My son and I loved emerald Creek last year. So much so that I'm going with my father this year. I went during the summer last year and it definitely gets hot on top of the hill. There's some umbrellas up for shade but bring lots of water and sunscreen during a hot day. Other wise I found great garnet specimen ranging from pea size to golf ball size. I'm attaching a picture with one stone on top of my camera light to show you the brilliance of the stone.
Fun experience. It’s heavy sifting the gravel and sand. Hot in the sun. They have umbrellas and shade at the sifting and sluicing areas. The rangers were helpful. At the end of the 3 hours you’re pretty pooped out. The hike back to the car is an easy downhill walk, thank goodness. Would I do it again?…. I think so. You must register ahead of time and you can search for the garnets once a year only. There’s also a few picnic tables there and you can bring water and/or snacks. It seemed like everyone was finding garnets.
Cool setup where everyone can dig, sift, then sluice. Pretty much everyone seemed to find something, tho sizes & quality vary wildly.
Beautiful area & scenery. Fun times. I'll be back.
Can't get any tickets, pretty ridiculous. Used to be able to just go without the hassle, my daughter has been wanting to go but you have to buy tickets online and we haven't been able to do that, either the website is broken or it's sold out, stupid.
Best experience EVER! Found tickets last minute and couldn't be happier... the info on the website is great for directions. No phone service for several miles. You get there, park and you walk up hill a little ways. There are Porta potties at couple of spots. You get checked in and get to work. Huge pile of material, you go scoop some in the provided buckets, sift and go to the water station to wash and sift. They'll show you what you are looking for. We found quite a few pieces. I didn't think the kids would last 3 hours, but they did. Staff is friendly and the place is peaceful. Love it! Can't wait to go back.
I have been taking my kids and grandkids here for years and had some great times and found lots of garnets.. however it has changed so much and became such a tourist attraction that it's just not the same anymore . There are lines at each station and so many rude people that we don't come anymore.. there's a new place down the road called Huckleberry garnet mine where there's no lines and has plenty of beautiful garnets so we go there now.. give them a try you won't be disappointed..
We love going here to get garnets. The tickets are hard to come by but worth it and pretty inexpensive. If your handicap you can drive up the hill and drop off people. Just open the gate. It's not locked. I've been in aug and it was super hot and dry. No Real shade and we went in June and there was mud up to your knees in some areas. If ypu go after it's rained wear gear your 10000% of with having mud on and possibly never coming totally Clean. When we got home I layer our clothes out to dry in the sun and then picked off and shook off the thick cracked mud before I washed them. Most came out Clean.
So much fun and the rangers are super kind and Knowledgeable. Wild flowers in bloom on the 1/2 mile hike up. Got 15 ounces of Garnet some the size of shooting marbles and some shiney shists. It is work but rewarding. Can not wait to return.
The Garnet Area is managed and operated by the U.S. Forest Service. They have it set up as a clean, easy, process while managing the crowds to make it even more enjoyable. They provide all the tools you need, plus are very friendly and informative during your Garnet Mining. The best part as a non-rockhound is that there is great payoff! You will definitely find Garnets each visit to the sluice all all shapes and sizes. Honestly had fun! 10 out of 10, would do again and recommend!
I already look forward to our next visit!!! Drove all the way from Washington and would do it again in a heartbeat. Great Family activity for our 4 and 8 year old girls!
Experience is OK, but the gov't ruined it with its paranoid covid procedures. You're outdoors in the fresh air, yet they act as if the apocalypse is about to happen. They now use an inefficient online reservation system which charges extra fees, so the advertised price is never the price. The list of prohibitions and what they don't allow is so long that you would think you've walked into an internment camp. They allow so few people anymore that almost no one can get a chance to go. Once these resources get into the hands of the gov't, they are no longer brought to the service of the people. It's over-managed and effectively denies a resource to the people who should be able to enjoy it freely.
We had so much fun here last year! It's not easy to get to and it is not in cell service for my provider, so come prepared. Also bring mosquito spray, we had to cut our visit short because I was beginning to get bit. Unfortunately due to road improvements they arent open yet this year to my knowledge, but I highly reccomend bringing your favorite rockhounds here!
This is something our family has wanted to do for several years, since we first moved to north Idaho. We finally took the drive and had a great time; found quite a few small garnets. Permit for each of us (adults) was $10 cash, purchased at the site, after the 1/2 mile hike from the parking lot. There are picnic tables but minimal shade. Bring water, snacks, and sunscreen/hat. Wear clothing you don't mind getting dirty and bring a change of clothes. A pair of thin gloves might also be a good idea. Next time, we'll go early, right when they open, take lunch, and make a day of it; maybe even spend the night in the campground. Excellent family fun.
Ok, listen to me. Follow what I say.
Bring a wagon with wheels, a cart with wheels, SOMETHING that will carry dirt besides your hands/back.
Make a sifter stand. 30 inches high, put washers and wingnuts on the corners to enable easy take down. Make a screen with a least the screen material at .25 inch or a bit bigger. Fashion two rods that will hold up the screen, yet sllow it to be shaken back and forth. two rods, bent at 90 degree angles, router out holes that do not go thru [but maybe if they did, it would be ok] the wood on the inside of the top part. put the screen box on that, shake the dirt back and forth to get the lions share of the dirt off.
The resulting leavings of rocks is what you put in a bucket.
BRING nitrile gloves. male or female. it will protect your nails and skin in the trough of water that you wash those rocks off with. SEVERAL times. If you don't, your hands will be red from the cold water, ALL the oils from your skin will be gone, your nails will be super soft and will tear on anything.
Use a spoon as a mini shovel to comb thru the rocks in the screen. I used another, larger rock. After an hour I cramped between my fingers. Don't be a me, be a smarter me. Bring a spoon.
it was cloudy when we were there. Got burned anyway. Bring a hat, sunscreen, water, a lunch. Dig from the back of the pile. It was wet when we went. Imagine the weight of the clay. Toss the little stuff, what will you do with it?
These are star garnets, so unless you know a person that facets or have a rock tumbler, they will just sit somewhere, looking ugly. It was a LOT of work for little payoff. We got a few decahexonal [no clue how to say it or spell it], garnets, but would I go again? Nah. Like I said, what are we going to do with them? I have a tumbler, might know a faceter. But faceting isn't cheap.
Had a great time with my family digging garnets. The price is right, the scenery is amazing, and contrary to what some reviews say, you can find good garnets there. I found one the size of a cherry and multiple that were gem quality that are favorable. Thwy have their own sluice station there and considering the amount of quartz in the dirt, I would be willing to bet there is some placer gold in the dirt if you want to spend the extra time to pan it out. Although, I can see that becoming a long process for little gain compared to just garnet hunting.
Good for kids. They dug a spot to did in, they bring in a load of dirt and you dig in their already gone threw dirt. Found a few little garners, but I gave them to little kids. It was fun but don't dig in the walls.
Great place to go! Lots of fun digging, sifting and washing rocks in search of garnets. They provide the tools. Bring sunscreen and lots of water for drinking.
