How Anyone Can Search for Real Diamonds at Arkansas’s Unique State Park
447In southwest Arkansas, there’s a place where anyone can try their luck at finding real diamonds. It’s called Crater of Diamonds State Park. For just the price of a movie ticket, visitors can dig in a 37-acre field and keep whatever they find. This site is special because it’s the only public diamond mine in the world where people get to keep their treasures.
The land sits on an ancient volcanic pipe that erupted about 100 million years ago. That eruption brought diamonds from deep inside the Earth’s mantle to the surface. Over the years, many have tried to mine these gems commercially, but most efforts failed because the concentration of diamonds is pretty low. Still, the state decided to keep it open to the public instead of leasing it to private companies. Since opening as a park in 1972, visitors have found over 35,000 diamonds.
The Unique Setup for Diamond Hunting
The park’s search area is a section of tilled dirt, which gets regularly turned over by park staff. This keeps new soil on the surface, giving visitors fresh chances to find diamonds. You don’t need a special license to hunt here, and there are no limits on how often you can come. But there are rules—no motorized equipment and all holes must be filled back in before you leave.
People of all ages and skill levels visit the park. Some stroll casually, looking at the ground, while others bring wagons, shovels, and screens to sift through the soil. Visitors can rent basic tools or bring their own. There are covered spots with tables and water troughs for wet sifting, plus open sluice boxes with hand pumps. The park also allows tents and canopies, as long as they’re secure.
What Do Diamonds Look Like? And How Big Are They?
Many people imagine diamonds as sparkling, cut stones, but most found here are more like metallic or glassy pebbles. That’s because diamonds formed deep underground under extreme heat and pressure. The soil also contains other stones like amethyst, garnet, jasper, and quartz, which visitors can keep too.
The biggest diamond ever found in the U.S. was the Uncle Sam diamond, a 40.23-carat gem discovered in 1924 before the land became a park. More recently, visitors have found sizable stones—like a 4.38-carat yellow diamond in 2021 and a 7.46-carat diamond in 2024. Each year, hundreds of diamonds are officially certified, most of which are small—about the size of a match head or a green pea. Still, even tiny sparkling stones bring excitement to those who find them.
Park staff offer free services to identify your finds. They look at your rocks under magnification to see if they’re real diamonds or just quartz. If you find a diamond, it’s yours to keep, no questions asked. That’s part of what makes this park so appealing—everyone has a fair shot.
Visiting the Park and What to Expect
Getting into the park is affordable—admission costs $15 for adults and $7 for kids aged 6-12. You can camp overnight and get a fresh start at dawn. During the summer, the park even has a small water park to help visitors cool off after a hot day of digging. Be warned: temperatures can soar above 110°F, and rain often turns the ground into mud, which can make spotting diamonds easier but also messier.
Many visitors leave with a handful of interesting rocks, along with stories of their search. As one blogger put it, most find “a handful of rocks, some new knowledge, and a long shower.” If luck isn’t on your side, you can always buy a machine that makes diamonds—though those cost a lot more.
Overall, Crater of Diamonds State Park offers a one-of-a-kind experience—an adventure for anyone curious about gems, nature, and a bit of luck. Whether you find a sparkling diamond or just enjoy the thrill of the hunt, it’s a trip to remember.
What do you think?
It is nice to know your opinion. Leave a comment.