Emerald Hollow Mine
Hiddenite, North Carolina
emeraldhiddeniteaquamarinesapphiregarnetamethystsmoky quartzrutiletourmaline
Fee dig · Fee
Emerald Hollow Mine
This is the only emerald mine in the country that lets the public prospect its own ground, and the hillside above Hiddenite has yielded dozens of other species besides. A single day permit covers all three ways to work it: wash buckets of native ore at the covered sluiceway, sift sediment in the creek bed, or walk a quarter mile out to the dig site and chase mineral veins yourself. Hiddenite — the pale green spodumene named for this valley — is rare enough that turning one up is a genuine event.
The card catalog
| What you can find | emerald, hiddenite, aquamarine, sapphire, garnet, amethyst, smoky quartz, rutile, tourmaline |
|---|---|
| Access | Fee dig — Fee |
| Fees | A permit is required for everyone at the sluiceway, creek or dig site, digging or not, and is bought on arrival: $30 for ages 15 and up, $10 for ages 4-14, $27 for military, veterans and seniors 50+, free for 3 and under. One permit covers sluicing, creeking and digging for the whole day and you may leave and return; enriched buckets are extra. |
| Season & hours | Year-round: Mon-Thu 8:30am-5pm, Fri-Sun 8:30am-6pm. Closing time shifts with weather, season and attendance, so the mine asks you to call ahead if arriving after 4pm; it closes temporarily during electrical storms. Holiday closures are not posted online — call before driving. |
| Kids | Family-friendly — The covered sluiceway is easy for grade-schoolers. Creeking and the quarter-mile walk out to the dig site mean muddy water, hand tools and uneven ground — better from about age 8. |
| Official source | Emerald Hollow Mine (operator) |
| Last checked | Checked against its source August 16, 2026 |
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
More drawers in North Carolina
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Franklin, NC (Cowee Valley, Macon County), NC
ruby, star ruby, sapphire
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Emerald Village — Crabtree Emerald Mine & McKinney Mine Dumps
Little Switzerland / Spruce Pine, NC
emerald, beryl, feldspar
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Spruce Pine, NC
aquamarine, emerald, garnet
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Franklin, NC (Cowee Valley), NC
rhodolite garnet, ruby, sapphire
Before you go
What does Emerald Hollow Mine cost?
A permit is required for everyone at the sluiceway, creek or dig site, digging or not, and is bought on arrival: $30 for ages 15 and up, $10 for ages 4-14, $27 for military, veterans and seniors 50+, free for 3 and under. One permit covers sluicing, creeking and digging for the whole day and you may leave and return; enriched buckets are extra. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Emerald Hollow Mine open?
Year-round: Mon-Thu 8:30am-5pm, Fri-Sun 8:30am-6pm. Closing time shifts with weather, season and attendance, so the mine asks you to call ahead if arriving after 4pm; it closes temporarily during electrical storms. Holiday closures are not posted online — call before driving. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Emerald Hollow Mine good for kids?
Yes — Emerald Hollow Mine works for families. The covered sluiceway is easy for grade-schoolers. Creeking and the quarter-mile walk out to the dig site mean muddy water, hand tools and uneven ground — better from about age 8.