If you are planning a visit to the Herkimer Diamond Mines, this complete guide will ensure your visit is fun and memorable!
After having this trip on my list for quite some time, I was finally able to go to the Herkimer Diamond Mines with my family and I’m so glad we did!
If you are looking to find your own Herkimer Diamonds, you have a few different options for where to stay and mine! Crystal Grove Diamond Mine and Campground, Herkimer Diamond KOA Resort, and the Ace of Diamonds Mine and Campground are the most popular options for those planning to stay in the area and are especially great for beginners with not too much experience rock hounding.
We decided to stay at the Herkimer Diamond KOA Resort and had a fantastic experience. It was a bit pricier than what we would normally spend on a camping trip, but for all that it had to offer, and the prime location we decided to give it a shot. Let’s look into the great features of this mine and associated campground, and everything you should know before booking your trip!
The Herkimer Diamond Mine
The KOA’s mine, “Herkimer Diamond Mine“, is located right across the street from the campground! All of the Herkimer diamond mines operate seasonally, opening in the spring and closing in late fall so check your dates in advance!
The Facility: When you arrive, check in at the village hall! They will get you set up with equipment and give you a quick run down before sending you off to watch a brief orientation video before you start your search.
Food: Hungry? They have a little café right near the mining area so you can take a break, get something to eat or drink, and spend some time in the shade!
Equipment: To save some money, we brought our own buckets, eye protection, and gloves, and bought a chisel from the nearby Walmart so we would not have to rent them! Hammer rentals are free for the day which is nice, especially since admission set us back about $18 a piece.
It took us a bit to get the hang of searching for these little beauties but we had a ton of fun! We found many crystals, small pieces of Herkimer diamonds, and a few fully formed Herkimers about the size of a bottlecap! Others around us had a bit more luck finding bigger pieces so you never know what you will find!
We walked out of the mine completely satisfied and content with our haul. If you didn’t strike it big, the mine does offer sluice bags for $18 with guaranteed Herkimer diamonds inside that you can sift for in the sluicing area.
The Campground
From water front trailer sites, tent sites, and more expensive cabins, you can choose what kind of stay you are looking for!
The activities at this campground were surprisingly endless! We couldn’t even do them all! Ride your bikes, sit by the campground fire pits and play cornhole, play horseshoes or disc golf, swim in the pool, or participate in the campground arts and crafts.
Tubing in the creek is one of the main draws to this campground. When it is warm enough you will see a bunch of campers push off from one end of the campground and hop out at the other end, walking back up the main path. If you don’t want to take a dip in the creek you can watch the tubers float by from your campsite as well!
Forget something? The General Store has a ton! The tubes are a bit overpriced here but the Walmart 15 minutes away had some for about 5 bucks.
Unlike many of the campgrounds we have been to, the KOA had both a food truck and an ice cream stand! While we didn’t test out the food truck, and cooked back at the camp, my family thoroughly enjoyed “Scoops” after spending a long day in the sun at the mine.
Although the whole experience was a bit pricy compared to a camping trip, I would definitely recommend the experience! The KOA has something for everyone, and allows you to both experience the mine and head back to camp at any point to relax and enjoy the amenities offered. We will be heading back next year and may test out one of the other sites, although it will be hard to top our stay at the KOA!
Have you been to the Herkimer Diamond Mines before? What did you think! Is this spot on your list? Let me know in the comments, and thanks for reading! 🙂