Crater of Diamonds State Park

This is quite a great place to spend the day. I highly recommend bringing your tools as the cost of renting can be pricey. The only reason I'm not giving this a five-star review is that you have to spend all day digging to find anything of real value. With that being said, it is still a wonderful way to spend time with family or friends. They also have a small water park and a restaurant attached so you are well taken care of while you're there. There is also a gift shop and a visual history of the crater.

It's probably the cleanest, nicest kept park I've ever camped in! We locked the keys in our truck by accident and within 30min of calling the front office a park ranger was there to save the day FREE OF CHARGE! Entry into the park is only $15.00 and for an extra fee you can also visit the water park that's on the same property! So refreshing after a long day of digging for diamonds! Gift shop is reasonably priced too! Very family friendly! Bring your own digging tools, buckets and screens or rent them for a reasonable price! Take your own lunch and drinks or visit the food truck and picnic tables on site also! Lots of photo opts! Loads of fun! Visit the little town of Murfreesboro and do so e shopping in the cool little shops and learn about their own big foot that visited!

4.4 is the current rating at the time of this review. We stayed 2 nights at their campground, which was good. It was a good time, a fun time digging in the dirt. Crater of Diamonds: visitor center and souvenir shop, field, campground and swimming pool. All super nice. The dig: it was quite dry out there, it didn’t appear it had been plowed that day, maybe the other side of the field was plowed though? After scraping the top layers of dirt off the soil looked better, fresher. The weather: very sunny, around 80 degrees. Bring sunscreen. No bugs so that was a plus. Treasure: none found unfortunately. The sun does play some tricks on your eyes though. I kept some pieces to wash off later, but still nothing came of those either, just rocks. Inside the fenced field: there’s a food truck, bathrooms, visitor videos to watch which is optional, water fountain, picnic table areas, hose station. Equipment: depends on what you want to lug out there. The terrain is hard and rocky and the groves from the plows are deep. I had a beach bag with a couple different hand shovels, a small shovel, sifters, a pill bottle to put small finds in, hand towels, gloves, water bottles and I brought something to sit on, and a wide rimmed hat is a must to keep the sun off you. These items at the least. I forgot my small bucket I wanted to fill with water. Campground: it was great. I stayed in site #38, which is located in the little loop you see on the campground map. On arrival there was a reserved sign along with my name and some firewood in the pit already. Full hook ups. The site and campground itself is clean and well taken care of. There’s 2 large buildings that house 6 separate actual bathrooms in each building, equipped with toilets, sinks and showers - and they’re spacious enough. There’s also dumpsters to take garbage to as well. There are raccoons who visit at dark, searching for anything left out to their liking. We saw raccoons, deer and frogs. A hummingbird too even and many other birds. Mosquitoes are out and relentless so bring your best protection against them. Check in for the campground: check in/check out is at 3pm. We arrived after the Visitor Center closed, just continue to your reserved campsite and they’ll call you in the morning. As long as you have a reservation, you’re fine to go to your site after hours. There’s an orange sticker or posting they’ll want to give you to put at your site. Walking Trail from Campsite to Field: this is a dirt trail in the middle of the woods and is quite the jaunt to walk if you’re carrying digging equipment. It’s not a flat path. It will take you to the visitor center where you have to go to get into the Crater of Diamonds dig site. I tried to upload more videos, but it appears I can’t, I did take a lot though! I would definitely 💯 come back here to stay and dig. I had a lot fun doing it.

Fun, educational, & energy burning. I recommend going early morning as by noon it is hotter than the Devils hiney, Take your own equipment or you can rent it there at the visitor center. It takes a good amount of time to pan, sift, or whatever you call it through the girt at sluice stations. So I suggest have more of your party doing that and fewer digging. The visitor center has lots of info about the history of the mine, diamonds found, and more. Of course there is a gift shop as well. Cool part is you can take home two 5 gallons of gravel that you have sifted, which is convenient for searching through the gravel later. Its a cool place.

Welcome to the Natural State! This park is the symbol for our state. The natural stones, gems, crystals can be found all over. This is a great place to take the kids and let them dig in the dirt! Bring your water to drink and shade to hid from the sun! When you’re too hot, take the kids to the adjoining pool and water park.

What fun! You dig up stones, gravel, and mud, then wash away the dirt, sift, and sort through the little stones, looking for a diamond. You are allowed to bring home a 5 gallon bucket of washed and sifted stones to sort through at your leisure at home. They say that a good portion of the diamonds found are found in the bucket brought home. Fingers crossed that we find one! No luck at the park. You can bring your own equipment or rent some for the day. Be prepared to get dirty and probably wet. Besides diamonds, there are many other minerals that you can dig up. The park has a staff person able to identify what you find.

We had a good time rather hot but that was expected lol. I had been here once before years ago. Now they have a pool and water park . They have hiking trails and RV park and camping areas. Have picnic areas close to the parking area. They are open from 8-5 for mining.You can rent equipment to mine from them or you can choose to bring your own equipment either way you. It’s a very safe environment for the family and it’s very interesting to walk and read all the information they present for the public. If you like digging in the dirt and playing in water this is the place for that plus who knows you could be one of many to find gemstones and diamonds.

What a blast! From my senior mother to my toddler nephew, we all had so much fun digging for diamonds. No such luck this trip, but we'll be back for sure! The staff were all so helpful and the bathrooms were surprisingly clean considering the amount of mud outside. 5 stars, highly recommended!

