Trip West - Crater of Diamonds State Park, AR

Finally make it to Crater of Diamonds.  It has been on my bucket list for 10 years.  You can dig for diamonds and keep anything you find.

We got a nice site though a bit of a challenge getting in.

The Visitor's Center

The next morning I head to the mine

 

Off to the mines

 

It has been hot and dry for days.  The ground is like concrete.  I have read that it is best after a rain as that brings the diamonds to the surface.

They have troughs of water to wet sift

But I am just digging and sifting thru a sieve

It is $10 a day to dig.  You can spend upwards to $75 to rent equipment.  I brought a camp shovel, sieve and bucket

Many large diamonds have been uncovered here.  They plow the search area periodically to loosen the soil and promote natural erosion.  258 diamonds have been registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park in 2021, weighing more than 46 carats in total. Over 75,000 diamondsnin all have been found. 

We were here Sunday and Monday.  Hot and dry.  It rained Tuesday and Wednesday and on Thursday, a woman found a 4.38-carat yellow diamond sitting on top of the ground within an hour of searching. In October 2020 last October, when a visitor from Fayetteville, Ark. discovered  4.49 carat yellow diamond.

Better luck next time!