Gem Hunting
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Find Your Sparkle Digging for Quartz in Arkansas
Hidden beneath the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas holds some of the clearest quartz crystals on Earth. Families can dig, discover and keep every glittering gem they uncover.
In the heart of southwest Arkansas, families can turn a day outdoors into a real-life treasure hunt. The Ouachita Mountains are known worldwide for their natural quartz crystals, prized for their clarity and shimmer. Visitors of all ages can roll up their sleeves, grab a shovel and experience the excitement of unearthing gems that have been forming underground for millions of years. Along with quartz, many mines yield natural finds like agate, jasper and amethyst, turning every dig into a surprise worth discovering.
Top spots for crystal hunting include Ron Coleman Mining in Jessieville, famous for massive quartz clusters and a zip line that soars above the site, and Wegner Quartz Crystal Mines in Mount Ida, where visitors can choose from several dig experiences suited for any skill level.
Avant Mining at Fisher Mountain is the largest quartz mine in the world, while Twin Creek Crystal Mine and Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine offer authentic working digs where families can see what real mining looks like. Crystal Vista offers crystal pockets near Mount Ida that are free to explore. Most sites provide equipment rentals and tips for spotting that unmistakable flash in the soil.
Whether it’s your first crystal or your 50th, gem hunting in Arkansas promises a day that shines.
Experiences
Wegner Quartz Crystal Mines (Mount Ida)
This family-friendly mining site offers public digging for quartz crystals (including phantom and smoky varieties) in tailings piles, guided mine tours, a gemstone sluice and a diamond hunting experiences.
Ron Coleman Mining (Jessieville)
Visitors can dig for their own crystals in tailings, with a guarantee to find crystals, alongside offering zipline tours, mine tours and a gift shop.
Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine (Mount Ida)
This open-cast, dig-your-own crystal mine in the Ouachita Mountains, offers the chance to hunt for, and keep, iron-stained and clear quartz crystals for a fee. The site features shale and sandstone formations.
Crater of Diamonds State Park
The only place in the world where the public can search for real diamonds in their original volcanic source, Crater of Diamonds is a one-of-a-kind experience that brings people from all over the world to Murfreesboro, Arkansas.
Trip Ideas
Diamond Digging
In the Ouachitas, families can search for real diamonds where every discovery is yours to keep. Crater of Diamonds State Park turns an ordinary day outdoors into a sparkling adventure.
Tips for Finding Diamonds on the Surface
One of the easiest ways to find diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park is through surface searching.
Diamond Mining in Arkansas
It's finder's keepers at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. The only public diamond mine in the world, Crater of Diamonds offers you a one-of-a-kind adventure - the opportunity to hunt for real diamonds and to keep any mineral you find.
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