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Murfreesboro Crater of Diamonds info?

I have been there once but I didn't find anything but we only had about an hour to look. I am planning to go agian some time this year. I am hopeing to do it dureing springbreak if its warm enough. If its not then I will have to wait till this summer. Good Luck tho and have fun. Also remember to dig down a foot or two to get out of all the stuff that has already been picked over...
 

If you have you're own tools, like spades and sieves and such, you should bring them. The deposit (you get pretty much all of it back, but have to deposit up front) is 40 dollars. I hear it's best to go after a rain storm. I've been there once before. Didn't find anything, but people do all the time. I'm going to go again next month.
 

I was told that on the news yesterday, it was reported that two young twins,(there with family) found a 'large' diamond.
 

I've been wanting to go to this park for quite a while -- I think I read about it a few years ago. I think it'd be blast to do.

I'm just waiting for a consulting project to bring me to this area...

Right now, I'm bobbing back and fourth between Coudersport, PA and Charlotte, NC.
 

Hey,
I live close by. Maybe 1/4 mile from park land and 1 mile from entrance on highway.

My wife, when she was my girlfriend, worked at the restaurant out there in high school. If you have never been there, yes it is a huge plowed field. Nothing that you have to enter into. That is what most tourist are always wanting to know. "Where's the mine?"

John Huddleston, first diamond finder, owned the land and found a diamond on it. Over time and several owners, the state of Arkansas purchased it and it is now a State Park with a small water park on the grounds.

And yes they are REAL diamonds and their not planted there. That too is another question that is always asked. Our local newspaper, the Murfreesboro Diamond ;D lists the diamond finds each week in the paper. It seems the latest largest find is a 1.57 ct and 1.54 ct last week, 04/2/2007. Not too long ago, within the past year a 5. something carat diamond was found.

The park is experiencing large record crowds of late. So be prepared.

Good Luck.
 

Additional info about the diamond mine can be found at http://www.diamondsinar.com

This is Glenn Worthington's website and on it you can purchase his book entitled Genuine Diamonds In Arkansas.

This book is the best information on the diamond mine and has several color photos of some beautiful diamonds found. The largest ever was a 40.25 carat pinkish white diamond named Uncle Sam diamond.
 

The cooler months are always better for many of us that have hunted Diamonds in Murfreesburo. When it is cooler, you don't sweat as much coming up the hill with five gallon bucckets of dirt to the Sluice Wash. When you wash many buckets of dirt, it tires you much faster in the summer months. It can get quite humid in the summer.

I have been there many times and I have found several diamonds there. I was there many times with Mr. Jim Arhcer. Mr. Archer past on in the field a few years ago. What a shame. Mr. Archer was a very kind and gentle man and probably the most successful miner at the mine because of one thing - persistence and never tiring searching for the elusive gem. I saw him with literally hundreds of gem stones, some very beautiful big stones too.

My advice is be patient, do you research, and watch some of the old timers there. You will learn how to find a diamond. It atkes work. I never found the diamonds I did without work.

I'll ofer a bit of advice here. Find an area where there is a hill and hunt on the downside of the hill about tw feet up from leverl ground. There are still some areas like that. But be warned, a Diamond can be found anywhere! One of the most treasured things I ever saw that originated at the mine was a pure crystal arrow head that was found by a guy right behind me. Shame I didn't find it, but I am glad for the other guy.

Happy hunting if you go. There are a couple of motels nearby in Murfeesburo and a couple of campgrounds. I am sketchy on the details of either though. I lived about an hour away so we never had to camp.

Regards,

Cactus_Cache in Texas
 

Well I went there. I was ready to go home that 1st afternoon. In all fairness, I did stay 3 1/2 days of my planned 5 day stay. Found a little 3 point brown diamond on the 3rd day. (100 points to a carat) That culvert under the road out in the middle.... no use of look there, now.
Some guys had been there 6 days and had not found anything. If you are NOT a read RockHound, You will not find hardly anything of interest if you don't find a diamond.
I have learned that the fields are pushplowed each month, near the end of 1st of month. I think it would be best to go right after a plowing. when I was there The dirt is SUPER hard and crusty. Saw one fellow give up trying to use a post hole digger. It also rained the afternoon before I got there. That next morning people where losing their shoes in the mud, but that afternoon, you could hard dig it was so hard!!
I was told that last year maybe 50 people a day, Now its about 200 people, and thats before school was over for the summer and with the water park closed.
If you can, go during the school season and when its cooler. Some teachers bring their classes out for part of the day even during school. Be prepared to crawl on you hands and knees ( use some good knee pads and gloves the gound is hard and crusty) I did find a quartz cyrstal that others overlooked by using that method. Some people come only after a rain, and they WALK the tops of the plowed rows... I don't think they could spot a 1/2 caret stone, you need to crawl on your hads and knees.
The parks camp ground is great, another camp 1/2 mile away. several cafes and a Sonic drive inn in town. The park has a web site, you can call them, they will give you info, hotels, whatever.
 

