paleontology Archives - American Geode

May 7, 2026May 7, 2026

Rock Tumbling Advice for Novices and Experts

Rock tumbling is one of those hobbies that quietly teaches patience, curiosity, and appreciation for nature’s hidden beauty. There is something exciting about opening a tumbler barrel after weeks of polishing and seeing rough, dusty stones transformed into smooth, glossy treasures. Using a 20-pound barrel MJR tumbler makes the experience even more rewarding because it allows larger batches of rocks to be polished at once, making it perfect for hobbyists who enjoy collecting stones from rivers, driveways, hiking trails, or rock shops.

The MJR tumbler is known for its sturdy design and dependable performance. A 20-pound barrel can handle a generous amount of material, which is especially useful for people who enjoy tumbling multiple types of stones together. Agates, jasper, quartz, petrified wood, and even softer stones can all become beautifully polished when the tumbler is loaded correctly and given enough time to work. One of the most important parts of successful tumbling is maintaining a balanced mix of rock sizes. Smaller stones help cushion the larger pieces and create even grinding during the tumbling process.

Equally important is choosing quality grit. Many rock tumblers trust The Rock Shed for tumbling supplies because the company offers reliable grit, polish, and rock tumbling materials that help produce excellent results. Most tumbling projects follow a four-step process: coarse grit, medium grit, pre-polish, and polish. Each stage gradually smooths the rocks and removes scratches left behind by the previous step. While it can be tempting to rush ahead, patience is truly the secret ingredient to achieving a brilliant shine.

Cleaning between stages is another important habit for successful tumbling. Even a small amount of leftover coarse grit can scratch rocks during the polishing stage. Many hobbyists carefully rinse the barrel, lid, and rocks after every cycle to keep contamination from affecting the final results. Taking this extra time often makes a noticeable difference in the finished stones.

Rock tumbling is also a relaxing hobby that appeals to people of all ages. Some enjoy it for the science and geology, while others simply love the surprise of seeing ordinary-looking rocks become colorful polished gems. A 20-pound MJR tumbler paired with quality grit can turn a simple bucket of rough stones into a collection worth displaying, gifting, or using in crafts and decorations.

In the end, rock tumbling is about transformation. With steady motion, quality materials, and patience, rough stones slowly reveal their hidden beauty. Every polished rock becomes a reminder that even ordinary things can shine when given enough time and care.

February 12, 2026February 12, 2026

Little River Canyon National Preserve Hike to the famous Hippie Hole

The hike to the famous Hippie Hole includes a beautiful hike through the forests of the Little River Canyon National Preserve to the famous “swimming hole” called Hippie Hole by the locals. The first half of the hike is through remote forest, not modernized and hiking boots and a walking stick are required. After about half an hour you come to a “stair case” of large rectangular “steps,” like they were laid by golems, and you take them all the way down to the gorgeous Hippie Hope swimming hole. Hippie Hole is the local nickname; the official name (see the image) is Little Falls. The trail is also very well marked. This is a there and back again hike so you benefit from the following:

You experience a beautiful hike through the forest that you get to see coming and going.

Hiking in Little River Canyon National Preserve — View of the Little River Canyon National Preserve

A helluva workout marching down the stone staircase to the watering hole; then turning around and hiking right back up. Your calves and thighs will delightfully feel it the next morning.
Little River Canyon National Preserve is full of other trails with varying difficulty. You have other options for the rest of your day!
If you drive around the main road that takes you to all the various trails, you find the famous Mushroom Rock, see picture below. It is a giant worn tall rock formation that has worn away leaving this “mushroom” of a rock remaining in the middle of the road.

The visitor center is extremely clean, with a charming museum where they were playing Baroque music! It is a very relaxing place to get a snack and freshen up. Enjoy the museum about the geological origins of Little River Canyon National Preserve and its history becoming a national preserve.

We stayed in nearby Fort Payne, Alabama and we have these 2 recommendations if you stay overnight. Get a drink or a beer to unwind at the local restaurant Vintage 1889, but then have your meal, a fine steak, fish or burger (but we recommend the steak) at Santa Fe Cattle Company. The ribeye and sirloin were each perfect, and sit at the bar for the best experience.

Please look around American Geode for other hiking and rockhounding ideas!

November 14, 2025November 14, 2025

Stone Cuts Trail of Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville, Alabama Hiking Review

Stone Cuts Trail at Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville, AL

While we have plentiful hiking opportunities here in North Georgia, I wanted to get out a little and drive a few hours for a new hike. The Monte Sano State Park is a pleasant, mostly rural and regional road drive of about 4 hours, and the famous Stone Cuts Trail is worth it.

After paying $5 entrance at the welcome gate, stop by the office for a map and got your hiking badge for your walking stick, and then drive to the “Biker’s Trailhead” aka Biker’s Pavilion where you can park for the day.

Monte Sano State Park walking stick medal badge

The pavilion has table and more than one bathroom! It is a great starting point. Then find the one trail that originates from there, and that is the Sinks Trail that will connect you to Stone Cuts Trail. The Sinks Trail is a pleasant 20 minutes through the woods. I was hiking alone and may have had the entire park to myself on the fall Thursday, so it was a little spooky hiking by myself in a trail I had never seen. This Sinks Trail however is well marked, and after about 20 minutes you arrive at Stone Cuts Trail – and you can’t miss it!

