We are an OUTDOOR activity, so we comply with Social Distancing!

Call 479-243-0771 for more information.

CRYSTAL MINE IS OPEN approx. end of February to end of October each year!  INCLUDING HOLIDAYS!

• NEW SCHEDULE IN 2024!  DAYS OPEN:  Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
• MINE HOURS:  9 am to 3 pm,  including holidays!
• YOU MUST MAKE A RESERVATION!  (no drive-ins) Click “RESERVE NOW“ button above!
• SELECT your RESERVATION TIME:  9 am or 11 am no matter what time you pick, you can STAY till 3 pm!  BRING YOUR DRINKS & LUNCH!
• ADMISSION FEE:  $35 each, Age 16 & up (first time visitors).  Repeat visitors are $25 each!
• Credit or debit cards preferred over cash, if you pay when you arrive.  Making a reservation online is faster and easier! 
• EVERY adult who enters the mine MUST pay admission, even if they don’t dig… SORRY, you can’t come to watch others dig.
• KIDS under 16 are FREE! (when accompanied by a paid adult)
• GROUPS of 8 or more , such as clubs, school classes, Scouts, etc., we offer a 10% discount off adult admission, and please CALL us to make special reservations for your group!  We do NOT offer senior or veteran discounts… because we are seniors and veterans!  And your fee helps a child dig free! 
• AGE LIMIT to MINE:  None 
• Mine is CLOSED during the winters (November – February) because we let the Earth rest. 🙂

GENERAL INFO:

• PEOPLE-FRIENDLY DOGS are WELCOME!
• MUST be LEASHED and TETHERED at ALL times during the visit!  Do NOT walk your dog near other people!  Please discourage others from coming to pet your dog… no matter how friendly your dog is!  If we have ONE INCIDENT, our insurance company won’t allow us to have dogs!  So far, since 2012, NO issues! THANK YOU for your cooperation with your doggies! (Please pick up dog poop!) 🙂
• Located in the woods and SHADY for summer digging! (Remember your insect repellent!  Bugs like the shade too!)
• The mine is above ground, EASY to access and walk!  You can park your vehicle close to a dig area if you can’t walk far.
• The mine is ACCESSIBLE to those with mobility devices!  Wheel chairs, motorized devices… it’s all good!
• Bring your own food, drinks, and hand tools: hand trowels, hand rakes, crow bars (or RENT a bucket of our tools for only $5 per group!)
• Wear old clothes & tie-shoes (shorts and sandals not recommended).
• Average stay is 2-3 hours. There is NO guarantee what type of crystals you find, but you WILL find crystals!  We SHOW you how!
• You KEEP what you FIND!  Crystals are EVERYWHERE… on the surface and underground… yours for the finding!
• This is a true rock-hounding experience! You will dig in the actual ground of a REAL, ALL-NATURAL crystal mine!
• We respect the Earth, so we only dig with hand tools to make a minimal impact on the environment.
• Because we do not use heavy equipment, there are NO tailings piles.  You dig right in the Earth!  
• Enjoy your day with Nature in the beautiful Ouachita (pronounced ‘wash-it-taw’) Mountains!
• THANK YOU for your interest and your patronage!  Your friends, Orville and Cheryl Murphy, Mine Operators & Debbie your Mine Guide

Since 2012, Orville & Cheryl Murphy have operated Board Camp Crystal Mine. Cheryl will check you in, and their daughter Debbie will show you where & how to find crystals! We WELCOME first-time visitors or experienced rock hounds of all ages!

“We don’t have customers; we make friends. Each year, we look forward to seeing our old friends and meeting new ones! We are blessed to share this beautiful venue with you and the exciting things happening here! We appreciate your business and your friendship!”

