Mason Mountain Mine
Franklin, NC (Cowee Valley), North Carolina
rhodolite garnetrubysapphirekyanitemoonstonecordieritesmoky quartz
Fee dig · Fee, seasonal
Mason Mountain Mine
Mason Mountain works a dig pile of 100% native, unsalted dirt hauled straight off its own mine above the Cowee Valley, attached to a gift shop that has been a Franklin fixture for decades. Rhodolite garnet is the dependable find; ruby, sapphire and cordierite show up often enough to keep shovels moving. Enhanced buckets are also sold for small children, so ask which pile you are buying before you pay.
The card catalog
| What you can find | rhodolite garnet, ruby, sapphire, kyanite, moonstone, cordierite, smoky quartz |
|---|---|
| Access | Fee dig — Fee, seasonal |
| Fees | Native (unsalted) dig pile $40 per adult, $20 for ages 6-12, under 6 free with a paid adult. Private native dig pile $500/day and private after-hours mining $750 for 5pm-9pm, each up to 10 people. Enhanced buckets ($50 for about 10 lb, $100 for about 20 lb) and gem-filled barrels are a separate, salted product. |
| Season & hours | 2026 season runs Mar. 4 - Oct. 31, Wed-Sat 9am-5pm, closed Sun-Tue. November-December it shifts to Wed-Sat 10am-3pm, with the mine closed Nov. 16-30 and Dec. 14-31. Closed all of January and February, reopening Wed. Mar. 3, 2027. |
| Kids | Family-friendly — Children under 6 dig free and staff walk beginners through identification, but this is real shovel-and-screen work on loose ground. |
| Official source | Mason Mountain Mine & Cowee Gift Shop (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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Hiddenite, NC
emerald, hiddenite, aquamarine
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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
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Before you go
What does Mason Mountain Mine cost?
Native (unsalted) dig pile $40 per adult, $20 for ages 6-12, under 6 free with a paid adult. Private native dig pile $500/day and private after-hours mining $750 for 5pm-9pm, each up to 10 people. Enhanced buckets ($50 for about 10 lb, $100 for about 20 lb) and gem-filled barrels are a separate, salted product. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Mason Mountain Mine open?
2026 season runs Mar. 4 - Oct. 31, Wed-Sat 9am-5pm, closed Sun-Tue. November-December it shifts to Wed-Sat 10am-3pm, with the mine closed Nov. 16-30 and Dec. 14-31. Closed all of January and February, reopening Wed. Mar. 3, 2027. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Mason Mountain Mine good for kids?
Yes — Mason Mountain Mine works for families. Children under 6 dig free and staff walk beginners through identification, but this is real shovel-and-screen work on loose ground.