What's the weather like at crater of Diamonds State Park?
Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! We’ve had beautiful weather over the past few days, and hundreds of people have come to search for diamonds during early March spring breaks. After a wet start to winter, the weather has stayed dry long enough for us to plow part of the diamond search area for the first time this year.
How do we plow the land for the Diamond Search?
The park uses a bulldozer pulling a bedding plow to work the search area into windrows. We follow the lay of the land when plowing to help water drain from the surface and promote natural sorting of the diamond-bearing soil. We plow about once a month as weather allows, or six to eight times each year.
What is diamond plowing and how does it work?
Plowing the diamond search area serves several purposes. It resets the soil by smoothing rough areas, refilling small holes, and exposing unsearched material. It also promotes diamond finds by breaking apart the dirt, releasing gravel and diamonds.
How does the park plow the land?
The park uses a bulldozer pulling a bedding plow to work the search area into windrows. We follow the lay of the land when plowing to help water drain from the surface and promote natural sorting of the diamond-bearing soil.
How often is Crater of Diamonds plowed?
We follow the lay of the land when plowing to help water drain from the surface and promote natural sorting of the diamond-bearing soil. We plow about once a month as weather allows, or six to eight times each year.
What is the best time of year to go to Crater of Diamonds State Park?
Spring break can be a great time to visit Arkansas's diamond site, and the following tips can help you make the most of your diamond-searching adventure! One of the first considerations for a spring break visit to the Crater of Diamonds is the best time to come.
Can you sell the diamonds you find at Crater of Diamonds?
According to the Crater of Diamonds State Park website, the Crater of Diamonds is one of the only places in the world where the public can search for diamonds – and keep or sell the ones they find. Sitting outside Murfreesboro, Arkansas, the 37-acre field is an eroded surface of a volcanic crater.
What are the odds of finding a diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park?
A total of 455 diamonds were found and registered with the park. Straight odds would say that 1 in 253 visitors would find a diamond. But those odds would not be accurate. Many people, such as David Anderson who found the 6.19 carat diamond, live near the park and hunt regularly.
How can you tell a diamond in dirt?
They have a shine that is brighter than glass or quartz crystals. If you think you found one, compare them to other shiny rocks and see if your find stands out. Diamonds are rounded not edged. Contrary to advertised diamonds, natural diamonds have a rounded shape, more or less like a jelly bean.
How much does it cost to dig at Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas?
The answer might surprise you. Arkansas's Crater of Diamonds State Park is one of the only diamond-producing sites in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source....Fees to search for Diamonds.AgePriceAdults$10Children under 6 years oldFREE1 more row
What do raw diamonds look like when found?
In other words, they have not been altered or tampered with after they were discovered. Raw diamonds look like transparent stones with yellowish or brownish tints. There are some that are colorless but these are rare.
What is a 4.38 carat diamond worth?
between $20,000 and $30,000The gem is estimated to be worth between $20,000 and $30,000.
What do raw diamonds look like from Crater of Diamonds?
Diamonds found at the Crater are typically smooth and well rounded. Their shape resembles a polished stone with smooth sides and rounded edges. Size: The average size of a diamond is about the size of a paper match head, approximately 20-25 points weight.
What is the best depth to find diamonds?
Diamond has the highest odds of spawning at Y=-64. We recommend digging one level above the lowest bedrock. After all, even if the bedrock is part of your floor, that's one less block that could have been useful.
Can you take dirt from Crater of Diamonds?
Can I take dirt home from the diamond search area? Unsifted 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.
Where is diamond most likely to be found?
The following countries produce industrial grade diamonds: Australia, Botswana, Brazil, China, Congo, Russia and South Africa. Geologically speaking, natural diamonds are found in two environments. Most are found in kimberlites, which are pipe-like formations created as a result of volcanic and tectonic activity.
How long do people spend at Crater of Diamonds State Park?
The length of visit is up to you. Several people leave after a few hours and others pack ice chests and leave at close. You need to calculate drive time between the 2 and then establish how long you want to spend at each.
What months is Crater of Diamonds open?
They are open year round except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, and New Years Day.
Where is the best place to find diamonds at Crater of Diamonds?
Where's the best place to search for diamonds? Most diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park are either found on top of the ground, by surface searching, or by digging in ravines between the plowed rows of the diamond search area, where water washes and concentrates heavy rocks and minerals.
What do raw diamonds look like when found?
In other words, they have not been altered or tampered with after they were discovered. Raw diamonds look like transparent stones with yellowish or brownish tints. There are some that are colorless but these are rare.
Why do people plow diamonds?
