Come enjoy the fresh mountain air, natural creek water running through the flume line and the scenic beauty of Cowee Valley, in Franklin, North Carolina!

At the Cherokee Mine, our gem dirt is not "Salted" or "Enriched"  with semi-precious stones from elsewhere on earth. We are one of the last native gemstone *ONLY* mines open to the public, and our buckets contains a virtual treasure trove of naturally occurring North Carolina gemstones, including: Rubies, Sapphires, Garnets, Moonstone, Rhodolite, Rutile and Sillimanite. These gems are native to Cowee Valley, and many found are of facet quality.

Each year, thousands of people from around the world flock to the popular western North Carolina town of Franklin to experience the thrill of finding rare gemstones in the rough. Whether you're a serious or amateur rockhound hoping to fulfill dreams of finding hidden treasures, a teacher desiring an experiential learning experience for your students or a family seeking quality outdoor recreation, we invite you to browse our site to learn more about what Cherokee Ruby Mine has to offer. See you on the flume line!!