Go Gem Mining! Greenville, SC and WNC Outdoor Mining Adventures

Wondering where you can go gem mining near Greenville, SC?
Though the Upstate doesn’t have diamonds, there are lots of native gems that are just as beautiful. Here are a few places in the Upstate and Western North Carolina where you can hunt for gorgeous quartz, rubies, emeralds, and maybe even a sapphire!

To be clear, we aren’t talking about the kind of gem mining where you get a bucket and sit down at a sluice. If that’s the kind of fun you’re looking for, head to the Greenville Gemstone Mine in Haywood Mall or downtown Greenville. It’s a fun experience.

Here, we’re talking about getting out in Mother Nature, getting dirty, and digging through mine piles for gemstones.

What To Expect When Gem Mining

I’ll warn you, this isn’t an activity for the non-adventurous. There will be dirt. Lots and lots of dirt. However, there will also be lots of fun and memories. Throw a tarp down in the car on the way home and be prepared to deal with the dirt. Did I mention there would be dirt?

Aside from being prepared to get dirty, you need to bring along some tools. Most of them you’ll have at home already. If this is your first time, I don’t think you should run out and buy anything.

Things you’ll need to bring:

• Big buckets, the kind sold at the hardware store
• A steel bristle brush, last year’s grill cleaning brush if you still have it
• A shovel, any and all sizes will help you
• A long, flat-head screwdriver
• A hammer (rock hammer if you have one)
• Garden gloves
• Sunscreen, food, and plenty of water to drink!
• Snacks!
• Closed shoes or boots that you don’t mind getting very dirty. This is not a flip-flop-appropriate activity.

My son was only three the first time I took him gem mining. He had a blast. I was not prepared to deal with all the dirt, which I’m sure you’ve gathered by now. But once you know what to expect, you’ll be good to go.

Gem Mining: Greenville, SC Area

Diamond Hill Mine

Diamond Mine Road, Abbeville | 864-934-3744
Rates: Adult (18 and over) $20, Teen (13-17) $10, Senior (65+) $10, Child (6-12) $5. Children five and under are free

• BYO tools and buckets
• No running water

Diamond Hill Mine is very rustic. It’s a private, fenced-in property with dump piles from the main veins of the mine. There are places to primitive camp and portable toilets. Aside from that, it’s just you, the dirt, and the hope of finding beautiful, uncut gemstones. It’s tiring work, but it’s not complicated. We left with two buckets full of promising finds the first time we went. You can walk the six-acre property and find quartz all around, especially after a good rain!

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North Carolina Gem Mines

North Carolina is a source of native sapphire, ruby, and opal gemstones. In the 1890s, Tiffany’s & Co. purchased the entire Cowee Valley to mine gemstones for their jewelry. While North Carolina is no longer a huge source of commercial gems, there are still plenty of gems to be found.

Crabtree Emerald Mine

331 McKinney Mine Road, Spruce Pine | 828-765-6463
Rates vary based on age and activity.

• Open April 1st – October 31, 2026
• BYO tools or rent for $25 ( $100 – $75 deposit)
• The Emerald Village mine is a little easier for young children. My young kids had fun on our trip to The Bon Ami Mine.

Emerald Hollow Mine

484 Emerald Hollow Mine Dr, Hiddenite | 828-632-3394
Rates: Sluicing, creeking, and digging combination permit
Adult (15 and over) $30, Child (4 -14) $10, Seniors (50+) $27

• BYO tools
• Read our Kidding Around review of Emerald Hollow Mine

Mason Mountain Mine

5315 Bryson City Road, Franklin | 828-421-1457
Rates: All-day dig (9 am-5 pm): Adult $40, Child (6-12) $20, ages 6 and under free with paying adult

• Opens in March each year, closed in January and February
• Closed on Sundays and Wednesdays
• Visitors use a flume next to the mine pile to sift for native gems.
• Visit the mine’s website for special events.

Mason’s Ruby and Sapphire Mine

6961 Upper Burningtown Road, Franklin | 828-369-9742
Rates for all-day dig (closes at 3 pm): Adult (12+) $50, Child (6-11) $20, 6 and under are free

• Open Thursday – Saturday
• The mine provides guests with all the tools you’ll need, except for gloves.
• They also have space for primitive camping, changing rooms, and a flume to sort out and wash your finds.

Gem-Mining at Upstate Zipline

If you’d like to do a little gem-mining without the digging and the dirty shoes and all that, you can purchase a bag of dirt at Upstate Zipline and take it over to their sluice. Pour out your dirt and run it through the screens in the water, much like panning for gold, to see what gems your dirt contains.

See more on our visit to Upstate Zipline!

Just remember that the dirt will wash away, but the memories you create will last forever!
Have you gone gem mining in Greenville, SC or near the Upstate? Send us your photos!