WHAT TO BRING, WEAR, ETC…

1. The crystal mine is located in the WOODS so you have SHADE in the summer!  We highly recommend insect repellent (Bugs like shade too!) and sun screen in case you do sit in the sun!
2. Regarding TOOLS: plastic tools break too easily, so bring metal hand trowels and rakes, short pry bars…. old screwdrivers are perfect mini-pry bars!  Bring gloves, eye protection, knee pads or old rug for sitting and kneeling, spray bottle of water and/or an old paintbrush with the bristles cut short make great cleaning tools in the field! 
3. If you don’t wish to bring or buy tools, we RENT a bucket of tools (including knee pads!) for ONLY $5!  We make sure everyone in your group has at least 1 tool, usually more.
4. We do NOT sell food!  We do have PICNIC TABLES! Bring your LUNCH, snacks, bottled water, and NON-alcoholic drinks (Federal law).
5. Don’t forget food and water for your DOGGIE! And poop bags if you please! 🙂
6. NO SMOKING in the mine, but you can smoke in your car in the parking area (Federal law).
7. DRESS for the Environment AND Weather!  Wear OLD CLOTHES & STURDY OLD SHOES!  Tennis shoes ok, sandals not recommended. You may need to bring rain gear… many guests have dug in the rain… we can’t order the weather, but we can still have fun! (Note: we will have to ask you to leave the mine, in case of prolonged severe weather, perhaps we can trade you for some items in our crystal shop!)
8. We have plastic bags to give you, but bring your own bags or boxes to take your crystals home with you!
9. Bring your spirit of adventure, excitement of treasure hunting, and plan to RELAX and ENJOY your day! You WILL find crystals!  WE WILL HELP YOU! 🙂

CRYSTAL MINE NEED TO KNOW:  RULES, ETC!

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Your purchase of admission for any event held at Board Camp Crystal Mine, indicates that you have read the following, understand and agree. Upon arrival on site, all persons age 18 and up will be required to read and sign a “Use Agreement and Release of Liability” form. We want everyone to have a SAFE and ENJOYABLE visit, and that is why we need everyone to FOLLOW the RULES! Thank you!

1. YES! Kids under age 16 are FREE with at least one paid Adult admission (ADULT is age 18 on up). Limit 4 free child admissions per paid adult, otherwise children are $10 each. Admission is $35 each, age 16 and up, for a first-time visitor ($25 each for repeat visitor!) Each paid visitor is issued 1 of the mine’s yellow gathering buckets of 5-gallon capacity. You MUST use the mine’s yellow BUCKETS to GATHER your crystals. One full 5-gallon bucket weighs about 50 pounds. If you want to fill extra buckets, or your kids want their OWN buckets, additional bucket rentals are $10 each.  You do NOT keep the mine’s yellow buckets, but you USE the buckets to gather in.  When you return from digging, we estimate the bucket’s weight, then we can pack your crystals into our plastic shopping bags, or you can bring your own containers to take your crystals home.
2. If you don’t have hand tools, you can RENT our bucket of our hand tools for your use at $5 for your whole group!  After your dig, we transfer your crystals into your OWN containers that you bring. We do have plastic shopping bags we can give you if you forget your containers.
3. While we deeply respect and appreciate groups such as Disabled, Law Enforcement, Seniors and Veterans (of which we belong to 2 of these groups) we do NOT offer DISCOUNTS, because we already discount for KIDS under 16 (they are FREE!). AND we offer a $10 discount to repeat visitors!  We are a small business after all, and we thank you that YOUR FEE helps toward getting a CHILD off the screens and out into NATURE!
4. We DO offer discounts of 10% off for a group of 8 persons or more for crystal digging! Call us for details!
5. YES! The mine is ACCESSIBLE! You can DRIVE RIGHT UP to the dig site! Wheelchairs, hover-rounds, and strollers have been used here!
6. THE MINE IS OPEN 9 AM TO 3 PM Thursday, Friday & Saturday! Reservation times are: 9 am or 11 am. PLEASE make a reservation so we know when to expect you!  Closing time is 3 pm, and we will ask you to pack up at 2:30.  The average visitor stays about 2 hours. Within that time, you WILL find crystals on the surface as well as under. We will show you how to dig, but crystals are EVERYWHERE on the surface at Board Camp Crystal Mine!
7. If you wish to NOT reserve online, call us with your reservation, and pay upon arrival. We can accept your CREDIT or DEBIT CARD! Plastic is preferred over cash.
8. Be SURE to DRESS for the WEATHER! Rain or shine, cold or heat, we dig, but will close if there is a threat of severe weather or high heat index.
9. YES! You can bring your DOGS! Your dog MUST be people-friendly! And your dogs MUST BE LEASHED AND TETHERED AT ALL TIMES. Please PICK UP dog excrement in plastic bags and put in trash. Please be sure your dog has access to water during the visit.  Do NOT walk your dog near people or other dogs!  If we have one incident, our insurance company will NOT allow us to have dogs!
10. There is NO guarantee of what you might find in the mine BUT you WILL find crystals!  We show you how!
11. REFUND POLICY: We allow FULL refunds within the first 20 minutes after you are escorted to the mine site for digging. Just return to the store to check out. No crystals may be taken from the site in case of a full refund. Your visit past 20 minutes indicates you are satisfied with your experience. A partial refund may be given in case of the advent of severe weather within the first hour of your visit, which may shorten your intended visit. Or apply it toward a crystal piece from our shop!  We are fair and try to work with everybody!
12. We appreciate your business and want to be fair with you, so don’t hesitate to ask, if you have any concerns or questions!
13. Visit our on-SITE crystal store when you arrive! We do not have an online store, but we do sell crystals if someone calls with a request for something SPECIAL!