Here it was, I made a difficult decision to drop everything I was doing in life and make the arduous journey to Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Why would anyone want to visit Murfreesboro, AR??? One word - DIAMONDS! Like all the other hustlers and bustlers out there, I figured I can change my life's destiny for the better by digging for valuable diamonds here at Crater of Diamonds State Park! I want to be transparent right now. Let's get straight to the end result... - Did I find diamonds? No - Did I get rich quick? No - Did I become a world renowned diamond expert? No - Am I still just plain ole Seth? Yes So, then you may be asking...Seth, what did you get out of coming to Crater of Diamonds SP? I'm still trying to figure that one out :) Okay, enough messing around, let's get to the heart of the matter...diamonds! Crater of Diamonds is a state park located in the small town of Murfreesboro, Arkansas which is about 107 miles southwest of Little Rock. While here, you walk out onto a large dirt field and dig, sort and filter through your own diamond exploring experience. You do this at your own accord and whatever diamonds and or worthwhile items you find, you keep. It's similar to panning for gold, which is a lighthearted tourist attraction than anything else. It's $15 entrance fee here. Then...the Visitor Center rents out the equipment needed for digging. I told the park ranger that I was a novice diamond enthusiast and she recommended the Basic Equipment package which consisted of a shovel, pale and two sand screens for filtering and sorting. And that was $15 as well with a $45 dollar refundable deposit which you receive back on credit card once the items are returned at the end of your diggings. One thing, before renting equipment, you watch a short film (maybe 10 minutes at the most) where they teach you how to go about finding, digging and silting through the diamond exploring process. I watched the presentation and although they made it appear simple, once I was out on the fields alone, the narrative changed. I felt sort of useless finding where the best spot was to begin. I would rather have had a ranger guide a group of us out and we can all do it together. Yet... There were plenty of people by themselves on the fields and examining their discoveries. Everyone looked like experts while I felt like a deer in headlights, lol. The diamond field is one giant farmland with rows of dirt and mud, and then you have to decide where's the right spot to set up. For late May it was hot out with the sun shining brightly. I noticed some folks were well prepared bringing canopies to stay shaded. And...during digging, you are on your knees and so some people also had stools and chairs with them to make the process not as backbreaking. I worked hard digging and digging. I didn't get anywhere. I got bored easily and started pondering what I'd be having for dinner that evening, lol. But...I made little progress. I took my findings to the Wash Pavilions (there's a North and South Wash Pavilion) where I then placed my dirt and rocks on wooden screens and dipped them into water to filter out the unnecessary stuff. I basically just found wet gravel and pebbles. Still, I felt like a 3rd place finisher. They give you free brown paper bags to take home any valuables that you believe may be worthwhile. And back at the equipment rental station, they have a counter with diamond exports ready to assist and guide in what valuables you may have discovered. I skipped stopping at this station because they would have laughed and said everything's worth $0.00. Extra notes... - They're open daily 8am - 4pm. - There's a small water park next door to the diamond field where it's only $10 admission. - They have a food truck on the grounds if you get hungry. It's called Kickin Wingz & Thingz. - I spent about 4 hours here at the park, and that's more than enough time needed. - Digging for diamonds can be a fun, family activity. But kids probably would enjoy the waterpark more, especially when it gets hot outside. - They have a gift shop to buy souvenirs when you first enter. Finally, it was a long, somber drive back to my hometown of Boynton Beach, Florida. Did I feel like a failure? I guess, in the bigger picture. But, I put forth my best effort digging for diamonds trying to improve my life. In the end, the following morning I returned to my Taco Bell job stuffing burritos and scratching off lottery tickets with grand visions of someday striking it big.

Bucketlister for my wife so we stayed in the campground for a few days. Campground was very nice, clean and covered with large trees. Crater of Diamonds park is basically a large 37 acre ield of slug and dirt where people are digging, looking for small diamonds. Some can be found on the surface. Lots of people are "all in" with buckets, wagons, shovels, screens etc. There are a couple of areas where you can clean the silt to find your stones. Tool rental and stone / gem identification are available as well. Lots of families having fun here.

Come prepared to visit this place. Bring clothes that you dont mind getting dirty, take a canopy, chairs, bring a cooler with drinks, snacks and maybe rainboots. They rent the supplies you need. Doggies are allowed, but I dont believe They would have a great time because the whole area is muddy amd there are no shaded areas. They have. Food truck that has chicken wings. You can also take a shower in the area by the swimming pool, which is a great idea to end up your day after looking for diamonds.

If you like digging in dirt looking for a needle in a haystack then this is the place. Found much of nothing but it was time well spent with my wife and son so it's worth it for that reason. Ground is tricky to maneuver around on because of the deep furrows, so be careful.

Super fun! $15 a person to dig around and pick up gemstone rocks and if you're lucky, a diamond! I came 3 days after a rain storm, most of the rocks are smaller than a nail, all exposed and wet. Soil was pretty soft I didn't need a shovel. You can rent equipment if you want, also welcome to bring your own from home. Two people find a diamond on a daily basis. I saw this for myself today. They're not lying on the statistics. The whole experience was peaceful and actually pretty fun. It started raining again so I wrapped up in less than an hour, got my hands on some jasper and one lamproite (?). Totally will come back again!!

