Elijah Mountain Gem Mine And Crystal Store
4.8(1.4K)google
4.7(92)yelp
GeologyHistoryKidsIndoorOutdoorHands-OnQuirky
Overview
Elijah Mountain Gem Mine And Crystal Store is a highly rated agritourism and family adventure destination located in Hendersonville, North Carolina. It features the largest gem mining flume in the region, where visitors can pan for real, high-quality gemstones including rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and massive quartz crystals. The facility also houses an extensive indoor crystal store filled with museum-grade mineral specimens and a family-friendly goat petting zoo.
Practical Info
Every day10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeBest experienced between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM on summer weekends from May to September. This frames the warmest hours to sit along the shaded outdoor water flumes, using historic wooden screens to sift through mining ore to discover emeralds and crystals.
Getting ThereTucked inside the mountain outskirts at 2120 Brevard Rd in Hendersonville. No public transit is available; driving is required. Take I-26 S from Asheville to Exit 49B, travel west on US Highway 64 (Brevard Rd) for 6 miles, and park in the mining outpost's free gravel lot.
Travel Tips
- While the indoor store is free, outdoor gem mining charges per bucket; flume lines choke with queues between 11:00 and 14:00 on weekends. Arrive at 09:00 sharp or after 15:30 to bypass crowd surges.
- Flume mining involves continuous direct contact with muddy water and grit, which soils apparel rapidly; the site provides no free aprons, making waterproof boots and a dry change of clothes vital.
- The petting zoo area limits access to guests holding specific mining combo bucket receipts; single entry requires a separate cash fee. Feeding animals outside food not purchased on-site is strictly illegal.
Reviews
Positive
- Both indoor and outdoor flumes are available, where kids use traditional screens to wash out real crystals from dirt, providing a huge thrill.
- The crystal store is huge and lives up to its name, beautifully displaying stunning mineral specimens from around the world across all price points.
- The staff is highly knowledgeable about minerals, patiently helping kids identify their washed gems and giving them educational cards.
- Beyond gem mining, the site features a free goat-feeding petting area and well-shaded resting spots, making for a rich family outing.
Heads up
- The mining buckets are quite expensive; to get larger or rarer stones, you are forced to buy the premium packages, leading to a high bill.
- On crowded weekend afternoons, the flumes get packed with families, making the layout feel chaotic and splitting the staff's attention.
- The location is completely inaccessible by public transit, requiring a drive, and the gravel driveway and parking lot are narrow for large SUVs.
- Since the activity involves muddy water, the hand-washing facilities are a bit basic, with broken dryers and paper towels frequently running out.