Hey.....we are going on vacation to the Crater of Diamonds August 26th for a whole week...however, we found a better campsite...rates are just a dollar more than the Crater of Diamonds campsite. Yes, we will be camping out.

We are camping at Lake Greeson, right on the lake, in fact, as soon as I finish this post, have to make my reservations, since hubby got the ok for the week off!

I also contacted the Crater of Diamonds...NO METAL DETECTING AT ALL!! They are also the ones that told me of Lake Greeson (Army Corps of Engineers own it). So I contacted them...YES< WE CAN METAL DETECT. You can get your permit from any ranger on the grounds or from the office at Narrows Dam. The permits are free...and the rules are: You may keep what you find, except for NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIFACTS. So cool. There is like 16,000 acres of land.

We are going to camp right on the water, wake up each morning on the lake front....so cool! The rate is 18 bucks a night and includes electricity and water! You can have one RV and one tent on the campsite or two tents. We will just have the tents.

Look up Lake Greeson ... Army Corps of Engineers....from what I understand, you may detect any land owned by the Corps, but as a general common curosity, always ask...we did and it turned out great!

Oh, we will be camping at Cowhive Dove at Lake Greeson....maybe we will see some of ya'll there. But we are also going to try our luck at the Crater of Diamonds. Giving ourselves 5 full days to hunt....and they also have a water park...about 20 bucks for a family of four...that we will take our boys too for putting up with Mom and Dad detecting and digging (which they are excited in digging for diamonds, hope they find one!)

We are so excited....Happy Hunting Ya'll...
Annmarie
 

Hey,have a great time.Take rubber knee boots and gloves.Hope you find one BIG carat!
 

The permit you will need is called a "Special Use Permit" and is available by calling the project office at Lake Greeson (google it up) and faxing back and forth. You could have your permit by the afternoon. The people are very accommodating. I have my permits and reduce them down to a manageable size and put them in my wallet. The rangers ask me for it on a semi-regular basis.

There are at least five major (sand) beaches and swim areas on Lake Greeson. While on the phone, you could ask them to send you a brochure of the lake. It shows the locations of the beaches.

Although you may find a diamond at the 'mine' your best bet is to scour the beaches! (just my opinion) I have found two nice diamond rings on the lake in the last couple of years.

The lake is down a bit right now and should be good for wade-detecting the beaches.

Cowhide cove has a nice camping area--but all the camp sites are nice! The weather is really hot right now though. Hopefully when you come, it will have at least cooled off some.

FYI, just down the road (if you are a country music fan) in Delight, Arkansas; it is the boyhood home of Glen Campbell. It's actually in Billstown, about 11 miles east of the mine. Not much there but a few memories and some nice folks who are willing to talk if you smile.

Not far to the south is Hope. Hometown of Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee and the famous watermelon capitol of the world lol.

If you want to venture out,about 35 miles away off highway 70, the Albert Pike Recreation area is a great place the locals inhabit. Rumor has it that a cache of gold and/or silver are stashed in the area, either civil war or Jesse James origin. Nevertheless, it is a great recreation area.

I hope you enjoy yourself. I have never been to the diamond mine, and I only live about 45 miles from it. But there are some great places to metal detect in the local area.

aj
 

Thanks AJ....I have noted all the wonderful information! 1 week and 3 days...WHOO HOO!! So excited! I just might hit up Billstown...I like Glen Campbell and loved watching him on Hee-Haw!!!

That's great to hear about the beaches at the lake...Thanks...will definately hit those up!!!

Will post when we get back of all the marvelous finds (we hope!)
Annmarie
 

I want to add one thing: Someone said that the Corps only allows you to MD in the swimming areas. That's not necessarily so.

On your Special Use Permit, fill it out to say something like: "To detect any beaches, playgrounds or unoccupied campsites."

The permit is specific in nature because there are areas around the lake that are culturally significant and digging in around those areas are strictly prohibited, as they are on any land in Arkansas--public or private.

I don't post a lot, but I do check the "today's finds" three or four times a week--just to see what's goin' on.

