Emerald Village — Crabtree Emerald Mine & McKinney Mine Dumps
Little Switzerland / Spruce Pine, North Carolina
emeraldberylfeldsparmicagarnetquartzfluorescent minerals
Fee dig · Fee, seasonal
Emerald Village — Crabtree Emerald Mine & McKinney Mine Dumps
Emerald Village is really three visits stacked together: a guaranteed-find flume, a mining museum inside the old Bon Ami feldspar workings, and — the part serious collectors come for — self-dig access to the Crabtree emerald ground and the McKinney Mine dumps. Crabtree emerald in green-flecked matrix is a classic North Carolina specimen, and the McKinney dumps still turn out pegmatite minerals including fluorescent material. Bring a hammer and safety glasses, or rent tools on site for $25 a day.
The card catalog
| What you can find | emerald, beryl, feldspar, mica, garnet, quartz, fluorescent minerals |
|---|---|
| Access | Fee dig — Fee, seasonal |
| Fees | Self-dig at either the Crabtree Emerald Mine or the McKinney Mine dumps is $25.00 for ages 13+, $5.00 for ages 5-12, and free for ages 4 and under. Tool rental is $25/day plus a deposit. Flume gemstone buckets start at $15.00 and run up to $500.00. |
| Season & hours | Open April 1 through October 31, 2026. Hours are 10am-5pm from April 1 to June 15, 9am-6pm from June 16 to August 15, and 10am-5pm from August 16 to October 31. Black light tours and museum tours are scheduled separately — check the rates and dates page. |
| Kids | Family-friendly — Two very different experiences on one property — the flume is toddler-simple, while the Crabtree self-dig and McKinney dumps are hammer-and-hardhat work suited to about 10 and up. |
| Official source | Emerald Village (operator) |
| Last checked | Checked against its source August 16, 2026 |
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
More drawers in North Carolina
-
Franklin, NC (Cowee Valley, Macon County), NC
ruby, star ruby, sapphire
-
Hiddenite, NC
emerald, hiddenite, aquamarine
-
Spruce Pine, NC
aquamarine, emerald, garnet
-
Franklin, NC (Cowee Valley), NC
rhodolite garnet, ruby, sapphire
Before you go
What does Emerald Village — Crabtree Emerald Mine & McKinney Mine Dumps cost?
Self-dig at either the Crabtree Emerald Mine or the McKinney Mine dumps is $25.00 for ages 13+, $5.00 for ages 5-12, and free for ages 4 and under. Tool rental is $25/day plus a deposit. Flume gemstone buckets start at $15.00 and run up to $500.00. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Emerald Village — Crabtree Emerald Mine & McKinney Mine Dumps open?
Open April 1 through October 31, 2026. Hours are 10am-5pm from April 1 to June 15, 9am-6pm from June 16 to August 15, and 10am-5pm from August 16 to October 31. Black light tours and museum tours are scheduled separately — check the rates and dates page. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Emerald Village — Crabtree Emerald Mine & McKinney Mine Dumps good for kids?
Yes — Emerald Village — Crabtree Emerald Mine & McKinney Mine Dumps works for families. Two very different experiences on one property — the flume is toddler-simple, while the Crabtree self-dig and McKinney dumps are hammer-and-hardhat work suited to about 10 and up.