Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine & Gold Fever Rock Shop
Helena, Montana
sapphiregarnetquartzagatejaspergold
Fee dig · Fee
Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine & Gold Fever Rock Shop
This is the public doorway to the Missouri River sapphire bars east of Helena, ground that has been worked since the 1860s. Most visitors buy a bag of concentrate and screen it beside the shop, but you can also pay to dig your own bucket straight out of the bar with instruction. Expect greens and blue-greens more often than postcard blue, plus garnet, agate, jasper, and the occasional flake of gold.
The card catalog
| What you can find | sapphire, garnet, quartz, agate, jasper, gold |
|---|---|
| Access | Fee dig — Fee |
| Fees | Concentrate bags run $100 (Monster Mine), $125 (El Dorado), and $150 (Motherlode). A guided dig is $85 total and includes one large concentrate plus a five-gallon bucket you dig yourself in the mine, taking three to four hours. |
| Season & hours | Open year-round, Thursday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday. The operator warns April can be iffy with frozen ground and recommends after the Fourth of July through September. |
| Kids | Family-friendly — Sitting at a screening trough with a bag of concentrate suits any age. The dig option is real shovel work over three to four hours, so buy bagged concentrate for younger children and save the dig for teenagers. |
| Official source | Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine (operator FAQ) |
| 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 Montana
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Miles City, MT
montana moss agate, agate, jasper
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Wise River, MT
quartz crystals, smoky quartz, amethyst
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Philipsburg, MT
sapphire, garnet
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Alder, MT
garnet
Before you go
What does Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine & Gold Fever Rock Shop cost?
Concentrate bags run $100 (Monster Mine), $125 (El Dorado), and $150 (Motherlode). A guided dig is $85 total and includes one large concentrate plus a five-gallon bucket you dig yourself in the mine, taking three to four hours. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine & Gold Fever Rock Shop open?
Open year-round, Thursday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday. The operator warns April can be iffy with frozen ground and recommends after the Fourth of July through September. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine & Gold Fever Rock Shop good for kids?
Yes — Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine & Gold Fever Rock Shop works for families. Sitting at a screening trough with a bag of concentrate suits any age. The dig option is real shovel work over three to four hours, so buy bagged concentrate for younger children and save the dig for teenagers.