapped creatures inside tell a different story than Baltic or Dominican amber. Scientists have found species that don’t appear anywhere else, suggesting this area had its own distinct ecosystem millions of years ago.

The material shows evidence of a warmer climate period in ancient Europe. The preserved plants and insects indicate environmental conditions quite different from what other European ambers reveal about their time periods.

Recent studies of this amber have challenged previous theories about amber formation in Europe, suggesting multiple independent amber-producing forests existed rather than just one major source.

Caribbean Amber

Caribbean amber is famous for its exceptional clarity and brilliant colors. You can find pieces in yellow, honey, and red shades. Espeically the rare blue variety found in Caribbean amber is created by a unique interaction between light and hydrocarbons trapped inside.

These pieces contain tropical species that reveal details about ancient Caribbean rainforests. The preserved creatures are distinctly different from those found in amber from other regions, showing how island ecosystems evolved separately.

The material offers insights into species that existed before the Caribbean islands separated from mainland America. This helps scientists understand how island isolation affects evolution.

The preservation quality is so exceptional that scientists have discovered new species of extinct animals that weren’t known from any other fossil sources, including unique types of lizards and spiders.

What Rough Amber Looks Like

Before you get excited about finding amber, let’s dive into how to spot this fascinating fossilized tree resin in its natural, unpolished state.

Check for a Glassy or Waxy Luster

Raw amber typically has a subtle, waxy sheen – quite different from regular rocks. It’s not super shiny like polished amber, but it’s got this unique greasy-looking surface.

If you spot something that looks like hardened honey or tree sap, you might be onto something! Even in its rough state, amber often has translucent edges when held up to light.

It’s incredibly important to know what you’re looking at and to have a good reference guide. So many rockhounds are throwing away pieces of amber and other incredible finds without realizing it!

DON'T MISS OUT ON ANY GREAT FINDS!

While you're out searching for Amber you're going to find A LOT of other interesting rocks and minerals along the way. The last thing you want to do is toss out something really interesting or valuable. It can be easy to misidentify things without a little guidance.

You absolutely need a good reference guide in order to understand what you're looking at!

We've put together a fantastic field guide that makes identifying 140 of the most interesting and valuable rocks and minerals you will find REALLY EASY. It's simple to use, really durable, and will allow you to identify just about any rock and mineral you come across. Make sure you bring it along on your hunt!

Now, back to the identification specifics:

Look for the Distinctive Colors

Natural amber comes in an amazing range of hues, but most rough pieces are a cloudy yellow-orange or butterscotch color. Some pieces might have whitish surface oxidation (we call it “amber cortex”).

You might also spot deeper cognac browns or even rare blue pieces. Don’t be fooled by the muddy exterior – that’s totally normal for rough amber!

Assess the Density and Weight

Here’s a cool trick: Amber feels surprisingly light for its size! Pick it up – if it feels lighter than a regular rock of the same size, you might have amber.

It’s about as dense as sea salt, which means it’ll float in super salty water. Unlike most stones, it’ll feel warm to touch almost immediately.

A Quick Request About Collecting

Where to Look for Amber

Amber hunting is like a treasure hunt! Here’s where you’re most likely to find these golden gems.

Along Coastal Areas and Beaches

Hit the beaches after storms – that’s when amber tends to wash up! Focus on areas where you spot lots of seaweed or driftwood piles, as amber often gets caught in these natural collection points.

The best spots are usually where the tide leaves a dark line of debris on the sand, especially after strong waves have stirred up the seafloor and brought ancient deposits to the surface.

Investigate River Banks and Gravel Bars

Rivers are nature’s sorting machines! Check out gravel bars and sandy banks, especially downstream from eroding cliffs. Look where the water slows down and deposits lighter materials.

The best time to search is after floods when rivers have churned up new material and redeposited it along their banks.

Clay and Sand Deposits

Search in areas with exposed clay banks, particularly those with dark, organic-rich layers that indicate ancient forest beds.

Sandy areas near clay deposits are prime spots because water naturally sorts materials by weight, often concentrating amber in specific layers. Look carefully after heavy rains when new material gets exposed.

Construction Sites and Quarries

With proper permission, check out newly excavated areas, especially those cutting through sedimentary layers.

Pay special attention to sandy or clayey layers that might represent ancient coastlines or forest beds. These disturbed areas often expose deposits that have been buried for millions of years.

