| Before making a trip to this quarry you had better | | | | years ago. I only spent four hours here, but I left there |
| make sure you have a sturdy vehicle. Anything without | | | | with some great samples. My best was a perfectly |
| four wheel drive is going to have a tough time making | | | | formed and whole almandine garnet crystal, about the |
| it up there. I would also make sure you have a spare | | | | size of a golf ball. I figured I was not going to do much |
| tire with you along with the means to change a tire. A | | | | better than that, and so I left. I plan on going back and |
| cell phone is highly recommended as well. You can | | | | spending some more time at this site. Maybe take a |
| always drive in until the road gets difficult, park on the | | | | tent with me and make a week end of it. |
| side and then walk up. There is an open area, what | | | | Driving directions are as follows: |
| looks like a gravel pit that is a good area to park. This | | | | From four way intersection on route 108 in West Peru, |
| mine can be difficult to locate for some, because it is | | | | drive 3.05 miles south on Dickvale road. Turn left onto |
| over grown and you can tell few people make | | | | mineral springs road and continue 0.95 mile to |
| collecting trips to this location. That is a good thing, | | | | intersection. Turn right onto Paradis road (gravel) and |
| because it means that the area has not been picked | | | | drive 1.05 miles to abandoned cabin on left. Park here. |
| clean. The Hedge Hog Hill Quarry is located in Peru | | | | Walk on main road from here about 150 ft to quarry |
| Maine in the County of Oxford. Few minerals have | | | | road on the right. Follow this woods road 270 feet to |
| been found here, in my mind it is a simple granite | | | | fork, keep left at fork. Continue 675 feet to next fork, |
| pegmatite, but it is still worth the trip. For one thing the | | | | keep right. Walk 390 feet to stone wall. Follow road |
| view from up there is worth the trip alone. The fact | | | | through opening in wall and go another 150 feet to end |
| that few people seem to come here is another draw. | | | | of obvious road. Continue straight ahead on steep |
| This is because you do have to drive a ways on a dirt | | | | down grade following trail for 360 feet to the quarry. |
| road through the woods to reach the mine. | | | | (Maine Mineral Localities 3rd EDT. by W.B Thompson, |
| Minerals observed here are albite, almandine garnet, | | | | D.L. Joyner, R.G. Woodman, V.T. King) |
| beryl, biotite, chrysoberyl, fluorapatite, microcline, | | | | These directions make it sound very difficult to find, but |
| muscovite, quartz, and schroll. That is it, and I only | | | | it really is not simply because there is nothing else up |
| found garnet, biotite, muscovite, and quartz on my trip. | | | | here. Make sure you stay on the right trail when the |
| So, just because all of those other minerals were listed, | | | | road forks and you will have no trouble finding the |
| do not count on finding them. The jackpot at this | | | | mine. I drove past the cabin and followed the directions |
| location are the almandine garnets. Some very large | | | | until I reached the gravel pit area. I parked here, but |
| almandine garnets can be found here. The open mine | | | | don't try to make it unless you have four wheel drive. |
| face is chock full of them, but don't count on getting | | | | From here it is a short walk up a steep dirt road to the |
| these out. It can be done, but it takes a lot of work and | | | | quarry. It is essentially the top of a small mountain |
| you better ware a pair of goggles. Not to mention you | | | | where the mine is. One side has been mined. The |
| can go through all of that effort only to end up | | | | talice pile is located off to the side and down below. I |
| damaging the sample you are after. I did not see any | | | | should not call the area I parked a gravel pit. It really is |
| garnets worth that kind of effort all though it is said | | | | just a wide open area that looks like a natural dirt |
| that some very gem quality samples have been found | | | | parking lot. I assumed it was a gravel pit, because it |
| in pockets of quarts. I found one such garnet sample | | | | was the only reason I could come up with for it being |
| at another mine location of the grossalur garnet | | | | there. Perhaps it is what remains from when the mine |
| variety. This garnet was roughly the size of a golf ball | | | | was open and in operation. It would be a good idea to |
| and was gem quality. I hammered around that thing for | | | | bring sub block and bug spray with you. I can not |
| an hour without so much as making a dent. The | | | | emphasize the bug spray enough. This is a wooded |
| crystal was resting in a pocket of quartz. I left it there | | | | area and black flies and mosquitos are thick here. It is |
| with a tear in my eye. The almandine crystals at the | | | | also a good idea to bring a screen for sifting. Especially |
| Hedge Hog Quarry are quite large. I would recommend | | | | when the main goal is finding garnet crystals scattered |
| digging through the talise piles. I can almost guarantee | | | | through out the talise piles. You can also bring a chisel |
| you find one of these large garnets. Simply because | | | | and a hammer although they are not necessary. A |
| very few people have dug through these piles. This | | | | small shovel would be more useful. I highly recommend |
| fact becomes obvious when you first arrive at the | | | | making this trip. The garnet samples are worth it, and |
| mine. In fact, I would almost bet the only signs of | | | | you never know. You may get lucky and find some of |
| digging you will find are from my trip there over five | | | | the rarer minerals that have been found here. |