Sugar Creek Gem Mining

We had a great time at Sugar Creek Gem Mining. It was very laid back and enjoyable for all. The adults got to visit while sitting on the adirondack chairs on the patio while watching the kids «mine». The kids had a blast, they found some really pretty stones. They brought their treasures home and my 12 year old organized them all in a container and is still talking about mining and the stones he found. It was an unexpected highlight of the trip for us.

Right off the highway and near Beech Mountain and Banner Elk. Chris was friendly and knowledgeable and not a smidgen pushy. Spent an extraordinary amount of time sorting through our finds. Would definitely visit again when in the area!

Ok, let’s be real… you’re not going to find the Hope Diamond in one of the salted buckets at Sugar Creek Gem Mine, and if that’s what you’re hoping for then I don’t suggest stopping at any of the touristy roadside gem mines in general. Also, I have a bridge to sell you. You can expect to get about half the value in rough gemstones that your bucket costs you, but c’mon, you’re doing this for entertainment purposes, right? My friend and I had a blast «mining» for gems and felt like kids again. We split a 5-​gallon bucket for $ 65 (they have various sizes and prices) and ended up with a pretty good stash that we sat and split up later. We found a wide variety of gems: amethysts, sapphires, quartz, emeralds, rubies, red jasper, garnets, aquamarines, etc. It took us about an hour, taking turns, to mine the 5-​gallon bucket. This business opened recently, so the facilities are nice and new. The staff was very friendly and the gemologist who helped us sort through our haul at the end was quite knowledgeable.
Bonus: if you get a particularly decent stone (which you will), they offer cutting services to turn your rock into a polished jewel that’s ready to be set. The gemologist will help you pick a good stone for cutting, and you can expect to receive it in the mail in about 1 – 2 weeks. They told us that they plan to eventually bring a jeweler on staff, who will cut and set your stones on site, but they aren’t quite there yet. Prices for cutting the stones range from about $ 30-​$ 80 based on the type of stone and cut you choose. I had an amethyst oval cut for my mom (her birthstone) that I plan to set as a pendant for her birthday. It turned out to be an impressively done 1.6 carats, and the cost was $ 40. Now, by the time I get it set and add a chain, I’ll be way over the cost of just buying a similar amethyst pendant at Kay Jewelers, but anyone who has ever given their mom some lop-​sided homemade mug or crappy drawing of the family knows that anything you make (or have made) will go a lot further with her than just buying something at the store.
Bottom line, kids and adults who are kids-​at-​heart will have a great experience at this place, so long as they are realistic about what they are paying for, which is mostly entertainment and a few bucks worth of gemstones as souvenirs.