The Stone Cuts Trail looks like you are about to cross through the Misty Mountains to get to Moria, in the Lord of the Rings! The Stone Cuts Trail is carved through a limestone area that has cracked, and you are walking in sometimes very tight pathways, with all kinds of little caves and crevices all around you. I took my time to inspect and admire the limestone for fossils and interesting geology, and was just happy to be so isolated in a such a landscape that truly felt like something from Middle Earth. I also found a hidden geocache work of art that was a delightful surprise: https://northgeorgiaculture.com/2025/11/03/october-2025-discovery-at-monte-sano-state-park-alabama/. See the video below for highlights and photos. Here are the Monte Sano State Park trail requirements per American Geode:

Plenty of water and snacks – the pavilion where you start has water from the sinks but no food.

Walking stick is a MUST. The Stone Cuts Trail is EXTREMELY rocky and uneven. A walking stick is a must.

Your must sturdy hiking boots are also needed to be sure not to twist or strain or sprain anything while hiking.

Be prepared for a longer than expected walk back to your car. There is a way to circle back but we did not discover it so after finishing the Stone Cuts Trail, we followed signs to get back to the main road through the park and there is likely a faster way to get back to where you started via the trails. We could consider the trail a medium hike, moderate depending on the scale you consider for your hikes.

Watch our highlights video and if you visit Monte Sano State Park, please tell them American Geode sen’cha!

August 25, 2025August 25, 2025

Rock Shop Review – Pezrok Gems, Minerals, Fossils Gallery in Blue Ridge, Georgia

Pezrock Gems and Minerals of Blue Ridge Georgia

524 E Main St, Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513

Blue Ridge, Georgia is one of North Georgia’s true “gems.” Full of fine restaurants, cool dive bars, adult arcades, fine dining, easy dining, the wonderful Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, and also one of the finest gem, mineral, fossil and interior design stores that American Geode had ever visited. The expensive minerals are well labeled with relevant provenance and history and Pezrock also has very affordable minerals, gems and fossils and they are also well documented.

We were instantly impressed to see that they have out on the Main Street Blue Ridge sidewalk and geode cracked, that we instantly recognized as a version of a sawed off soil pipe cutter like the one American Geode uses to crack geodes!

In addition to the fine minerals, gems, and crystals, we discovered interior design concepts and a kitchen showroom constructed with counter tops and panels of the famous Green River fish fossils, and the kitchen bar stools and other home furniture like dining tables were carved from old hardwood in a style that maintained the form of the tree trunks and limbs. These were some of the most beautiful home designs we had ever seen, and made you want to own a home to incorporate these gorgeous Green River fossil designs,

So when in Blue Ridge, be sure to visit Pezrock as you must see their collection with your own eyes to believe it, and you will likely want to acquire one of their fine works too. Please tell them you read about Pezrock on NorthGeorgiaCulture.com!

June 7, 2025June 7, 2025

Rockhounding for Trilobite Fossils in North Georgia

You know those cool trilobite fossils? Turns out you can dig ’em up in limestone and shale deposits in places like Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York. A recent speaker at the Northeast Georgia Mineral Society later heard about a limestone cement quarry in Ohio that was just packed with Devonian period goodies – trilobites, shark bits, shellfish, and brachiopods in their gravel. The catch? Whole trilobites were super rare, and finding one was like hitting the jackpot. It actually took him a good three or four trips to the quarry before he finally snagged a complete one.

Fast forward a bit, and when he was at Cleveland State University, he and his buddies went fossil hunting. He and a college friend actually found a bigger one, but, oops, it broke in half! So they each took a piece. And get this – as they were heading out, one of their other friends, who wasn’t even that into fossils, just happened to spot a whole one right near where they parked. Talk about luck!

Now, for a quick geology lesson: Trilobites are these extinct arthropods that had cool exoskeletons and jointed appendages. Think of them as ancient relatives to modern-day crabs, centipedes, spiders, scorpions, ticks, horseshoe crabs, spiny lobsters, and even those little rolly-pollys you find in your garden. Their name, “trilobite,” makes sense when you see them, because the fossil has three main sections: a central spine and two lobes on each side. Trilobites had compound eyes and were ocean dwellers. Scientists figure out what they ate based on their mouthparts – some were probably plant-eaters, while others might have been predators. There are a whopping 22,000 known species of these guys!

Trilobites eventually disappeared during the Permian period, likely due to a massive die-off, possibly from a meteor impact that caused global chaos and volcanic activity. Plus, some folks think another arthropod, the Anomalocaris, might have been preying on them.

Our fine speaker even found some complete specimens in the shale deposits of the Conasauga River in NW Georgia once. It was near a new neighborhood, and he found tons of different species! But, sadly, word got out, and collectors started parking all over the neighborhood, which led to the site getting shut down and blocked off. It’s a real reminder for collectors to always be super respectful of these awesome locations. Oh, and if you’re looking for more trilobites, you might have some luck in Tennessee and Kentucky, too! Enjoy these photos of trilobites fossils from Georgia and from Madagascar, and enjoy the educational slides and feel free to share!