Foggy Mountain Gem Mine


If you’re traveling with kids or are a wannabe prospector yourself, stop 3 miles west of Boone to pan for semiprecious stones. Several gem-mining spots are located near the parkway, but this is a smaller operation, run by graduate gemologists who take their craft seriously. Buy rough stones by the bucketload – or even wheelbarrow-load! – and sift them in a flume line.

For additional fees, they'll cut and mount your favorite finds.


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