It was bucket list entry to go search for Diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. The staff were friendly. They had clean restrooms and a small gift shop. We went during the winter so it wasn't crowded. You can rent tools to dig or bring your own. I suggest bringing your own the save money. A shovel, bucket, gloves, sifter and a hat to block the sun. I'd even bring a small folding step-stool to rest your bottom on. I can see why people come back often to search. They have different sections that contain amethyst, diamonds, jasper and other gems. The best part is you get to keep what you find. They have a campground and swimming pool open during the warmer months. Give yourself a few hours to explore and enjoy this experience.

This place is the best. It's like gambling in a way. You have to strategize before you go. Maybe you walk around and hope to see a glimmer from the sun, or you buy a tote and collect a ton of dirt and sift it at the water stations, or you RENT out a cage and have top of the line equipment to dig deep (have to refill your hole before you leave for the day). Any way you do it is FUN! Look, odds are you won't find a diamond, but you will find a thrill in everything you look at you think is a diamond! It's one of those last few places in my list that is actually "fun." They also drag the dirt every so often so it's possible that they uplift a diamond from the ground. Call and ask when the last time they did that was if you're truly "diamond hunting." Go there and have fun, be a kid again, enjoy it with your family. I've been there twice and plan to go back even if just for an afternoon.

This is an experience to be sure. After paying your admission you walk out onto a large field (I mean LARGE, we are talking the size of several Buckees) that looks like nothing so much as the surface of the moon. Craters, holes, trenches, rocks, and dirt as far as the eye can see. But in this dirt... are diamonds! Welling up from the earth, pushing their way through the soil, asking to be found, and yours for the keeping if you do. You dig up as much dirt as you want, and then go through it til you find something... you can rent screens to dry sift, set up near one of the faucets to wet sift, or head to the center of the field where they have a water house with moving water so you can pan. "Experts" (lightly trained volunteers) are on hand to help identify anything you find. It's hot, backbreaking work, hard on your back and ankles, even worse on your clothes, and your chances of finding anything valuable are very very slim, but it's a lot of fun!

Very nice and clean camp ground Full hook ups Wonderful shower house individual stalls with toilet and showers nice and private Employees very friendly Pool is not open on Monday and Tuesday but looked nice Hunting for diamonds was fun !!!

more like a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I was driving up to little rock for a quick weekend getaway and wanted to stop here to test my luck. you always hear stories of people finding diamonds here, and they advertise that roughly 600 people a year will find a diamond here. I guess luck was not on my side this time around. I got to this place around noon time, and luckily i went in the winter where the weather was decent. The sun was shining, but the heat was nonexistent due to the nice wind breeze flowing through the park. You have to pay money to get onto the park, and then to dig for diamonds, you'll have to rent gear. i think the entry into the park was like 10 bucks, and the tools were like 15 bucks. I honestly didn't stay long, but was able to get a bucket full of dirt to pan/shift for diamonds. You saw people of all difference experiences there. Families that went to enjoy time with kids up to professional people with all the newest gears. They have two bucket/wash stations to rinse dirt. I enjoyed the small museums at the visitor center that some of the diamonds found and other misc information of different sorts of gems. I walked away with some nice looking rocks, but unfortunately no diamonds.

My wife and I took the kids here as our first rockhounding trip to Arkansas. Before I begin, I will acknowledge that we went in early August and it was a little bit hot (very HOT lol). So, that affected our experience. We also had two young children, 12 and 10, and their idea of a fun Saturday is not spending all day in a hot field. But anyway... We stayed in the RV campground that is within the park. The campground was very clean and well maintained. The site was mostly clean other than trash in the fire pit, but the showers were functional and clean. We had a good time making a campfire, doing dinner and smores, and enjoying our first RV trip. On Saturday, we went to the field and found a spot that was in the shade and not populated. They had plowed the field about 7-10 days earlier, so the advice was to dig in the ditches between the humps (if that makes sense). You can dry sift and wet sift to find the diamonds and other gemstones, and you can take sifted material out - but it must be dry sifted because you cannot take the dirt. We ended up, due to the heat, collecting four buckets of dry sifted material. We wet sifted half of it on site, but took the remaining two buckets home (where they still sit, untouched). The wet sifting is a bit of a mess with kids and ours ended up nearly taking a bath in the muddle water troughs (for lack of a better word at the moment). You also have to lose your mental picture of what a diamond looks like - when we saw some for sale at local shops, they didn't look clear and sparkly like you think - more on that later! We ended up taking 7 small specs for identification, which is done free. When you leave the main building where you pay, you will go to another building, two levels, where you can rent tools and have things identified on the lower level. No diamonds for us, and the things we did find were not worthwhile in the small size (about the size of a piece of salt ran through a grinder), but we do have more to process at home. You can also rent a variety of tools with a deposit or bring your own. Here is a list of several things you could bring to make the day more enjoyable, especially in summertime. 1. Safety - hat (head protection), lots of water (duh), gardening gloves (protect hands while digging, grabbing tools, and if you need to pick at the dirt or field) 2. Comfort - lunch (you can leave and come back, but would take a bit of time), a stool (I used the three-legged variety, but saw some with four-legged chairs), a wagon (to easily wheel your stuff in and out - definitely needed if you plan on taking sifted material home for processing later!!!) 3. Tools - shovel, trowels, steel rake (ours was "tine bow" but not sure what that means, but not a garden leaf rake!), sifting bins, containers (to hold items for identification or keepers) Overally, my wife and I enjoyed this because it was our first RV trip, first trip to Arkansas, and something new for us to do with our love of rockhounding. I would do this again if I was in the area, but maybe not drive 12 hours to it again :) I forgot to take pictures here, but I did bring home buckets of gravel still to search - who knows what I might find once I actually wash it! :)

