Diamond hunters swarm US park to unearth pricey precious gems — that visitors are allowed to keep

You can make a pretty penny at this park.

This American public park is the only one in the world where visitors can mine and take home real diamonds from their original volcanic source.

Crater of Diamonds State Park, located in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, has been visited by jewel hunters since 1972.

The 37-acre site, which sits atop a volcanic crater, is open for discovery daily from 8 am until 4 pm — except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Thousands of hopefuls visit the park every year to scour the grounds for a flashy find — and many have come away successful.

An average of one to two small diamonds are found per day.

Over 35,000 diamonds have been found to date, including the largest diamond ever unearthed in the US: the 40.23-carat stone called “Uncle Sam.”

It’s now on display at the Smithsonian’s mineral and gem collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Scott Kreykes is a regular at the park.

In 2022 he collected the 35,000th diamond recorded at the site. Coincidentally, it was the 50th gemstone he’d found there that year and the 80th of all his searches.

For his achievement, Kreykes received a free two-night stay at an Arkansas state park and a special display for his diamond and registration card.

Diamonds discovered at the park are typically white, yellow, or brown.

Amethyst, garnet, jasper, agate, quartz, and other rocks and minerals can also be found.

Admission to the Diamond Search Area costs $7 for children aged 6 to 12 and $15 for anyone 13 years and older.

Visitors can rent equipment or even bring their own— but battery-operated or motor-driven mining tools are strictly prohibited.

Each person is also allowed to leave with one five-gallon bucket of sifted gravel home with them per day to search again at home.

The park team provides mining demonstrations and will identify any findings.

The latest discovery to make headlines was a 3.81-carat brown diamond that a man nearly looked over, initially mistaking it for a candy wrapper.

David DeCook and his brother Derek visited the park on April 21 when David noticed something in the dirt with a metallic, tinfoil-like shine, which he first thought was a discarded candy wrapper.

However, upon closer inspection, David realized he had hit the jackpot. The gem, which he named The Duke Diamond in honor of his dog, is the largest to be found in the park this year, according to officials.

The possible price of his gemstone has not been determined, but it is likely worth thousands.

In 2013, teenager Tana Clymer found a very rare 3.850-carat canary diamond. Officials estimated it to be worth between $50,000 to $60,000.

While the diamond field is the main attraction, Crater of Diamonds State Park also offers walking trails, picnic areas, a campground, a fishing lake, and a mining-themed waterpark called Diamond Springs.