By: 
Waymon Cox
 Updated: 
Searching for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park
Searching for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! This past Memorial Day Weekend marked the beginning of summer hours and activities at the Crater of Diamonds. From now through August 10, the park’s diamond search area will open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Visitor Center and Diamond Discovery Center will remain open an extra hour each day, so that guests can have their finds identified, buy a souvenir from the gift shop, visit the museum, or register for a campsite after the search area closes. 

With hotter weather ahead, anyone visiting the park in the next few months should take care to minimize chances of heat-related illness and sunburn. One way is to dress for the weather. Wear breathable, loose-fitting clothing that blocks the sun and allows the skin to stay cool. Drink water regularly—before, while, and after diamond searching—to stay hydrated. The park sells bottled water, and visitors can also bring ice chests and water with them.

Summertime guests are encouraged to take short breaks to cool off at least once an hour. Visitors can rest under permanent sun shelters throughout the diamond search area or bring umbrellas or portable canopies for shade. Hats and sunscreen are also a necessity to help prevent sunburn, even on cloudy days.

The park’s restaurant and water park are also open to help guests cool off this summer. Kimberlite Café opens daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., serving lunch, snacks, ice cream, and more! Diamond Springs, the park’s mining-themed aquatic playground, opens from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and is a great place to cool off after a hot morning of diamond searching.

Whether you’re camping at the park, hiking our nature trails, or enjoying your own diamond searching adventure, we hope that all of our guests will have a fun and safe summer at Crater of Diamonds State Park!

 

Search area last plowed: May 17, 2019
 

Most recent significant rain: May 22, 2019
 

Diamond finds for the weeks of May 12 & 19, 2019 (100 points = 1 carat):

May 12 – Forest & Brian Page, Joliet, IL, 7 pt. white; Kenny & Melissa Oliver, Rosston, AR, 9 pt. white

May 13 – Justin Thomas, Clinton, AR, 4 pt. white; Steven Kelly, McAllen, TX, 10 pt. brown

May 15 – David Hinzie, White Bear Lake, MN, 31 pt. brown

May 17 – Jerry Anderson, Wymore, NE, 6 pt. white; Larry Taylor, Fayetteville, WV, 3 pt. white, 5 pt. brown, 19 pt. white

May 19 – Carrie Vichitvongsa, Van Buren, AR, 24 pt. brown

May 20 – Larry Taylor, Fayetteville, WV, 3 pt. white, 25 pt. white; Forest & Brian Page, Joliet, IL, 5 pt. white

May 21 – Marshall Floyd, Murfreesboro, AR, 1.59 ct. brown

May 22 – Alexa & James Perry, Springfield, MO, 11 pt. yellow; Larry Taylor, Fayetteville, WV, 7 pt. white

May 23 – Jennifer Bopp, Glenwood, AR, 8 pt. white

May 24 – Larry Taylor, Fayetteville, WV, 13 pt. yellow; Troy & Rebecca McDuffie & Norris, Reserve, LA, 1 pt. white, 2 pt. white

May 25 – Solomon Baughman, Elkins, AR, 6 pt. yellow; Troy Savage, Antlers, OK, 44 pt. yellow, 22 pt. white