I came over Spring Break and boy did it get crowded. We got in at about 10AM and when we were leaving at about 1ish PM, the place was swarming with folks (some amateurs, some first timers, some experts) everywhere you looked. If your happiness resides strictly on striking it rich, you may be better off at the casino. However, if you're looking to get dirty, unrecognizable, and be outdoors, this is it! I'd recommend looking into the how's and tips of how to do it online before showing up. While walking in, on the bottom floor to the right of the rental area where they have the area of identification of stones, they have displays of what you could find in the field and what they look like in the dirt...take a look! It helps to know what you're trying to spot. We bought gloves, trowels, and a bucket and rented the screen set while there, but otherwise winged it. I'd highly recommend something to sit on. like kneeling pad or stool. I ended up just sitting on the ground and that's fine if you don't mind it. I wore leggings and a t-shirt, but knowing what I know now, I'd probably wear something more loose than leggings. Also, be prepared to get dirty. Rainboots would be amazing or shoes you wouldn't cry over throwing out. Cost: 10 per person for admission, 5 for rental or screen set, about 15 for bucket, gloves, and trowels

Fun place to take the kids on a diamond search adventure! Bring hats, snacks, light folding chairs. And a cooler at stay hydrated!

Fun spot to come and do a family day. Would recommend coming in the cooler seasons as summer time is very hot! Had a fun time with the family digging around for diamonds (found none) but did walk away with some nice Jasper and quartz stones. Lots of people. There is also a pool and splash area connected (I think there is additional charge) bring a hat or pop up canopy, chairs and a lunch and enjoy the day. Tools are available for rent before you arrive. Good luck!

Being a rock hound, of course I had to visit "The Natural State"! And of course I had to visit Crater of Diamonds and try my hand at finding a monster! (I knew I wasn't going to find even a .0001 carat Diamond) The Good: $10 entry fee If you're into rocks and rock hounding, you can spend days here if you know what you are doing. I only had a small idea of what to expect, and even after reading Yelp! reviews and YouTube videos, I still came unprepared. Either way, we scored a bunch of rocks, mostly jasper. They tumble well. The area to search is huge, and you should be able to find a spot to mine with out any trouble. Bring a picnic lunch, they have nice tables under shady trees The Bad: It was hot, and there's very little shade as it's an open field. Bring lots of water, a canopy, and a cart to carry all your tools, treasures and other gear. The likelihood you're going to find a diamond is very slim, unless you know what you're doing. Even then, you're going to need to spend 3-5 hours here. Kids tire out quick, especially when they're not finding diamonds. LoL The Ugly: the head was nasty! It had just rained, which is good for mining but bad for kids in Nikes lol This is definitely more a fall time activity, unless of course you're hardcore and know what your doing. Overall, had a great time and experience at the park. The state of Arkansas will be seeing me again. If I lived here I would visit the park twice a month and start to git gud, like the old time miners

If you like digging in the dirt or playing the lottery or have kids, THIS IS A MUST VISIT!! I've seen the signs and heard a few talk about this place for years. I always knew I would not likely find anything of value, but seriously, it was kind of fun. Easy to find and they have enough of the essential equipment for rent. You might want to bring you a fold up cart and some extra water. Don't forget hats and sunscreen! Wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty! Take time to read up and spend time in the museum before you and your team go dig. It will whet your skills and give you more of a chance. This is a serious geological gem to play in with actual real diamonds (likely hundreds of feet beneath your feet and not where a few small shovels will find. Just walking and looking for sparkle is kind of fun as well. I found lots of calcite this way. Some valuable stones were recovered this way as well. Get there early so you can stake your claim for your digs!

Read other reviews to get more specifics about the area, but here's what to expect: 1. You're not going to find a diamond 2. You're in field of dirt and clay all churned up 3. You will get filthy 4. It's clay, it's hard to get off 5. They have hoses to clean your shoes on the way out 6. You're not going to find a diamond 7. You'll get freaking hot out in the open 8. There are a hundred people there with their own equipment that know what they're doing, and a few hundred that don't. 9. If you have kids, they'll be more interested in the water park right at the entrance to the digging area. 10. You'll probably enjoy it for a couple of hours, but remember you're not going to find a diamond

We drove all night coming back from vacation and rolled into the park at 7am. Park opens at 7. We were able to use the campground restroom facilities and freshen up a bit before starting our diamond hunt. Admission is $10 per person and equipment rental is $12 plus a refundable $45 deposit. It was actually a lot of fun. We didn't find any diamonds, so we left plenty for you. We did find jasper and crystal though. The mine stays open until 4pm, however we stopped after just a few hours. Surrounded by beautiful woods, it is well worth going to. If you have a RV or camper overnight is $36. If camping in a tent it is $14 for the night. They also have a pool for the kids at the mine site however was closed on the day we went. If going to Hot Springs, add this to your trip . Just 90 minutes from Hot Springs and from Texarkana.