Thank you for reading! Now please read the “Rules”!

RULES! (Yes, the Legal Stuff… We’ll go over this again when you arrive!)

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Your purchase of tickets for any event held at Board Camp Crystal Mine, indicates that you have read the following, understand and agree. Upon arrival on site, all persons age 18 and up will be required to read and sign a “Use Agreement and Release of Liability” form. We want everyone to have a SAFE and ENJOYABLE visit, and that is why we need everyone to FOLLOW the RULES! Thank you!

All Visitors, age 18 and older, are required to read these regulations and participate in this ‘site-specific safety training’ prior to entering the mine, and to sign a waiver of liability. The following comply with Federal regulations as outlined by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), and must be followed for your safety.

1. The mine is located in an uncontrolled wilderness environment and Visitors agree to take full responsibility for their health, safety and welfare in that environment, and those in their party. Possible hazards may include but are not limited to: poison ivy, briars, ants, insects, ticks, scorpions, snakes, wild animals, dogs, sunburn, etc.
2. Regarding personal health, patrons must be in generally good health. There are occasions when visitors have experienced dizziness, light-headedness, nausea, weak knees, heaviness in chest, or other uneasy feelings. If you do not feel well for any reason, sit down, and ask for help. Emergency services will be called if deemed necessary by management, or by request.
3. Visitors assume full responsibility for their possessions, vehicles and equipment. Electronic equipment has been known to malfunction upon visiting, for unknown reasons. It is recommended that visitors turn off cell phones in the mine area, and use caution when operating devices.
4. USE CAUTION at the mine site. WATCH YOUR STEP! NO alcohol, illegal substances, or weapons are permitted in the mine.
5. NO SMOKING in the mine! Smoking is permitted INSIDE patrons’ vehicles only; litter MUST be kept inside vehicles (Federal Law).
6. When you drive your vehicle into the mine premises, you agree to drive on mine roads, not drive off-road, abide by the posted speed which is 5 mph, and to set parking breaks upon arrival.
7. Crystals have SHARP edges or points that can cause cuts. It is highly recommended to wear hand and/or eye protection while digging or handling crystals. Do not hammer rocks, ground or trees, due to flying debris.
8. Food and drinks may be brought; all TRASH must be carried OUT. NO glass is allowed in the mine.
9. In event of severe weather or other emergency, all Visitors will be required to exit the premises IMMEDIATELY. Do not panic or run. Gather personal belongings and return to the STORE for further instruction. There are NO storm safe structures on the premises. In case of LIGHTNING, shelter in your car.
10. In event of any emergency, call 911 immediately, then call the main office to report the emergency. (479-243-0771 or 479-234-0992). Report any other problems immediately to staff. If emergency services are called on your behalf, you agree you are responsible for fees.
11. All Visitors participating in this training agree to indemnify and hold Board Camp Crystal Mine LLC, and its associates, harmless of any and all liability. Regulations may be updated.

If you actually read all of the above and made it here to the end of all this reading, please let Miss Cheryl know when you see her!  She will reward you with a little crystal treasure!  Shhhh… don’t tell anybody… make others work as hard as you did to earn your little crystal prize!  You are an amazing, focused, and conscientious individual and you should have an amazing visit!  THANK YOU FOR READING! See you at the Mine! 🙂

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