'Pick-your-own' Diamonds in Arkansas

At a state park in Arkansas, diamonds and other precious stones are hidden in plowed ground, just waiting to be found.

Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Ark., (CraterofDiamondsStatePark.com) is part of an ancient volcanic crater, where time and erosion have brought precious stones to the surface. Now, park visitors hunt a plowed 37½-acre field, armed with eagle eyes, shovels, and boxed screens to sift out soil. If they’re diligent — and very lucky — they’ll spot a precious stone to take home.

Doesn’t matter if it’s small, as most are; it’s always exciting when a visitor hits pay dirt. “A diamond is a diamond,” says Waymon Cox, park interpreter. “No matter the size, it’s a good souvenir.”

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