Want to dig for diamonds on a sunny Sunday afternoon? Well, here’s your chance!
If you’re looking for a fun and unique adventure, you might want to check out Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park. It’s one of the coolest parks in Arkansas, and maybe even the world, because it lets you search for real diamonds in a 37-acre field that was once a volcanic crater.
And the best part is, you get to keep any diamonds or other gemstones you find!
The park is located in Murfreesboro, in the beautiful Ouachita Mountains. It’s been a state park since 1972, but people have been finding diamonds there since 1906, when a farmer named John Huddleston discovered two crystals on his land.
Since then, more than 35,000 diamonds have been found by visitors, including some rare and valuable ones like the Uncle Sam (40.23 carats), the Amarillo Starlight (16.37 carats), and the Esperanza (8.52 carats).
You don’t need any special equipment or skills to search for diamonds at the park. You can bring your own tools or rent them from the park. You can also learn more about how to identify and search for diamonds at the Diamond Discovery Center and the Visitor Information Center. The park staff will help you verify and register any diamonds you find, as well as tell you more about the history and geology of the area.
Here’s a panoramic photo of the field where you can dig for treasures (click to enlarge).
Besides digging for diamonds, you can also enjoy other activities at the park, such as camping, hiking, picnicking, and swimming at the Diamond Springs Water Park. The park is open year-round, but the best time to visit is after a rainstorm, when the soil is wet and the diamonds are easier to spot.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your shovel and bucket and head to Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park, where you can have a blast searching for your own sparkling treasures!
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