Pray for rain concerning the diamont hunting. The ground will be rock-hard right now. The actual hunting will most likely be restricted to early morning and late afternoon. Stay hydrated, have patience and--above all--have a lot of fun.

Y'all have a great trip and be safe. I look forward to seeing your finds. <><

aj
 

AJ...Again...THANK YOU! Your information is very helpful to us as well as to anyone who plans to make this trip to the Crator and/or camp at Lake Greeson.

I was able to download a brochure off the website of the lake layout....We will be at site #10....it's like 300 meters (I think that's right) from the lake front...well, one part of the lake anyways).

I noticed on the map...that lake has alot of turns and bends...should be exciting to see what we can find. Hubby has a Minelab Exp II...so he shouldn't have much of a problem getting into the lake to detect, however, I have a Garret Ace 250 and the boys have the 150...depending on the soil, I'll see if I can swing the detector in the lake too. I know I can't at the beach...too many false readings.

I made note of the SPECIAL USE PERMIT as to what to write down..>THANK YOU so very much for that tidbit!!!!! The folks I spoke with seemed really nice and all...so I don't forsee any problems. I have to make sure that if we do find any Native American Artifacts, that I get lots of pics before turning them over. (which I will do, just the person I am...my word is my bond!)

Maybe while we are there....we might run into you at the lake...we can't check into the campsite until 6 pm on Monday (27th)..which I didn't know until after I made the reservations...but that's ok...trying to find some places in that area for Rock Hunting. Besides, will give us time to check out the area, get our permits and such...

I have been checking the weather dot com website and typed in the zip code for that area to keep track of the weather. I am praying for rain (at night LOL)...to me, it seems with detecting, signals come through so much better against the moist soil!!! We are getting a shell for the truck...so incase of extreme weather (thunderstorms and lighting)..we can sleep in the truck!

Told the boys to KEEP EVERY ROCK they find (and coming from me...they were excited, as I throw them all away after the vacations are over!) ... I would hate to throw a rock away and find out later it was something I should have kept. With the boys in scouting, this will also help them in earning their badge.

And for detecting, the area we are in will most likely be all we will be able to get in...after digging in the dirt at the crator.

So, if you want to stop by one night....let me know....be nice to meet someone from the area and get to know more TN members!!! We will have an extra tent if you want to spend the night also...we are bringing two tents, just because and will have both set up! Infact, come spend a day with us, bring the family....you said you have never been to the crator...come on down...then we'll head back to the campsite, get some grub and detect around the lake. Ya'll can spend the night in our extra tent....will be lots of fun!!!

Anyone from Arkansas in that area, come on down...let's have a TN get together!!! Capt John, why don't you try your hand at the crator again...we just might get real lucky this time!!!

See ya'll in about a week!!!!!!! WHOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Annmarie
 

Hey AnnMarie!

How did the trip go? So sorry I have not even checked this forum in a few weeks. Enjoyed your last post.

About the Ace 250. I LIKES it. Matter of fact, it is my favorite, until I get my new Tiger Shark this winter. For me, it works VERY well at the beach. That's about all I do with it. I take it as deep as I can w/o flooding. This summer I have paid for it with my finds, probably 6 times over. Finding four diamond rings and several huge (11 gram and 9.5 gram) 14K bands really helped.

I went to Greeson about two weeks ago and the beaches had been refurbished with new sand. I found very little. The lake was so down it was alarming. But Lake Ouachita, Lake Gillham and Lake Hamilton have been 'kind' to me!

Sorry I missed you. Hope you had a great stay in Arkansas. <><

aj
 

Re: Hey AnnMarie!

Arkie John said:
How did the trip go? So sorry I have not even checked this forum in a few weeks. Enjoyed your last post.

About the Ace 250. I LIKES it. Matter of fact, it is my favorite, until I get my new Tiger Shark this winter. For me, it works VERY well at the beach. That's about all I do with it. I take it as deep as I can w/o flooding. This summer I have paid for it with my finds, probably 6 times over. Finding four diamond rings and several huge (11 gram and 9.5 gram) 14K bands really helped.

I went to Greeson about two weeks ago and the beaches had been refurbished with new sand. I found very little. The lake was so down it was alarming. But Lake Ouachita, Lake Gillham and Lake Hamilton have been 'kind' to me!

Sorry I missed you. Hope you had a great stay in Arkansas. <><

aj
Click to expand...