I visited during COVID, so things were probably different than normal. Surprisingly, it was still crowded. You pay a $10 daily fee for each adult to have access to the mining fields. There are areas that have been plowed with loose dirt, and areas that have not been plowed that require you to dig. There are three sleuthing areas spread through out and a couple covered shelter areas. There is a center at the bottom of the entrance ramp to rent equipment, and there is a person on hand to identify anything that you find. My problem was that there was no instruction on what to do. So for someone like me visiting for the first time, I had no idea what to do. I started by digging through the compact dirt, then moved to the loose dirt. When I stopped by the sleuths, I realized I had been doing it all wrong. The best way to do it is to fill your bucket with dirt and then take it to the sleuths. I wish I'd figured that out 1.5 hrs sooner! Luckily, there was a nice lady there that showed me the ropes. Otherwise, I would have been lost. Once you have instruction, it's really easy. Unfortunately, I came away empty handed. Just some jasper and quartz, no diamonds. But, now that I know how to do it, I would go back and try again.

Great park. Very hot so bring shade, snacks, and plenty of water.. We found a Diamond. My son has wanted to go here since he was 7.... 16 now and we found a Diamond in the first few hours. We would definitely go back.

Lots has already been said about the place so I won't repeat. Be careful when wet sifting. The locals act like it's their place and get snotty/uppity when you take "their" place at the sluice. The park needs to ban them for bad behavior.

Bring a shovel, extra shoes and clothes. Dig as much as you can, dry and wet wash and come up with some pretty stones but no diamonds. 37 acres of possibility. Fun trip, no diamonds but lots of memories.

If you're looking for something to do outside it may be nice for a few hours, not sure if it's worth $15 pp but if you like digging in dirt it's ok, one chance in a million (or more) that you'll finds diamond! The field isn't plowed enough and if you get very very lucky you might find something. I suggest you stop at the "antique" store in town, they have some diamonds in town so you know what you're looking for. You'll see the probability of finding anything very unlikely

If you are looking for something fun to do with family and kids, check out Crater of Diamonds for some diamond digging. You are able to rent buckets and shovels there is a down payment but you do get your money back. If you are able to you can bring your own supplies. They have a nice exhibit about diamonds and other history. Big open field where you are able to walk around and just start digging. I see people bring tents and chairs for those who would stay all day here. There are designated banner around the fields where diamonds have been found. It was a hot day when we went and we did not stay long. It was an experience and glad I was able to do it. When its dry it gets hard to dig. I always read in the news about people finding diamonds here. But with my luck I didn't find anything. You do find cool rocks that you are welcome to take home. People around are helpful if you don't know what you are doing. Suviorner shop is pretty decent with great selections of shirts, rocks, jewelry that fits your needs or would like to buy for friends or family.

Had a great time at Crater of the Diamonds. Sadly, we did not find a diamond, but this has been a bucket list item of mine for a long time. So glad I got to check it off. The only down side was that I had to hang out at the wash station while my husband went and got dirt because it was so busy, it was the only way to hold a spot. We went on the 4th of July though, so not sure if its alway that busy or if it was just because it was a holiday weekend. I recommend that you have/rent a wagon, buckets, shovel, gloves and a spoon (I forgot a spoon to pick up the small rocks). I will definitely go again in the future when we are back in the South!

Didn't find a diamond but at least I can check it off my list of places to visit in the United States. Fun little adventure that you can enjoy with the family during a pandemic. I say that because you're outside in a huge field and can definitely keep your social distance from other groups. I think this would be a super fun adventure for young children because they get to basically play and dig in dirt. I also like that the park is dog friendly! Just be sure to be considerate and pick up after your pup. Don't be THAT person. When you use the sifting stations under the canopies be sure to wear your mask and try to keep your social distance. There's plenty of stations available. No reason for you to set up RIGHT next to someone that is already there. We had a few groups invade our personal space while we were sifting and it forced us into a small space at the end of the trough as we tried to keep our social distance. Just be considerate. After your digging and sifting adventure, you can take your finds to the customer center where they've set up an outdoor table to check your stones. The girls weren't very friendly but it is exciting waiting to see if you've found yourself a gem. I did not but it was fun nonetheless. They are not currently renting out sifting equipment but there's local stores that sell equipment at an affordable prize. The RV park is well kept, clean, safe and a nice way to enjoy nature. At night we got to see all the lightning bugs showing off their stuff. It was purely magical. I would go back just for that in itself.

Crater of Diamonds on Labor Weekend What a way to kick off your Labor Day weekend by the labor itself laboring shifting the rocks through tons and tons of mud, dirt, sand and pretty rocks a while in hopes for that gorgeous stone one searches for... the Diamond You may already know some really cool fun facts to learn about the crater of diamonds being the eighth largest diamond state park - It's located in The Natural State Arkansas- I hope I worded that right but between the 4 hour drive and some time spent in the sun needless to say my day trip was a journey filled with mud, sweat and laughter including a long car ride indeed TIPS:hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, hydration is the key and either a big hat or a large umbrella or something to cool yourself in the shade to create some shade because it can get really hot out there-personally I went through at least 3 to 4 bottles of waters for the duration of one hour and 30 minutes- or if you don't have a hat/umbrella you might just want to consider taking breaks you can always walk back to your vehicle and turn your AC on to cool down or sit at one of the picnic table areas or cooler with visit to water park-A wagon if you have a wagon you can place various items in there and move it from one location to the next The state park listed amongst kid friendly kid activities/options to take your kid and it definitely lives up to that! I took a lot of my toddler for this day trip and he certainly enjoyed all of the dirt the mud and especially those pretty rocks. Just FYI no I did not find a diamond during this trip however I did find some other interesting little rocks -there was a table with two specialists that informed me what those rocks were -they identified the rocks on the spot and then afterwords place those rocks in a little to go bag so my son can start his rock collection To add a pure sense of serenity to the drive I saw a rainbow in the highway while heading back home Oh I totally forgot about price and cost you guys but basically I paid $10 for myself and my toddler(2 years) free admission other minimum costs craters of diamond bucket roughly $5 small hand shovel roughly $2 FYI the above other minimum costs I mentioned were not mandatory I decided to purchase the crater of Diamonds bucket and shovel to commemorate the trip

