Arkansas quartz crystals are highly prized by gem hunters.
If your idea of recreation is digging for crystals, consider a trip to Arkansas, well-known in rockhound circles for its clear, high-quality quartz crystals. These gorgeous specimens are highly sought-after, but other types of mineral crystals draw rockhounds from all over to Arkansas.
Ouachita National Forest Area
The Ouachita National forest is located in central Arkansas and extends into Oklahoma. Most of the 1.8 million acres of forestland lies inside Arkansas. This land is rich in many forms of mineral crystals, including some of the finest quartz crystals found in the United States. Although some areas are closed off to mineral hunting, there are many locations where visitors can dig for quartz. Visitors can choose from both fee digs and free hunting areas.
Fee Digs
The Mount Ida area is well-known for crystals. Many sites are privately owned, but several are open for visitors to hunt their own crystals for a small fee. These are good places for beginners or those with little time to explore open land. The fee digs usually have staff on hand to show those new to rock hunting what to look for and dig. At some mines, land is excavated and piled for visitors to explore. Other sites allow digging from the mine walls. It is best to call and ask about digging specifics, extra charges for findings and other rules before choosing your mine destination.
Free Digging
You need not worry about mine owners restricting you to sifting though tailings or charging extra for crystals after you have already paid for entry. Crystal Vista, just south of Mount Ida at the top of Gardner Mountain, is a free dig location. A mine at one time, Crystal Vista is now open to the public at no charge. Another free crystal digging area is Crystal Mountain, located between Jessieville and Perryville. You can also hunt for crystals in areas that are not private or otherwise restricted from hunting -- but unless you know the mountains well and hunt for crystals, you might spend more time looking for a place to dig than actually digging, if you go off on your own hunt.
The Other Crystal
The most popular crystals other than quartz in Arkansas are diamonds, which you can dig at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro. Crater of Diamonds is the world's only public-access diamond mine. There is a fee to dig, but anything you find is yours to keep. As of 2011, about 75,000 diamonds have been recovered from the park. The diamond hunting area covers a 37-acre plowed surface, and only light tools are required to dig. There are camping sites at the park and several amenities for those who feel that one day in the diamond fields just is not enough.
Tags: quartz crystals, Crater Diamonds, Crystal Vista, hunt crystals, mineral crystals, Ouachita National