What a total gem of a shop! Everyone here was awesome, happy to answer any questions you might…read morehave. They have gorgeous displays and lots of different gemstones to peruse. The even have a small museum of things I got their mystery eggs and loved what it sas packed full of! All the gemstone glitte.

Shhh.. don't tell anyone. There isn't going to be a 10 carat ruby/sapphire/diamond hidden in that…read morebucket of dirt. But nothing is more fun than watching little kids try so hard to find one, especially in a place with all the COVID precautions needed to keep everyone safe. We had a fantastic time at Crystal Mountain. The "mine" is well set up with all sorts of crystals and stones on display and available for purchase. On the right side of the shop is a sluice that runs roughly 30 feet. If you head into the back of the mine, you will see fossils and other unusual finds. After walking around a bit, we decided to go with the green bucket to split between our two girls and used an online coupon to save a few bucks on it. The green bucket comes with all those little extras, including a geode, that kids find so important. The very kind and well informed owner/manager of Crystal Mine carried our bucket to the sluice and showed our girls how to find those special stones. He gave us several bags to hold their treasures and then left us to 'mine' for gems. Our girls cried out over every little find. They especially loved anything quartz. The owner came to check on us and showed the girls how to tell what kinds of gems they were finding. We filled up four bags with various kinds of stones including a huge geode. Once the bucket was empty, our girls looked over the store and the owner helped them make their own necklaces. We appreciated how mindful he was of expense. Each one cost just $6 when all was said and done and yet he made our girls feel as if they were wearing Cartier. The best moment came when he cracked their geode. In an unexpected bit of good luck in rotten 2020, the big geode turned out to be two geodes. Each one cracked to reveal a cavern of crystals and our girls were simply thrilled. The owner wrapped each one in paper so they could take their geodes home. Our kids had such a good time in this gem mine. It filled them with wonder, something I want for them every day. Much of the credit goes to the owner/manager. He made every moment into an experience... even if we didn't find that 10 carat sapphire.

I was skeptical going to this place but its chill. They've got buckets at any price point you can…read moreimagine, packed with gems ... the store is not gigantic but packed with stones of any size and price point you can wish for ... and they have a bar with beer, wine and thc. Great find off the beaten path

My boys had the best time today. First they went shopping in the unbelievable gem store with so…read moremany selections and then they each went mining and found great gems. There was indoor mining with a heater on which was much appreciated in the cold weather . The Staff was very friendly and helpful. Great pricing too!

We were in Rocks & Things June 15th. We had a box of gems, rocks, arrowheads. The lady identified…read moreeach and everyone. There was alot. She was so knowledgeable. I love this place. It was like walking into a fairytale land. Beautiful, I was in awe of the gems, minerals, jewelry and artifacts. The delightful owner took time to explain what kind we had and the value. I'm gonna share Rocks & Things with my daughter and others. Rock collectors "Rocks & Things" in delightful Sprue Pine NC is the place to go for yourself, gifts and many treasures. 5 + stars. A rare moment to imagine how these mesmerizing gems evolved into earth's amazing treasures. Thank you for your time. It was delightful being in your presence. Be Well! Sherry & Craig...

So glad I visited this store! It was definitely a highlight of my trip to NC. Mabel was so…read moreknowledgable and helpful. I got some wonderful stones and some wonderful conversation as well. I will definitely be back.

Super super cool activity to do with friends or family!! Went with three friends, we split the $100…read morefamily bucket between us and it was a really good deal for the insane amount of cool stuff we got from it. The whole experience is cool, especially at the end where the lady at the desk examines the gems you found. 100% recommend!!

What a fun experience! We got the $45 bucket and found all kinds of good stones. Very friendly,…read morehelpful staff. Definitely a must do.

Service was good, and staff were super welcoming and kind. It was very simple and easy to go and…read morethey had a loading area to get on and off the horse which made it easy. They put effort into pairing horses who were extra chill with new riders. Price was reasonable and definitely worth it. Just did an hour ride, but for a beginner that was good cause your legs get a bit sore in a saddle if you aren't used to it. Loved it!

We had an amazing experience at the stables today. You have to meet Jackie while you're there. He's…read morea hoot. Everybody who works there is extremely friendly and helpful. My husband rode a draft horse named Johnny, and it was spectacular. I don't remember my horse's name, but he was a really good horse. The horses were very well cared for and beautiful. They all seemed happy and were very gentle - they knew what they were doing on the trail which makes you feel more confident. The scenery when you're riding is absolutely spectacular. Be sure to stop along the way and ask your guide to take pictures of you. Safety first, but if you can get videos while you're up at the top of some of the hills, worth all of it. Highly recommend this place, we will definitely come back. In my opinion, the price is completely reasonable. We took the one hour ride, and it was worth every penny and more.

