Once in Murfreesboro, you can search a thirty-seven acre field, which is the eroded surface of an ancient volcanic pipe, for diamonds. Begin your adventure at the visitor’s center and take in a short documentary to learn about the park’s geology and how to identify a diamond in the rough.

In 1906, John Huddleston plucked two diamonds out of the kimberlite soil on his farm. When word got out, diamond fever ran rampant. Though interest in the diamond field has decreased, the park is a great experience for both adults and children.

During the years of diamond hysteria, thousands of diamonds were found on the farm. In 1956, Mrs. A.L. Parker of Dallas, Texas, found a diamond on the field after a heavy rain. It was a 15.33 carat white diamond, which brought another flood of fortune seekers to the park.

Thousands of people have visited the park over the years to dig and sift through the kimberlite soil. The largest recorded diamond find was a 40.23 carat diamond in 1924. In 1975, a 16/37 carat Armarillo Starlight diamond was unearthed.

For years the diamond crater was on publicly owned land, but in 1969, it was sold to a mining company. The State of Arkansas purchased the crater in 1972 and developed the eight hundred and eighty eight acre park, which is nestled between a hardwood and mixed pine forest on the banks of the Little Missouri River.

For a day of fun searching for diamonds, visit Crater of Diamonds Park. Take along a picnic or have lunch at the restaurant. If you’d like to extend your stay, there are more than sixty campsites available that give access to electricity and water. Drop by the visitor’s center, or hike on the 1.3 mile trail that has awesome scenic panoramas.

Crater of Diamonds Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas is a unique destination for either a day trip or an extended stay. You can be assured that a rich experience awaits you.