If you ever dreamed about mining for gems, you can make that a reality at the Pigeon Forge Gem Mine! This fun attraction is a recreation of the old Ruby and Sapphire mines that existed in the Cowee Valley in North Carolina during the mid 1800s. The mine has tons of beautiful gemstones that are in sand rather than clay and dirt, so a bucket or two will fetch you more gemstones than the original miners would find in a full week! Here are the top 4 things you need to know about going gem mining in Pigeon Forge:
1. What to Expect
This gem mine in Pigeon Forge offers the unique and fun opportunity to mine for your own gems in a flume area! All of the stones that you will find in the buckets are real and come from all over the world. While you won’t find any gold in the buckets, you can purchase Gold Kits that come with a bag of Gold Ore. Once you have discovered some sparkling gemstones, you can have your findings cut, polished and mounted into a variety of jewelry items! This attraction also features a General Store with a Rock and Fossil Shop, Jewelry Counter, and a museum!
2. Types of Gem Stone Buckets
There are 5 types of gem stone buckets at the Pigeon Forge Gem Mine. They are the Original Gem Stone Buckets, Treasure Hunters, Specialty Buckets, Super Buckets, and Gemstone Sampler Buckets. The Original Gem Stone Buckets contain an original mix of 20 different types of stones. You’ll even find rubies, sapphires, emeralds, topaz, and more! The Treasure Hunters Bucket not only features the gems from the Original Gem Stone Buckets, but fossils, arrowheads, shells, geodes, and shark teeth. The Specialty Buckets are perfect for those who want to have their stones made into jewelry, while the Super Buckets are huge buckets with every type of treasure imaginable! Finally, the Sampler Buckets are small buckets for those who just want to see what gem mining is all about.
3. Hours and Location
The Pigeon Forge Gem Mine is conveniently located in the heart of Pigeon Forge and is just next door to the Three Bears General Store. Just look for the building underneath the old water tower! The operating hours vary throughout the year dependent on the business, but it typically opens at 9 am. For example, the attraction has been open later than midnight during the summer season and has closed early during the slow season! When planning to go gem mining in Pigeon Forge, all you have to do is visit their website for the most up-to-date operating hours.
4. Where to Stay
Enjoy a wonderful vacation just minutes from this attraction when you stay in one of our cabins! We have cabins of all sizes to meet you needs, ranging from 1 bedroom cabins for a romantic getaway to 9 bedroom cabins for large families and groups! We even have a selection of pet friendly cabin rentals available for those who want to bring their beloved furry companion along for the fun! While staying with us, enjoy all types of fantastic amenities such as private decks with scenic mountain views, fully equipped kitchens, soothing hot tubs, game rooms, and more!
Check out all of our Smoky Mountain cabin rentals today to plan your vacation near the Pigeon Forge Gem Mine! We look forward to seeing you soon at Heritage Cabin Rentals!
