About Crater of Diamonds State Park
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the park handicap accessible?
All park facilities are handicap accessible. However, due to the natural conditions of the diamond search area, ease of access depends on weather conditions at the park.
Can I take food and drinks into the diamond search area?
Yes, food and drinks are allowed in the diamond search area. Picnic tables are located throughout the diamond search area and near the parking area. During the summer we encourage visitors to bring plenty of water to drink during the day, due to extremely high temperatures in the diamond search area.
Can we bring our pets?
Your pet is welcome anywhere in the park, except for the gift shop area of the visitor center, the water park, and the bathhouses. Pets must also remain under physical control of the owner at all times. (i.e. a leash; it cannot be left tied to a tree for long periods) Please DO NOT leave your pets in your vehicle. Many people become concerned when they see a pet in a hot vehicle.
Can I bring a canopy or tent into the diamond search area?
Tents, umbrellas, canopies, or other temporary shelters may be erected in the diamond search area and must be removed daily. All temporary shelters must be properly and safely secured to prevent them from blowing away.
Is my admission ticket good for all day?
Admission to the diamond search area is good for all day. Please keep your receipt, in case you are asked for proof of payment by park staff. Visitors to Diamond Springs Water Park must wear the wrist ticket issued to them at the ticket booth for same-day reentry.
Where are park restrooms located?
Restroom facilities near the diamond search area are located in the Diamond Discovery Center and visitor center. Additional restrooms are located at Diamond Springs Water Park and the pavilion. Our campground also features two bathhouses with restrooms and showers.
Where’s the best place to search for diamonds?
Most diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park are found on top of the ground by surface searching or by digging between the plowed rows of the diamond search area, where water washes and concentrates heavy rocks and minerals. Diamonds are a bit heavy for their size, so they are often found near other heavy rocks and minerals.
Where can I find amethyst?
Most amethyst is found in the southwest corner of the diamond search area, in a section known as Canary Hill. Unlike diamonds, amethyst runs in veins, and several pieces of amethyst can usually be found in the same location.
How do I search for diamonds?
Crater of Diamonds State Park promotes three methods used to search for diamonds.
- Surface searching is a method in which visitors walk the plowed diamond search area and scan the surface for the bright, metallic luster of a diamond. Some visitors also choose to use a small hand tool to carefully rake back loose soil on the surface and watch for the diamond’s luster.
- Dry sifting is a method in which visitors use a small-mesh screen to sift small amounts of dry, loose soil in the search area and check the remaining gravel for a diamond’s bright, metallic luster. This method is most successful when the soil is dry.
- Wet sifting is a method in which visitors dig a bucket of dirt from low-lying parts of the diamond search area and wash the dirt in water through a screen set to sort gravel by size, making diamond searching more productive.
Where can I wet sift for diamonds?
The park has two large, covered pavilions in the diamond search area, featuring water troughs and tables for visitors who choose to wet sift. Open sluice boxes with hand-operated water pumps are also located at the north and south ends of the diamond search area.
Can I rent tools to search for diamonds?
Yes, the park rents mining equipment at the Diamond Discovery Center. Visitors may also bring their own tools for diamond searching. Battery-powered and motor-operated mining tools are not allowed at the park.
How do I rent tools to search for diamonds?
A rental fee and security deposit must be paid for each piece of equipment rented. We accept cash or major credit cards. A receipt will be issued for rentals and must be returned with all equipment in order for security deposits to be refunded. Equipment is rented on a daily basis and must be returned before the park closes each day. Security deposits may not be refunded for lost or stolen equipment.
- Cash security deposits will be refunded in cash when all equipment is returned with the rental receipt on the same day of rental.
- Credit card security deposits must be refunded to the same credit card they were charged to. The park will issue a refund receipt for all credit card security deposit refunds. However, the time taken for refunds to process and appear on your account may vary, depending on the issuing bank and/or billing cycle.
What is a box screen?
A box screen is a square, small-mesh screen used primarily for dry sifting.
What is a screen set?
A screen set consists of a large-mesh screen stacked on top of a small-mesh screen, used to sort gravel by size when wet sifting.
What are the basic kit and advanced kit?
A basic kit consists of a bucket, shovel, and screen set and is primarily used for wet sifting. One basic kit provides enough equipment for up to three people to use. An advanced kit consists of the same tools as a basic kit, in addition to a saruca, used to resift gravel. One advanced kit provides enough equipment for up to four people to use.
What is a saruca?
A saruca is a round, often bowl-shaped screen with a fine mesh, used to resift gravel when wet sifting.
Can I take dirt home from the diamond search area?
Dirt may not be removed from the diamond search area. However, up to five gallons of sifted gravel may be taken home from the diamond search area per person, per day. Many diamonds registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park are found by visitors who take their sifted gravel home.
Where can I have my rocks and minerals identified?
Park staff at the Diamond Discovery Center identify rocks and minerals and certify diamonds for park visitors. Informational panels located at the washing pavilions in the diamond search area also help identify many rocks and minerals found at the park.
What are carats and points?
Carats and points relate to the weight of a diamond or other gemstone. One hundred points make up one carat. One carat is equal to 0.2 grams in weight. The average diamond found at Crater of Diamonds State Park weighs 25 points, or one-quarter of a carat.
What is the specific gravity of a diamond?
3.52
Are the diamonds found here worth anything?
Diamonds found at Crater of Diamonds State Park can be quite valuable. For example, the 3.03 ct. Strawn-Wagner Diamond, found here in 1990, was cut into a 1.09 ct. gem. It was graded as a “perfect” diamond, mounted in a gold and platinum ring, and purchased by the state of Arkansas for $36,000 in 1998. The 8.52 ct. Esperanza Diamond, discovered in 2015, was cut into a 4.6 ct. gemstone. It was graded internally flawless and colorless and valued at around $1 million in 2016. Most smaller diamonds from the park are never graded or appraised, so their exact value is unknown. Park staff do not grade or appraise diamonds.
Does Diamond Springs Water Park have lifeguards?
Diamond Springs Water Park has several lifeguards on staff. However, park rules state that children ages 10 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Children under the age of 5 years are required to have a supervising adult with them at all times, including while in the water.