This place was tons of fun! We all enjoyed it but definitely came on a hot day. Total cost to enter for two adults and two children (6-12) was about $32 plus we rented some buckets and sifters which are a must have. We only stayed for about an hour and half but mainly due to kids getting too hot. I could have stayed here all day but I'll have to do that with just adults. We didn't find a diamond but we did find lots of quartz and rocks for the kids rock collection!

This is a state park. Arkansas, known as the nature state, is very pretty and sparse. We drove to Murfreesboro to stay for 2 days so we can go digging for diamonds. We came here on a bad week as it rained everyday in Texas and Arkansas. By the time we got to the park, we needed boots and a canoe. The park is cheap to get into. 10 dollars give you a chance to be rich! However, that's where the easiness ends. We went through the gates and down to the crater. We fought mud up to our ankles for the next 5 hours while others quit in an hour. A few times we thought we struck diamonds! Only to find out 5 hours later it was quartz. That is heart breaking to see all that hard work down the drain. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable as they could immediately tell us we were still poor lol. I honestly don't know if I'd come back again as it's a lot of work for roughly averaging 2 diamonds a day found. At least with gold you can sit in the water and pan for it. This is on your feet all day if you're doing it right.

This place has been on my bucket list for years and we finally visited this past fall. We camped in the park's campground which was really convenient. We got to the park just as it opened each day to beat the crowds. We dressed appropriately for the dig with coveralls and muck boots. It was super muddy and my feet were often caked with mud that made walking difficult at times. I felt sorry for the families who stopped in with fancy tennis shoes and light colored clothing as I saw lots of ruined attire. We took a lot of equipment with us including a wagon but still rented the equipment for wet sifting each day. The waterproof aprons and elbow high latex gloves were clutch for wet sifting and I was glad to have ordered both from Amazon in advance of our trip. We spent two days wet sifting and one day surface searching as was recommended following a rainstorm. We found lots of quartz, calcite, and jasper, but no diamonds or amethyst. We had done plenty of research so we knew the Kimberlite cafe was closed for the season. We packed our lunch and took a cooler out in the field with us each day. We visited in November and the weather was cool but absolutely perfect for diamond hunting. There is no shade in the field except where the sluice boxes are so if you visit in the summer, take an umbrella. I can't imagine how miserable the field would be on a hot summer day.

Lots of hands-on fun for people of all ages. Digging, sifting, and washing piles of dirt may not seem very entertaining on the surface, but a simple admission price let's you dig anywhere in the field and take home any rocks, precious stones, or diamonds you can find. Plenty of space and helpful staff get you ready to make (or find) memories in the dirt. Worth the drive from Hot Springs!

Spent the day here family of 4 - 7 and 10 year old. We had an awesome time looking for diamonds and other gems/minerals as well. We didn't find any diamonds but had a great time looking. The kids never got bored! It is actually fun and you can't stop looking. You can take anything in with you from food to coolers, tents, equipment, wagons etc. There are plenty of places to get shade under trees or in the wet sifting areas. Wear sunscreen, bring a hat and take a change of clothes and shoes - you get wet in the wet sitting area. Definitely a must visit place!

My wife and I spend 2.5 days at the park this past week and we had a blast. Alas, no diamonds, but we came away with several different types of rocks that we found interesting. At the moment the west drain (just past the cages) is a favorite spot per our air bnb neighbor who is an active local "craterhead". You'll meet a lot of interesting folks as well which is great. A super unique experience!

It's an amazing place. The campgrounds for RVs are spacious and comfy. We'll definitely come back . Their trails are gorgeous also

I did not find a diamond, but others have. Fun park if you like dirt and digging in it.

Bring a wagon! You will be Carrying gear a long ways from your car back to the dirt field. If you aren't there for one of the mining demonstrations, good luck figuring it out! The army shovels they rent suck so bring one with you. Prepare to scoop dirt into a bucket and get wet and dirty screening it at one of two wet washing stations. Very hard to pick through tiny gravel for a shiny diamond. We struck out but the kids had an OK time. Hot. Bring lots of water.

My sister and I went and had the best time ever. We dug in the dirt and cleaned our piles of clay for what seemed only moments but had actually been hours. We found pretty tiny garnets and some other small gems but alas no diamonds. With that being said we had a jewel of a time. Can't wait to make another journey there soon.

My family and I have drove from Iowa four times to come to this place, my dad on his own has gone down 3 extra times. It's really fun to dig and look four diamonds. My dad has found a few. It's nice they let you bring some dirt with you when you leave to go through as well. Kinda wish there was more space to clean the dirt so its not so crowded, but its still a fun time.