We had a wonderful time, even with waking up to a thunderstorm on Thursday morning!!! We put a tarp over the tent as the tent was getting drenched and waterproof only last so long! LOL...pulled up the camp stove as we made a overhang over the tent opening and cooked breakfast. It was fun being in the tent listening to the rain pitter patter!!!

We only detected a couple of times at Lake Greeson. Both hubby and I went into the lake, very slimy!!! Ewwww LOL. We both found a ring. His was .925 and mine had no markings, looks more like either a toe ring or baby ring (pinky ring). I picked up alot of interesting rocks I like too.

Yeah, we noticed that too...about the lake...it was way down!!! But I must admit, I really really enjoyed taking my ACE 250 into the lake..that was so cool!!! I wish I could do that at the beach, but the thing goes nuts in that salt water!!!! We found some clad, mostly pennies and all 2007!!! Oh well...it was fun...the boys swam and we detected. I did find something interesting in our campsite, we were at #10, that I dug atleast 6 inches down to get to...it's round and looks like it may have gone around a wooden barrel. I showed the ranger that item and he agreed that is what it looked like or the brass ring off of a giants fountain pen LOL!!! It wasn't brass, it was iron, I think.

We only visited the crator two times, I wound up stating at a Navy buddies house on Monday night (the night we were to check into our campsite). I hadn't seen her in 15 years. She lives up in Marshall, Ark....she let us detect her yard and her step-son...well, I think he's hooked!!! He loved it!! Didn't find much, but we didn't detect long either.

Took the kids to Natural Bridge on our way from Marshall to Murfreesboro.

The two days at the crator was HOT!!! It rained some in the afternoon on Wednesday. Got out of that, it had lightning!!! But we stayed at the crator, just waited for the storm to pass. Got alot of sluiced soil we brought back with us. Didn't go Thursday except to see if someone turned in my son's camera....his digital camera was stolen and I thought maybe, just maybe, they would have a quilty mind....to no avail!!! >:(

We took the boys to that Indian Village down the road, the ones that built the mounds...can't remember their tribal name...sorry. I found 3 arrowheads, well, one was broken, one looked like a chip of stone that was knocked off when they were making an arrowhead and could have been used to scrap hide, as we were shown a demonstration of that in Jamestown (Va) and another piece looks like it may have been the tip of an arrowhead...so I was really excited about those pieces!!!! My firsts ever!! We bought the boys this little plastic box of stones they could sluice through and they got some nice polished gems and sharks teeth and a real arrowhead (but not an old one!...one made more recent for the kiddies to find!)...but they had fun!

Friday we went back to the crator, this time on the other side where the mine was. We found lots of holes that were dug deep, we took sand from those and dug our own and sluiced more to take home. We did have fun, even though I didn't find that one big diamond I was hoping for...infact, no one found a diamond while we were there and if they did, they didn't tell LOL. Some guy though, found a nice Amytheist.

I did bring home some nice Jasper, Quartz and other stones, along with Volcanic Ash and Tuff...thought that would be good for the boys for school this year when they study volcano's...and I can put it with our other volcanic rocks (the ones I got from Mt. Vesuius when I was stationed in Italy and from Capulin (spelling)...the inactive volcano in New Mexico we went to some years back.)

Our ride home was long and we really couldn't wait to get home....I needed a vacation from our vacation...but overall...it was fun and exciting and I am planning to do it again next year...only I may go a bit earlier in the year!!! LOL ... I found from sluicing more the dirt we brought home...a better method (for me) in sluicing....and I want to try that at the crator. Infact, when we go to Pipsico for our fall MD Hunt...I want to do some sluicing on the James sand....that should hopefully yield something I hope!!! Maybe a fossil shark tooth? Or someones diamond ring? LOL

I haven't made a post of our trip yet and I need too...but besides my son's camera being stolen, my camera died on me!!! UGH!!! And I have only one camera left, my other son's...I am going to go through everything this weekend and see if I can get some good digital shots of our finds, and some of the rocks we sluiced and saved from the crator.

I was somewhat dissappointed in not finding a diamond, but I enjoyed the experience with my sons....and they had fun too!!!

I loved Arkansas, by the way....so beautiful!!! Had fun at my shipmates place and visiting with her and next time I may just camp at the Crator....:) Lake Greeson was nice, the Rangers were super. We met 3 of them...they stopped by the camp...shared some great stories! We did have some stray dogs wander in...dang lab ate my spatula!!!!! The night before leaving, the owner finally came and got his dogs (2 of them). We told the Rangers about them and they took care of it...that's when the owner picked them up!!