Plowing the diamond search area serves several purposes. It resets the soil by smoothing rough areas, refilling small holes, and exposing unsearched material. It also promotes diamond finds by breaking apart the dirt, releasing gravel and diamonds. Lighter materials wash away during rainfall, and heavy gravel and diamonds concentrate in lower areas. Many people visit after a good rainstorm to take advantage of peak diamond searching conditions. Even when sections haven’t been plowed in a long time, heavy gravel and diamonds continue to collect in cracks and crevices along the surface of the search area.
What happens to diamonds after a rainstorm?
Lighter materials wash away during rainfall, and heavy gravel and diamonds concentrate in lower areas. Many people visit after a good rainstorm to take advantage of peak diamond searching conditions. Even when sections haven’t been plowed in a long time, heavy gravel and diamonds continue to collect in cracks and crevices along the surface ...
When do you plow in the park?
We usually plow when there are fewer people in the field, or before the park opens for the day. It can be tempting to follow close behind the plow and look for the gleam of a freshly-uncovered diamond. However, for the safety of our guests, we ask that everyone stay at least 100 feet away from the machinery.
Who is Waymon Cox?
Waymon Cox has been a park interpreter at Crater of Diamonds State Park since 2008. Beginning in 2004 he worked as a clerk, seasonal park interpreter , and seasonal guide at Crater of Diamonds State Park and Historic Washington State Park. Waymon enjoys photography, writing, crochet, and traveling around Arkansas with his family.
Why do people plow diamonds?
Plowing the diamond search area serves several purposes. It resets the soil by smoothing rough areas, refilling small holes, and exposing unsearched material. It also promotes diamond finds by breaking apart the dirt, releasing gravel and diamonds. Lighter materials wash away during rainfall, and heavy gravel and diamonds concentrate in lower areas. Many people visit after a good rainstorm to take advantage of peak diamond searching conditions. Even when sections haven’t been plowed in a long time, heavy gravel and diamonds continue to collect in cracks and crevices along the surface of the search area.
When do you plow in the park?
We usually plow when there are fewer people in the field, or before the park opens for the day. It can be tempting to follow close behind the plow and look for the gleam of a freshly-uncovered diamond. However, for the safety of our guests, we ask that everyone stay at least 100 feet away from the machinery.
Crater of Diamonds' Mine Admission Winter 2022
One day admission to the diamond search area. Admission fee does not include tool rental or other amenities. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. TICKETS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE AND NOT AVAILABLE FOR RESALE. Online ticket sales end a day in a… read more
Crater of Diamonds' Mine Admission Spring 2022
One day admission to the diamond search area. Admission fee does not include tool rental or other amenities. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. TICKETS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE AND NOT AVAILABLE FOR RESALE. Online ticket sales end a day in a… read more
Crater of Diamonds' Mine Admission October 2021
One day admission to the diamond search area. Admission fee does not include tool rental or other amenities. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. TICKETS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE AND NOT AVAILABLE FOR RESALE. Online ticket sales end a day in advance. If any tickets remain after online sales have concluded, those tick…
Why is deep plowing important?
Edmonds continues, “Deep plowing is an important part of Crater’s operational plans. Periodic deep plows and erosional forces provide improved access to unsearched material. Though every day holds the potential of a significant diamond find, a freshly turned surface is especially exciting.”
How many acres are there in Crater of Diamonds State Park?
Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! A lot has happened at the Crater in the past few days, as a new trenching plan seeks to expose unsearched diamond-bearing material and create new opportunities for diamond finds in the park’s 37.5-acre search area.
What will Walker do after the trench is complete?
After the trench is complete, Walker will then deep plow the entire search area to loosen soil at a greater depth and help to release more diamonds. Park Interpreter Waymon Cox says, “Several visitors have found diamonds on the top of the ground this year.
How long is the diamond trench?
The primary goal of this year’s project is to create a drainage trench, approximately 200 yards long, along a portion of the diamond search area’s southern edge. Years of eroded soil and gravel have accumulated in this area, making deeper gravel deposits inaccessible to most park visitors. Howell says of the ongoing undertaking, “We are starting to see patches of gravel in the bottom of the new trench. These heavy gravel deposits are what many of our ‘regular’ visitors look for. They know that if there is a pocket of gravel, then there is a higher probability of a diamond being there, as well.”
Why are secondary paths flattened?
Secondary paths will also be shored up and flattened to help make them easier to traverse. According to Howell, “All of the gravel picked up by the heavy equipment is going where most of our visitors search for diamonds. Hopefully, someone will cross paths with a very large diamond soon!”.
When were diamonds first discovered in the South Drain?
The South Drain passes near where local farmer John Wesley Huddleston reportedly found the first diamonds here in 1906. If the new trench proves fruitful, many other diamonds will be found in this area over the months and years to come.
Is Crater of Diamonds open to the public?
Park staff expect the latest venture will be completed by mid-October. The entire search area is currently open to the public, but guests are encouraged to stay safe and keep clear of the heavy machinery.
