While we were camped at the Lenox Marcus Recreation Area, we took a day to check out the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, AR.
This park is a bit unique when it comes to state and national parks. Not only are we very familiar with the principles of “leave no trace,” but we practice it wherever we park. Part of leaving no trace is not taking anything with you from the land. This is doubly true in areas that see a lot of people. However, at the Crater of Diamonds, visitors pay a small fee to access a 37-acre diamond minefield where they can dig, sluice, and keep anything they find.
Finding Diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds
While this sounds exciting, and the mine advertises itself as the 8th most productive diamond mine in the world with at least 2 diamonds found a day, these diamonds are small. Most are smaller than a grain of quinoa.
The method most people use is to sift bucket loads of soil and gravel through screens in a wet sifting area. They then take home 5-gallon buckets of sifted and clean gravel to pick through at home with the hope the dried gravel can reveal the telltale sparkle of a diamond.
Visitors who don’t bring any equipment can rent some from the office. However, we didn’t want to spend more money on equipment. That, and we didn’t intend to bring more dirt home than was strictly necessary. Living with 7 and 9-year-old children makes it an uphill battle. We chose to spend the day picking along the waterways and tilled furrows for pretty rocks, which the minefield had in spades.
After our day of rock picking, the staff was happy to help us identify our pretty stones. Most were jasper with some calcite and volcanic ash in the mix.
If you’re into geologic sightseeing, want an opportunity for your kids to dig in the dirt in a sanctioned manner, or are a budding rock hound and an amateur prospector, Crater of Diamonds State Park is a decent stop. Don’t expect to find the next “big find” or even expect to find enough wealth to make back your entry ticket. Just enjoy the day, learn a little, and get messy!