GemsVerified
Dig for your own

Emerald Hollow Mine

Choose between sluicing a bucket at the sluiceway, prospecting in the creek or digging on the mine site, washing and screening material in search of emerald and the other gem species found there.

FamiliesChildrenAdults

The visit

Kind of visitDig for your own
WhereUnited States
SettingOutdoors

Why it is worth the trip

It shows the ordinary reality behind a coloured stone: most of what comes out of the ground is gravel, and the gem is the exception you have to work to separate.

Before you go

The mine states that tools are provided in the sluiceway and that creek permits include a sluice box and nylon trowel. A permit is required for every individual at the sluiceway, creek or dig site whether participating or not; buckets of native soil are sold separately and the site states they are not sifted before purchase.

Official source

Compiled from emeraldhollowmine.com, read on August 16, 2026.

Opening times, seasons and prices change, and we are not the operator. Confirm directly with the venue before travelling. We take no commission on any visit.

Other dig for your own

All experiencesGV Origins