Your online resource for the Smoky Mountains
Known as the "Gem Capital of the World," Franklin, North Carolina, has drawn rockhounds, families, and treasure hunters for over a century. Nestled in the historic Cowee Valley, the region's native soil is rich with corundum minerals—producing authentic rubies, sapphires, garnets, and moonstones.
For an authentic, hands-on gem mining experience, the Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine offers true "unsalted" native dirt digging directly from the historic Cowee Valley deposit.
Dig your own native gem dirt straight from the mine pit, or select pre-dug native buckets to sift through running-water flumes.
Authentic, untreated mountain gemstones including blood-red rubies, blue and pink sapphires, garnets, sillimanite, and rutile.
Offers all necessary mining tools (shovels, screens, buckets) alongside expert gem identification assistance. Don't miss their specialized Blacklight Night Tours, where visitors use UV lights to spot glowing fluorescent minerals after dark.
41 Cherokee Mine Rd, Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 349-2941
A classic roadside stop located right along Highway 441, Cowee Mountain Ruby Mine provides a fun, accessible gem-sifting experience designed for miners of all ages and skill levels.
Features over 150 feet of covered, outdoor sluicing flumes, allowing families to comfortably sift through dirt buckets regardless of the weather.
Choose from native Macon County dirt buckets or enriched gem buckets packed with gemstones from around the world—including emeralds, amethyst, topaz, quartz, rubies, and sapphires.
After finding your treasures, the on-site lapidary shop can clean, cut, and mount your raw stones into custom sterling silver or 14k gold rings, pendants, and earrings.
6771 Sylva Rd (US-441 N), Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 369-6441