Not what I expected. Even after reading the reviews, looking at the site, and going through pictures I did not expect what I saw. It was miles and miles of plowed dirt. There are no shelters on the fields unless you bring one. A few people brought a pop up tent. We rented the standard equipment and it was a lot of hard work. I will leave out the word fun as it wasn't that fun. I'm glad I went. I heard about this place 2 or 3 years ago and really wanted to come. I would say, don't be blinded by the reality. You are very unlikely to find anything of value. You may find a few pretty chips of rocks if you are lucky. If you like rocks in general this may be your paradise.

There's a lot to this park and there should really be two separate reviews. One should be for the activities at the park and the other should be for the campground. They really are separate. First, this park is the 8th largest diamond reserve in the world. People come from all over to dig for diamonds. Where else can they do this? It's fun, different and you can boast that you've been there and done that. People do find diamonds but we weren't so lucky. You don't even have to bring your tools. You can rent them at the park. Everything is there to make it as convenient as possible for you. There are also videos and how-tos so you half-way know what to expect and what you're looking for. And, if you're not into diamond digging you can relax around the gorgeous water park. Yes, this is a state park that has just about everything for entertainment. Then, there's the campground. It's really nice. The sites are big and they have full hookups too. Not only that but there's even a laundry. Not too many state parks have laundry facilities. It's a great place to stay and have a little fun.

We didn't find any diamonds, but this was still so fun and addicting! My toddler played in a giant mud puddle for most of our visit, which he thought was pretty awesome, and lure and excitement of possibly finding diamonds didn't wear off even after 2 hours of digging and sifting. We will definitely be back if we are ever in the area again!

There's something oddly American about coming out of your way to an expanse of rubble, with hope twinkling in your eyes, to do quite literally back-breaking work for hours with no reward. Why yes, the American dream of striking it rich by finding that diamond in the rough of Arkansas! Arkansas is a weird state, and the little town Crater of Diamonds State Park is even weirder. "You here to find diamonds?" Like, what did you think I came here for... the scenic views? It isn't scenic here. At all. Though the buildings on-site are impressive and give you the history of the park and some insight as to what you're looking for. This state park is the only place you can search for your own diamonds, and finders keepers!!! Entry per day is $10 per person, and you can rent equipment there if you didn't bring any (their website is full of info). Diamonds aren't the only thing you can find here, you can also find.... well, other rocks. Wasn't paying attention. But why'd you come here for jasper anyways? It's called "Crater of Diamonds" for a reason... Typically, two are found a day (but they can be tiny!). Between two days of searching for around 12 hours total, the only thing we came back home with were sand down our pants and a wicked sock tan. Even this rock hound had to call quits eventually- that ish is hard work! Talk about a lesson in futility... But that's why this place deserves all 5 stars: its that hope it conjures up that you might be "the one." Maybe next time...

Full disclosure, I did not find a diamond. If you're going here contingent upon a successful dig, don't do it. But if you want to dig and sift and see what happens and enjoy the experience - this is great! We were there for 2-3 hours and all has fun and got super dirty and had a great family experience.

300th review! I was torn on what to pick, but as a geologist, thought this might be a good choice. I came to the park for 2 days in March and had a pretty good time! I think there are a couple small trails, but clearly the main part of the park is the diamond field. The visitor's center has two levels - the upper level has displays and gift shop, the lower has more displays and mining equipment. I enjoyed both the display areas; not huge but plenty of info on the history, geology, and mining. Once you've read up, you can rent supplies (no need to bring your own!). We paid by credit and as long as you return the supplies you pay the base fee. There is also a park entry fee. We got the kit which includes shovel, bucket, and screen set. Be sure to check the website for list of diamond hunting dos and don'ts before your trip to ensure you don't bring anything you can't use (and properly use the things you do bring). I would say there are three main ways to hunt for diamonds, and ultimately one will likely use all three to various extents. If it's rained or the fields have been recently plowed, walking along and looking for shiny rocks (beware: there's a ton of mica, and most of the sparkles will be from that!) is a decent method, and good for kids with sharp eyes. Then, you can dig up the dirt and look for shiny rocks. But, the best way to get through a volume of rock bits is to dig up some dirt and take it over to the rinsing stations and wet screening the material. Several times a day they have a demo on how to do this, and there's usually some sifting veterans who will be happy to show you how to concentrate the minerals. It's a somewhat arduous process, but fun and exciting for a couple day adventure. You are allowed to take home up to 5 gallons of "concentrate", so bring a bucket if you'd like to further inspect your rocks at home. There's a hosing off station when you return from the field to clean off your shoes, self, and supplies. There are giant shovels marking the spots of some of the more famous finds, and there is an updated list of recent finds on the lower level of the visitor's center - the phots might be useful for seeing what you are looking for. There is also a restaurant/cafe there, but only open during summer season, same for water park. I didn't experience either of these. My personal suggestions on what to bring: - Sports/outdoor style clothes: they dry quickly and don't feel weighted down like cotton when wet - Boots, old sneakers, or sport sandals: terrains isn't crazy, but good to have something that will stay on and can get soggy - Hat and sunscreen: scant shelter from sun provided by rinsing stations - Knee pads or garden cushion: if you're going to bend over to look at the dirt for any period of time - Plastic/rubber apron or waders: if you're going to use rinsing station, you will get wet, either keep yourself dry or settle into bring damp - Empty glass jars, tweezers: Nice place to put collected rocks/possible diamonds, tweezers help pick out small stones (tweezers available for sale downstairs) - Water/sports drink: hydration is always important! - Clothes to change into after, or towel to put on car seats: you're going to get dirty, and likely wet

Had a great time. Read their web site so we came prepared. Wish we had rubber gloves for washing as the water is cold. We went on an overcast day do it wasn't hot. Great place to take kids. Everyone there seemed to have a good time. We didn't find any diamonds but a great day digging thru the dirt. Would definitely go back. The entire community was friendly. The only negative was one of the local churches had a wild game dinner the day before we got there. Probably the only way to find a diamond is for one to fall out of wife's ring and catch it in the sifter.

