Here’s a little known and interesting fact that may surprise you: North Carolina is home to the only public access emerald mine in the world. That may not mean a lot to some people, but true rock hounds will love the treasure awaiting at the only mine in the country where they can dig up, among other treasures, huge emeralds like the ones in the composite below. And so can you!

Emerald Hollow Mine makes it possible to become an amateur miner and amateur geologist all in the same day.

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Located near Hiddenite, North Carolina, the Emerald Hollow Mine is a rock hound’s dream come true.

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For starters, this little gem of a mine gives you three ways to find your treasure. You can take a shovel, or other tools, out into the wild (actually designated areas for safety reasons) and just dig anywhere you like.

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Channel your inner geology hound to find that treasure so you can take it home. Whatever you find, you keep!

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The next way you can channel that inner rockhound, is by good old fashioned ‘Creeking.’

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And it’s just like it sounds. Prepare to spend the day playing in water, sluicing your heart out in search of the jewels.

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You’ll find plenty of them here. More than 60 different varieties of gemstones have been found on the property.

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The third way you can search for treasure is by simply sluicing from buckets of material already gathered by the mine. You can choose a Native bucket which is straight dirt from the mining area that has never been sluiced before. Or, you can pay extra for an “Enriched” bucket that has had some gemstones from all over the world added to the bucket.

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Below are a few big scores from Emerald Hollow. This first photo is a Geode #3. If you’re not a rock hound, then you are undoubtedly wondering where the the shimmer and shine is, or how this lumpy, bumpy find could be considered a treasure.

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Take another look! The treasure is inside the quirky looking Geode #3, and it definitely shimmers!

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You never know what your hard day’s work will yield at Emerald Hollow. The person in the photo below took home this impressive Green Aventurine!

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Whether you choose to mine in just one fashion, or you purchase a mining one-day permit that allows you to dig, creek and sluice, one thing is for certain: you’re guaranteed to have a unique and fun experience for the entire family!

Emerald Hollow Emerald Hollow’s pricing structure is a bit complicated so we’re just going to send you to their website which does a wonderful job of breaking down the various options for mining. Whatever you choose, you’re bound to love digging in deep at the only public access emerald mine in the whole world.

Are you into digging up buried treasure? And have you already scored big at Emerald Hollow Mine? We’d love to hear about your discoveries below! Emerald Hollow Mine is located at 484 Emerald Hollow Mine Dr., Hiddenite, NC 28636. They are open 362 days a year from 8:30 a.m. until dark. For another fun family adventure in the Tar Heel State, check out this wildlife park near Charlotte that’s also a perfect family day trip!

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Emerald Hollow

Emerald Hollow’s pricing structure is a bit complicated so we’re just going to send you to their website which does a wonderful job of breaking down the various options for mining. Whatever you choose, you’re bound to love digging in deep at the only public access emerald mine in the whole world.

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