New Sand, huh?...whew...we were there at the right time to find those two rings LOL ;)

Congrats on your finds and glad you are enjoying your Tiger Shark. I'm looking at a new detector for me to use in the water (salt) and one for hubby for Christmas for when he goes diving!

But overall...I would recommend the Crator of Diamonds to anyone...it truly is an experience!!!!

Thanks for asking and maybe we will get to meet you on our next trip!!! Have fun and go find lots more rings!!!
Annmarie
 

Hello,

I thought I would post this article written in our local newspaper in April of this year. It was an incredible year at the Crater of Diamonds.

Diamond Rush: Tourist rush hits Murfreesboro; town runs out of bread, motel rooms
April 16, 2007 - No reporter cited
By Heather Grabin, Bret Graves & Lawrence Graves

MURFREESBORO - Dave and Ena Heth of DeForest, Wis., are seated at their picnic table, family dog tied up nearby, enjoying the Arkansas outdoors at their camping site in the Crater of Diamonds State Park.

“We saw it on the Travel Channel a few months ago and we decided this would be a good place to visit,” Dave Heth said while munching on a plate full of crawfish he bought in Hot Springs while en route to Murfreesboro. “I’m celebrating my birthday here.”

The Heths rented an RV, loaded up their two kids and dog and headed out for the 700-mile trip to their Arkansas destination. They stopped overnight near Hot Springs and they plan to spend two days parked at the Crater.

The Heth family, like thousands of other tourists, has discovered the unique experience of hunting for diamonds. Like most tourists, they might not find a diamond because the gems wouldn’t be valuable if they were easy to find, but they are having a good time anyway during their stay in Arkansas.

Tourists are pouring into Murfreesboro’s Crater of Diamonds State Park in record numbers this year. In fact, there are so many tourists in the Diamond City, the local grocery store, Rehkopf’s, ran out of bread, and the Dollar General sold out of disposable cameras. Phil Terrell at Murfureesboro Ace Hardware reports he is selling out of shovels and buckets.

Motels like the Queen of Diamonds, Little Shamrock and American Heritage Inn are putting out the “no vacancy” signs earlier than ever this year. The state park’s 59 camping sites are full every night.
Rachel Engebrecht, park interpreter, confirmed the state-owned facility is on track for a record year on top of last year’s highly successful season. Visitation for the past six months is up a whopping 156 percent and although complete numbers for March are not yet in, the park is projecting a 138 percent increase.

“This is the biggest single month that I can remember in my 24 1/2 years here,” said Engebrecht about the month of March.

Nearby Lake Greeson is also benefiting from the surge in tourists.

“The lodge has been extra busy. All four cabins, four condos and the lodge have been rented out,” said Rhonda Harmon, manager of newly-remodeled Swaha Lodge and Marina at Narrows Dam.
Murfreesboro businesses and park workers are accustomed to dealing with large numbers of tourists in the spring and summer, but what is happening this year is the tourists are arriving earlier and in greater numbers.

Bhavi Ni at the 25-room American Heritage Inn said the motel has been full just about every night since mid-March.

Park officials attribute the increase in tourists to publicity about recent diamond finds, the Travel Channel segment, a Discovery Channel show and good weather.

Park paid admission so far this year is over 25,000, three times higher than the same period last year and camping occupancy has doubled to over 80 percent capacity. And those high numbers are occurring with both the water park and restaurant closed.

The Crater of Diamonds state park is one of the state’s best revenue producers even though state officials warn that Arkansas’s 52 parks were not built to show a profit. The park had a 2006 net profit of $74,000 on revenue of $1.2 million, but the bottom line number is misleading because it doesn’t include advertising and many other costs associated with promoting and operating the facility.

One reason for the higher revenue was the addition of the Diamond Springs Water Park last year, which is a big hit with locals as well as tourists looking for a spot to cool heated kids off after spending a few hours of digging for elusive diamonds in the hot Arkansas sun.

Murfreesboro also benefits from having popular tourist draws like Ka-Do-Ha Discovery, Lake Greeson and the Little Missouri River.

Just this week in our paper it listed a 3.48 carat diamond being found. Here is a link to the story:
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1207/479455.html

There were several big diamonds found this year. More than I can remember.

I talked to them at the office there and they told me as of 12/14/07 there were 1001 diamonds found this year. Last year there were only 400 and in 2005 there were 600.

The largest this year has been a 4.8 carat diamond.

Here are several articles about finds this year:
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1107/470106.html
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1107/469956.html
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1007/466842.html
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1007/466440.html

Hope you enjoy,
Alan
 

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