A fun little adventure! We left Dallas at 6:30 AM on a Saturday morning, and (after stopping for breakfast and gas) arrived at the park around 11:00 AM. We paid our $8 each admission and made our way down to the second level, where we rented a dry sifting screen for $3 (with a $35 deposit) and purchased two garden trowels for digging, since our plan was to surface search and dry sift only (no deep digging or wet sifting for us!). I had read some reviews that said they aren't good at refunding credit card deposits, so I brought my checkbook and wrote one check for the deposit and one for the payment, and when we returned our equipment they returned the check. Easy as pie. There were lots of people there digging, but we had no trouble finding almost half a field to ourselves. We staked out our spot, set up our camping chairs, and started surface searching and dry sifting! We took a short break for lunch (which we had brought in our cooler) and made sure to reapply sunscreen often, since the sun was really beating down, and as other reviews have stated, there is no shade here. Just lots and lots of dirt fields, and plenty of room to dig. Throughout the day we moved around periodically, trying new spots, and finding things that maybesortakinda looked like they could be diamonds. We bought one of their "What do I have?" gem identification sheets for $1 and that helped us determine if we really had a diamond, or if we had quartz or calcite or something else. We dug until about 4:00pm, then we packed up our equipment, sweaty and exhausted, and brought our haul to the gem identification desk, where the woman there swiftly crushed our dreams. We had found nothing of value, not even close. Sigh. Still, it was a fun day. We came away dirty and tan and happy. Despite defeat, we had spent a day in the sun, chatting and laughing and enjoying the experience. I would recommend it, but as everyone else has said...don't come expecting to find that diamond ;-)

Two reviews here. 1. Crater of Diamonds state park. This state park has been in operation since 1972. The top layer of dirt has been searched, plowed, re-searched, re-plowed and searched again and again for years. No new ground has been searched since the early 1970's. The chances of finding a diamond... pretty tough. I saw two tiny diamonds that were found while I was here. Both were found by 'professional hobbyist's' who would search 8-12 (or more) 5 gallon buckets of dirt a day. Their advice is always, "you have to move a lot of dirt to find a diamond." One of the professionals hasn't found one in over a year. Another, the second one for him in as many months. They explained how the diamond count is rapidly decreasing. The park no longer rings a bell when a diamond is found. There is no new dirt to search. When you see a tiny little rock, shiny and wet looking, and it looks like no other rock you've seen, then you may have found one. So, while it is fun to look, keep your expectations framed in reality. There is some nice jasper lying around, a few quartz shards and so forth. No deep digging, refill your holes. Plan on getting dirty. $10 per person. Digging tools are for rent at the park. We didn't utilize the water park (closed) or the restaurant (closed) during our past and present visit. The staff is wonderful and friendly. 2. Campground. Superb. It's a wonderfully maintained campground with everything from the basic tent sites to RV sites with full hook ups. There is a laundry as well, which is nice if you have been digging. The trails are nice, particularly towards the Little Missouri river. Campfire wood is for sale in the main office, $5 for a small bundle of kindling, kind of expensive. The sites have a BBQ grille and fire pits, with a picnic table. There is enough space between sites to not feel crammed in. This is a great place to come to for the camping in itself. This is a DRY COUNTY. Bring your own adult beverages. The town is small, very limited grocery's and a few restaurants. Great hardware store.

Had a Great time digging for?? You can rent tools, buy tools or bring your own tools. ( NO ELECTRIC TOOLS ALLOWED ) There is a cost of$25.00 for sifters but you get $20 back on return. There is a $10.00 cost to enter the diamond field. There is a information area that includes videos on to yo dig for and spot diamonds. The gift shop has many items to choose. There is a Waterpark open during summer months as well as a Camp Ground open ALL year. They do offer a live demonstration that I highly recommend. I say this because I listened to a person that knew squat and spent the day finding JAFR. ( just another friggin rock ) I still had lots of fun wondering off looking for rocks. Lol There is a gemologist available to identify your find when your digging is done. It a Beautiful space , a ONE of a Kind GEM that is worth a bucket list stop!! Family fun for everyone with a reasonable cost and a chance at finding a diamond! Totally worth it to me! Good Luck and Enjoy

Maybe I am a bit unrealistic, but I felt like I came to someone's back yard to give them money and dig through their dirt. I am not sure what I expected but this really is a tourist attraction for stupid Americans. I am Russian born, but I have been here since 9 years old, so I am as much a stupid American as someone born here. This place is just banking on people to have huge hopes, and wallets willing to open for any type of entertainment. While it is something that would be fun for the kids, and maybe some energetic adults, this was more like paying someone to mow their lawn for me. I hate mowing my own lawn. This is like giving my neighbor money, and then mowing his lawn and saying thank you on the way out. If I had kids, I can see coming here. Because if I don't find anything, at least the kids had fun digging through the mud. But for myself, I rather be at the pool drinking a margaritas. :)