Crater of Diamonds State Park

Crater of Diamonds State Park offers a unique recreational experience: paying a modest entry fee to the diamond search field and spending hours digging, sifting, and searching the volcanic soil for genuine diamonds and other minerals, keeping everything found. Visitors rent screens, shovels, and buckets from the park, or bring their own tools, and search the 37-acre plowed field at their own pace. The park also offers a visitor center and museum explaining the geology and the history of diamond finds, a water-sluicing area for wet-screening soil, and a campground — many visitors stay multiple days to maximize their time in the field.

The diamond field is open year-round and searching is possible in any season. After a rain, the volcanic soil softens and diamonds are more easily surfaced and spotted — the hours after a good rain are widely considered the best time to search, as water washes the diamonds clean and they glint in the light. Spring and fall offer the most comfortable outdoor digging conditions; summer heat makes the exposed, shadeless field tiring, so bring plenty of water and sun protection for summer visits. Winter is quiet and cool, with fewer visitors. Searching after rain in spring and fall generally yields the best odds and most comfortable conditions.

Diamonds were discovered at the Murfreesboro site in 1906 by John Huddleston, who recognized the unusual crystals on his farm and had them identified as gem diamonds — a discovery that sparked a diamond rush and years of commercial mining attempts, none of which proved sustainably profitable given the dispersed nature of the deposit. After decades of sporadic mining and tourist operations, the State of Arkansas purchased the site in 1972 and opened it as a state park on a fee-to-search, finders-keepers basis — a model unique in the world. More than 75,000 diamonds have been recorded since, including several large, gem-quality stones.

The Crater of Diamonds sits atop a lamproite volcanic pipe — a rare type of deep-mantle eruption that, about 95 million years ago, punched through the overlying rock and brought diamonds, formed at extreme depth and pressure in the earth’s mantle, to the surface. The lamproite is one of only a handful of known diamond-bearing lamproite pipes in the world, and uniquely, it is eroded to a shallow, accessible surface deposit. The plowing of the field periodically brings new material to the surface, and rain naturally washes and concentrates the diamonds. The pipe also yields a rich variety of other minerals, including amethyst, jasper, garnet, and barite.

While the diamond search field itself is a managed, plowed agricultural-style setting, the park’s surrounding grounds along the Little Missouri River include woodland and streamside habitats that support white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and a variety of birds, including woodland songbirds and waterbirds along the river. The campground and picnic areas are set among trees and provide pleasant natural surroundings. The park’s ecological interest lies more in its extraordinary geological significance than in wildlife, but the river corridor and wooded edges provide natural habitat in the Ouachita Mountain foothills.

Crater of Diamonds State Park sits in the Ouachita Mountain foothills along the Little Missouri River, where the river corridor and surrounding woodlands support native plant and animal communities characteristic of the Ouachita region. The volcanic lamproite soil of the diamond field itself supports a distinctive and somewhat unusual flora. The park’s primary ecological and scientific significance is its extraordinary geology — a rare, accessible surface expression of deep-mantle volcanism and diamond formation — but the river and woodland habitats provide natural context and contrast to the geological spectacle of the diamond crater.

Crater of Diamonds State Park holds a beloved and singular place in American culture — the only place in the world where anyone can search for and keep real diamonds, a democratic treasure hunt that has captivated generations. The park has produced internationally famous gems, including the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam Diamond, the largest diamond ever found by a member of the public in the United States, and countless smaller gems that have become family heirlooms. It is a source of enormous pride for Arkansas and one of the most genuinely unique public-land experiences anywhere, drawing visitors from around the world to search the ancient volcanic field.

Crater of Diamonds State Park is near Murfreesboro in southwestern Arkansas, on State Route 301 south of US-270, about two hours southwest of Little Rock and two and a half hours from Fort Smith. The park charges a modest fee to enter the diamond search field (children under 6 free). Equipment rental (screens, shovels, buckets) is available. The visitor center and museum are free. A campground with full hookups is on site. The field is open daily except certain holidays. Check Arkansas State Parks for current field hours, entry fees, equipment rental, and campground reservations before visiting.

Arkansas State Parks manages Crater of Diamonds State Park, balancing public access to the diamond search field with preservation of the unique geological site and the surrounding natural lands along the Little Missouri River. Visitors help by following field rules (no excavating beyond personal search areas, respecting the plowing schedule), protecting the river corridor, packing out all trash, and treating the visitor center and facilities with care. The park’s finders-keepers model ensures that the geological resource is shared with the public rather than extracted commercially, a unique stewardship approach to an irreplaceable natural wonder.

The diamond search field is a safe, family-friendly environment — the main hazards are sun exposure and heat on the open, shadeless field in summer. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat for warm-weather visits. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes you don’t mind getting muddy — the field is often wet and muddy after rain (which is also the best time to search). Digging tools should be used carefully to avoid injury. Supervise young children to prevent swallowing small minerals. After a find, bring diamonds to the park staff for official documentation, which protects the stone’s record and value.

A modest field-entry fee is charged (children under 6 free); the visitor center is free. Searchers may keep all diamonds and minerals found during their visit. Digging is limited to personal search areas (no mechanical or power excavation). Only park-approved tools are allowed in the field (shovels, screens, buckets). The plowing schedule may close sections of the field temporarily; follow staff guidance. No collecting outside the designated field area. Camping requires a reservation. The park is closed certain holidays. Check Arkansas State Parks for current entry fees, field rules, hours, and campground reservations before visiting.

The small town of Murfreesboro, with supplies and local services, is just north of the park. Ouachita National Forest land surrounds the broader region. Lake Greeson and Daisy State Park on the Little Missouri River are nearby for fishing and water recreation. Hot Springs is about an hour and a half northeast. Texarkana is about two hours south. Crater of Diamonds anchors a distinctive corner of southwestern Arkansas, where the ancient Ouachita geology meets an experience unlike any other on earth — a genuine, finders-keepers diamond hunt in the heart of the Natural State.

Search after a recent rain for the best conditions — diamonds wash clean and glint in the light, and the softened soil is easier to dig. Rent equipment from the park, but experienced searchers often bring their own smaller hand tools for careful searching. Focus on the rain-wash areas and the low spots where water concentrates minerals. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat (the field is fully exposed), and wear old clothes you don’t mind muddying. Visit the museum before entering the field to understand what diamonds look like in the rough — most are small, translucent, and greasy-looking. Stay all day; patience and persistence pay off.