About Crater of Diamonds State Park
Outside Murfreesboro lies one of the few places on Earth where the public can search for real diamonds at their original volcanic source. Crater of Diamonds State Park contains a regularly plowed 37.5-acre field. Visitors pay admission, bring or rent simple tools, and keep any gemstones they find.
Diamonds were discovered here in 1906 on land owned by farmer John Huddleston. The site passed through several commercial mining and tourist ventures before becoming an Arkansas state park in 1972. Thousands of diamonds have been registered by park visitors since then.
The field is the eroded surface of an ancient volcanic crater. Rain and plowing expose material from the diamond-bearing lamproite soil. Finds are usually small, but the park has produced notable stones, including the perfectly graded Strawn-Wagner Diamond.
Searching can be as simple as walking the field after rain and looking for a glassy shine. More determined visitors dry sift or wash buckets of soil. Park staff can examine potential finds and explain the identifying features of diamonds and other minerals.
The search area has little shade, so visitors should prepare for heat, mud, and changing weather. Digging tools must follow park rules, and motorized equipment is not permitted. Current admission is $15 for adults and $7 for children ages 6 through 12, with younger children admitted free.
The strange appeal is irresistible: this is a state park where someone can arrive with a bucket and leave owning a diamond pulled from the ground. Most people find only jasper, quartz, or a memorable day in the dirt, but the possibility is real.