Stay in the heart of Arkansas's crystal country, the Quartz Crystal Capital of the World.
Mount Ida is renowned the world over for its exceptional quartz crystals, formed deep in ancient rock by immense heat and pressure and left behind for us to discover millions of years later. Some of the largest, most pristine, water-clear points found anywhere come straight out of the ground right around here.
Want the full experience? Crystal digging is outdoor family fun that needs no prior know-how. A handful of nearby mines let you keep everything you unearth, and just over an hour away you can hunt for real diamonds.
Pay-to-dig mines around Mount Ida and Mena let you keep your finds, and Murfreesboro is the only public diamond site in the world.
One of the area's premier pay-to-dig mines near Mount Ida, fresh machine-dug tailings where you keep every crystal you pull.
11 Logan Gap Rd, Mount Ida, AR 71957
Website ↗ ~15 miA friendly Mount Ida dig site with tailings and bucket options, a relaxed, family-favorite spot for first-time diggers.
177 Collier Springs Rd, Mount Ida, AR 71957
Website ↗ ~15 miA long-running family operation near Mount Ida with guided digs and a famous "Crystal Forest." Great for first-timers.
82 Wegner Ranch Rd, Mount Ida, AR 71957
Website ↗ ~16 miA local favorite for hand-digging clear quartz points and clusters straight from the vein.
Owley Road, Mount Ida, AR 71957
Facebook ↗ ~25 miNear Mena, known for digging adventures and the occasional unusual mineral surprise alongside the quartz.
110 Polk Road 62, Mena, AR 71953
Website ↗ ~62 miAbout an hour away in Murfreesboro: search a 37-acre field and keep any diamond you find. Big, valuable stones still turn up.
209 State Park Rd, Murfreesboro, AR 71958
Website ↗Prefer to browse? Mount Ida's shops are full of crystals, geodes and one-of-a-kind specimens.
Don't miss the Heritage House Museum in Mount Ida to see some of the most spectacular crystals ever pulled from these mountains.
Dig all day, come home to relax in tranquility. Reserve your stay on AirBNB.
Riverfront · Sleeps 8
A rustic two-level home perched above the water, with a window-side recliner overlooking the river, a natural quartz crystal fireplace and a screened-in porch made for long, cricket-song evenings. Perfect for larger families and multi-family getaways.
Modern · Sleeps 6
A bright, newly built single-level home with a fully stocked kitchen, reclaimed-wood accents and your own covered pavilion with a quartz crystal fire pit. Step out the door and onto the trail. Effortless comfort, deep in the trees.