The types of Amber you can find around the state

Tennessee has several types of amber, each with its own characteristics. The most common is Baltic amber, which ranges in color from honey yellow to deep brown.

The state’s amber isn’t as old as Baltic amber, but it can have a similar look and texture. Some pieces contain air bubbles or resin flow patterns, and a few may even have tiny plant or insect inclusions.

Mexican amber is another type that can sometimes be found, known for its deep reds and golden tones. While less common, certain riverbanks and lake shores may have pieces resembling this type, offering a glimpse into the past.

Some Great Places To Start

These are some of the places where you can find amber around the state.

Oak Ridge

Oak Ridge is a great place to search for amber, with its natural surroundings and access to fossil-rich waterways. Located near the Clinch River, this area provides plenty of opportunities for those hoping to uncover fossilized tree resin.

The Clinch River and its tributaries, including Poplar Creek, are good places to check for amber. Over time, the river has carried fossils downstream, and its banks sometimes reveal hidden pieces buried in the sediment.

Focus on spots where riverbanks meet wooded areas or where smaller streams merge with larger bodies of water. Searching after a rainstorm can improve your chances, as the water helps uncover buried material.

Amber often blends in with gravel and sand, so look for small pieces with a waxy, translucent surface. Melton Hill Lake is another place worth checking, especially along its shoreline and creek beds.

Shelbyville

Shelbyville is a great place to search for amber, with its rural setting and access to rivers that may hold hidden treasures. The Duck River, which winds through the area, is one of the best spots for finding amber along its gravel bars and sandy shores.

This river is one of the most biodiverse in Tennessee and has carried various fossils, including amber, to its banks over time. Searching along areas where the water slows, such as near Lake Shelbyville or in shallow bends, can improve your chances of finding something.

These slower-moving sections tend to collect debris, making them good places to check for amber. Look carefully in the exposed gravel, as amber often blends in with surrounding stones and natural materials.

Early mornings or the time after a rainstorm can be the best moments to search. When the water recedes, it can reveal pieces that were once buried beneath sand and small rocks.

Hiwassee River

The Hiwassee River in eastern Tennessee is a great place to search for amber, with its clear waters and scenic surroundings. Flowing through different types of terrain, the river offers plenty of spots to check, especially along its rocky banks and shallow gravel bars.

The area around Benton Station is a good starting point, as the river slows down there and deposits sediment, including amber, into the gravel. After heavy rain or the spring thaw, the shifting water can reveal pieces that were previously buried along the shorelines.

Look in shallow sections near river bends and sandbars, where the current has slowed and left behind small materials. The Ocoee River Gorge is another promising location, with natural deposits that may contain amber along its banks.

Wearing water shoes and bringing a mesh bag can help when sifting through loose rocks and pebbles. Searching early in the morning or after rainfall can make amber easier to spot in clear water and on wet, reflective surfaces.

Pikeville

Pikeville, a small town in the Cumberland Plateau, is surrounded by natural landscapes that offer great opportunities for amber hunting. The Sequatchie River, which flows nearby, is one of the best places to search for this fossilized tree resin.

The river’s gravel bars and banks contain a mix of fossils and organic materials that have been carried downstream over time. Searching along the water’s edge, especially where the current slows and debris collects, can improve your chances of finding amber.

Shallow sections of the Sequatchie River and the edges of Bledsoe Creek are good spots to check. After rainfall, shifting water can reveal pieces that were previously buried in gravel and sand.

Look near river bends and places where smaller streams flow into the main river, as these areas tend to trap amber. Early morning light makes it easier to spot the translucent surface of amber against the surrounding rocks and pebbles.

Maryville

Maryville, located near the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is a promising area for amber hunters. The nearby Little River flows through scenic spots like Foothills Parkway and the Wildflower Preserve, offering several places to search.

The river’s rocky and sandy banks are good areas to check, especially where the water slows after rainfall. As the current moves debris from the hills and forests, pieces of amber sometimes settle along the shorelines.

Metcalf Bottoms and the sections near Elkmont Road are great places to start searching. These wide, shallow areas make it easier to spot amber among the gravel and pebbles.

Focus on river bends where the flow slows and deposits materials, as these spots often trap amber. Early mornings and post-rain searches can improve visibility, making it easier to find pieces against the darker riverbed.

Places Amber has been found by county

After discussing our top picks, we wanted to discuss the other places on our list. Below is a list of the additional locations where we have succeeded, along with a breakdown of each place by county.