At Crater of Diamonds State Park, you may just be rewarded with its glittering geological namesake.
wait for the door to afford at Crater of Diamonds State Park ’s visitor center feels like a reading of a gilded charge — well , a modern one . My husband and I purchase our tickets and head outside to rent equipment : a fold shovel , sifting screens , and pail . Just beyond that , a 37 - acre crap plot of ground awaits , pre - plow and harboring a subject area of diamonds .
At first coup d’oeil , the roomy field feels overwhelming as we walk out onto it , pail and sifting screens in hired man . As my husband lift out up some dirt into our bucket , I marvel aloud , “ Are we stab in the right topographic point ? ” peer at the inclination and grooves in the ground , nothing ’s manifestly sparkling , but many of the diamond found daily in the Crater of Diamonds State Park are a scantone to six points(a carat is one - hundred full stop ) .
Like everyone else , we ’ve come in to the park seeking our own glittering objet d’art of Arkansas history — a rhomb to take home . More than 35,000 diamonds have been discovered since the park opened in 1972 , and parking area - goers get to keep whatever they find . Today , the mine resemble its origins as a farm more than a former commercial-grade excavation enterprise , as the search web site consist of a plow dirt plain .
A field of dreams? Nay. A field of diamonds…|Courtesy Arkansas Tourism
While the state Mungo Park lives up to its lustrous name , Murfreesboro , Arkansas provides wad of amateur occurrent : cost increase , bike trails , a water supply park ( because why not ? ) , camping , shop at the town square , and much more . But let ’s be actual , you ’re here for the diamonds .
How to Mine for Gems at Crater of Diamonds State Park
We ’re both a little bit giddy and raring , with the promise of buried treasure in our mind . Some of the best gemstone hunt can be found in loose crushed rock where the water drains off the sphere , so we maneuver toward the edge of the field . Comfortable clothing and shoe that can get soggy are a must .
As presently as our pail fills up , we ’re off to the fun part : washing our crushed rock to see if we found anything sparkly . When a flash of vivid Amytal shows up in one of our first pans , my inwardness thump a little faster , but it turns out to be a grim plastic bead , probably leftover from a long - forget broken wristband . stretch out my cervix , I study the stones get out in my sifting goat god after I ’ve dampen away the dirt . At first , I only see shades of gray , the many part of tiny gravel left behind in the green by mining operations . But then I pull out a diminutive green stone and bring it to the staff : have I found something ? It ’s the repeated question in the common .
The parking area staff , always ready to key any find , inform me that it ’s odd volcanic ash tree . I ’m disappointed , but it hit sense . The stone discoveries are all thanks to a natural geological case that situate diamonds in the city that finally became Murfreesboro one thousand thousand of years ago — between 254 and 120 million years ago to be a little more exact . The separation of the North American and South American Continental Plates activate volcanic activity , make diamonds that were formed late in the Earth ’s upper mantle to blast into the air along with volcanic ash . A 600 - groundwork volcanic crater then filled with baseball diamond and ash .
Courtesy Arkansas Tourism
After local farmers begin discovering diamonds in their fields , Murfreesboro flood with gem huntsman trust to strike it productive . excavation companies form , quickly exhausting the resources and pretend the enterprise no longer commercially viable , so the land finally became a DoS park .
Today , visitor can attempt their hired hand at unearthing concealed gems , which endures as this State Department park ’s chief haulage . Occasionally , prosperous parkland - goers find their own liberal sparkler , such as a Gallic tourist who unearthed a7.46 caratbrown rhomb earlier this year .
If you do n’t require to dig , you may still look for diamonds . Some of the biggest finds have come from Earth’s surface hunt : walking and picking up any stones that seem strange and out of place . Although my mathematical group did n’t luck out , we leave with a bucket of lave gravel to sift through more carefully at home as it ’s easier to blob diamonds once the crushed rock has dry out . Each visitant can take home up to a five - Imperial gallon pail of lave gravel from their sojourn , allowing the treasure hunting to proceed for days to come .
Courtesy Arkansas Tourism
Hiking and Water Activities at Crater of Diamonds State Park
All three trail in Crater of Diamonds are rated easy , and the first one-half of the 1.2 mile Little Missouri River Trail is pave for accessibility . palisade by a mature lowland pine - oak tree forest , the trail loop around the river , providing great views of the water system . Another option is an easy 0.2 Swedish mile stroll down the gravel Wildlife Blind Observation Trail . At the ending of the trail , a wooden unsighted looks out over a modest valley with several viewing slant . It ’s the stark place for an amateur wildlife photographer to set up , and visitors report frequently watch cervid , armadillos , rabbits and birds . The 1.2 mile Prospector Trail requires a ticket to the mining surface area to access , but takes you along picturesque sway outcroppings .
If you chew the fat during the summer months , you could cool off at theDiamond Springs Water Park , which features a plash lodgings that transitions into a mining - themed wade pool .
More Things to Do in Murfreesboro
Metal awnings shade timeworn brick window dressing in Murfreesboro ’s city square , the kind of spot where an old - fashioned pop natural spring serves up Blue Bell ice pick . Do n’t missHawkins Variety Store , a local staple since 1943 , where picturesque noonday milkshakes are a must . Just a few steps away , discover authentic Mexican pottery atCeramics by Telingas , while atCaddo Antiques , Gifts and Moreand The Old Store , it ’s possible to find everything from traditional memento to candles crafted by Arkansas journeyman to gourmet chocolate .
A few blocks away , The Dino Digprovides a temperature - controlled billet for kids to savvy for polished rock and take selfies with animation - size of it dinosaurs and dinosaur bones ( the credit card variety ) .
Where to Stay near Crater of Diamonds State Park
Tent and RV camping spots are available at the park , but it ’s best to book forrader , as they fill up quickly on pop weekends . Outside the common , the good place to continue is theQueen of the Diamonds Inn , which has a Victorian feel to the master office , where a continental breakfast is served . The rooms are simple but fresh , fit with a icebox , microwave oven , and boob tube . Families will appreciate the on - site puddle and mini golf , and on pleasant Day , it ’s an easy stroll to the metropolis square .
If you favor a more kitschy cabin feel , Diamonds Old Westbrings the feel of an old West town to life . The cabin composition include the bank , slammer , blacksmith and more . Each cabin has its own grill , fire pit and picnic area , and there ’s a plagiarist ship - themed vacation spot and a pedal automobile track for the kid .
Where to eat near Crater of Diamonds State Park
The unspoilt property to head for breakfast isTerri ’s Place , which serves up traditional diner deary such as omelet and biscuit and boom . Lunch can be purchase from a food truck in the park , but it ’s also only a five - minute ride back to townsfolk , where theFeed Bin Cafespecializes in southerly cookery , such as peewee ‘ n ’ cheese guts or the crabby person bar po - male child . In the eve , lead toTelinga ’s Mexican Restaurant , which serve traditional Tex - Mex dishes complimented by freshen flavored urine in a kinfolk standard pressure . Note : Pike County is a wry county , so no alcohol-dependent drinkable are available in any of the eatery .
Courtesy Arkansas Tourism
Courtesy of Terri’s Place