We have been gem mining in many places over the years and we found Asheville's Best Gem Mine to be…read morethe BEST! The owners are sooooo knowledgeable and Holly's excitement over each gem is contagious! It was a great value too - an excellent amount of gems in our $25 buckets. What wonderful people. Can't wait to come back!

My little family was looking for something to do with our 4-year-old while on our way to visit…read morefamily. We were warmly welcomed by a patient and knowledgeable Holly. Holly and her trainee were both helpful and very kind. Every time my son wanted his rocks looked at and identified they came right over, shined a light on them, and got him excited about having found something very special. They have a wide selection of buckets at different price points. We did the smallest kid bucket because of time, plus we've done this once before somewhere else and what we got from that other gem mine was not totally worth it. Totally different experience here. Our bucket was full of lots of gems and our son was pleased to get so many from the card. Dalmatian jasper, petrified wood, pink quarts, an emerald, crystal point, amethyst, garnet, pyrite, and more. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and my son was engaged, happy, and eager to show everyone his gems. Thank you for the time and experience! I know we'll make a point of returning on the next drive up - my son wouldn't let us forget!

What a wonderful little shop! The best part is the lovely two owners. Husband and wife I assume…read morebut they are both so pleasant helpful and full of laughs. I can't get past the wonderful energy that they provide! Obviously this shop isn't for everyone but there are about ten or so other shops if this doesn't suit your fancy. They have a great selection of swords and knives. Very reasonable prices for the quality. Native American goods and very amazing fudge straight out of Tennessee. I got some and it was gone shortly after! My friends got some knives and some very gorgeous sterling silver with turquoise stone ring. It was impeccable. Please stop by! The owners are just so great and it's a fun place to look around

Bought a little bird salt and pepper shaker. The sales person, Doris, took it over and said she…read morewas getting a box. Put it all away in the box. When we got it home we found the ones we had were switched for another bird set, one with a chip in the beak. We know it was switched because that one had different color price tags on it. How sad all this and the cost was only 5 dollars.

This is a great little mine with a huge variety of gemstones to find both in the ground and in the…read moretailings. The black light room is an added bonus that makes it even more exciting to find rubies sapphires and moonstones. The owners are great guys that are very knowledgeable helpful and friendly. Highly recommend!!

Scam Alert -- Avoid at All Costs…read more My family arrived at Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine at 3pm and immediately realized we had made a mistake. We were charged $30 per person just to stand on the property, plus a 10% credit card fee. Moments after taking our payment, the only employee on site, Zach, announced he was leaving for the day and that we could "stay on his property." No staff. No guidance. Nothing. When I politely asked how we were supposed to identify any gems without an employee present, he became agitated and hostile. I asked for a refund since we had just arrived and no services had been provided. That's when things escalated--Zach began yelling and got in my face aggressively. We immediately returned to our car and left. The property itself is nothing but piles of rocks. No buckets or tools are provided -- you're expected to scavenge everything yourself. Bags cost $20 each unless you post a positive review on the spot, and they charge another $75 just to evaluate anything you might find. It's pure extortion. I have since filed a police report and am actively working to recover the $165 we were charged for absolutely nothing. Please sort reviews by "lowest" before visiting--many people describe similar experiences. This place feels unsafe, unprofessional, and predatory. Stay far away.

Was walking by and seen this awesome piece. Went into look…read moreand they were very helpful. I needed it shipped they said normally they don't ship. But they went well above and are shipping for me. Thanks ladies for all your help.

This place rocks and I really cannot wait for my grandson to get his gifts for Christmas that I got…read moreat this place! The staff are super great, pricing seems very decent and the stuff they have is just so unique I'm sure you won't find it just any ole place! Stop in - have some time to really look around and check out the gold rush!

This place was such a hidden gem! (Get it?). Family owned and ran, they were so friendly and…read moreknowledgeable about each stone we found. Sam even took the time to separate all the valuable stones from the rest and had them bagged and ready for us. Lots of options to fit into any price range. Definitely recommended!!!

The workers were super knowledgeable and kind. We loved hearing his stories as we sifted through…read moreour buckets. We got two buckets for twelve dollars each and we are taking home a bunch of goodies!