You've asked for it - and it's here! Below is the planning guide for the Arkansas portion of Josh's 40th birthday trip.
I've compiled a list of details, links and reviews for all of you in hopes that it helps you in planning your Arkansas crystal hunting, nature exploring getaway.
HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
VRBO Link: Lake Daze Escape
Number of Occupants: 2 (3 would be pushing it)
Price: Roughly $84/night (plus booking and cleaning fees)
Pros:
- Literally 20 steps from Lake Hamilton
- Fishing access is right out your back door
- There is an entire dock that lights up at night built around the perimeter of the condo's backyard
- Swimming pool ladders to enter the lake to swim
- Just about a half an hour from Twin Creek and Avant Fisher Mountain Mines
- Just about 15 minutes from Downtown Hot Springs
- Easy access to stores
- Pet friendly
- Contactless check in
- Gated condo community
- Extremely comfortable bed
- WiFi
- Netflix
- The locals that stay there for the summer are so kind! We had many stop by to chat and to assist with telling us different "local knows" about the area
Things to note:
- Any more than 2 guests will be uncomfortable
- You must obtain an Arkansas Fishing License to fish the lake (We did the 3 day, non-resident license for $16. You can purchase it here)
- Each condo is only separated by small walls or floors, though only sounds that we heard were hard footsteps and dogs barking
- We had no issues with our neighbors at the time we were there, but there is the risk of rowdy rental neighbors
- Pet friendly
- Window AC unit so bedroom is a little warmer than living area, though not too noticeably different on temp. We used a box fan to circulate the air from the living area to the bedroom by placing it close to the door at night.
- Quiet time in the condo community starts at 10:30pm (meaning all music and outdoor activities need to wind down prior to that time)
"This property surprised us in all of the best ways. Sherri, a responsive, sweet host has a hidden gem tucked neatly away in a peaceful condo area of Lake Hamilton. We were celebrating my husband’s 40th and decided last minute to stay in Hot Springs while on our road trip. I was worried about the peacefulness of a condo community since this is one of the only times we’ve ever been away for our kids. We were searching mainly for seclusion. What we got instead was a community of the kindest, friendliest residents who often offered assistance when they thought it was needed and adhered to the quiet time of the late evening.
The first thing we noticed, besides cleanliness, was how adorable this condo is decorated. It gives you the home away from home feel and that is so appreciated as a guest.
The second thing we noticed was the comfort level; from the couch to the barstools to the bed. We had just stayed in Nashville for a few nights prior and the bed we had there was miserable. Our biggest fear was coming to a new property with the same issue. That was absolutely not the case here. It was so comfortable that it was hard to get out of bed in the morning for all of the right reasons!
We spent a majority of our time in Hot Springs at the condo because we loved it so much. We purchased an Arkansas fishing license and sat under the large tree to fish. We caught upwards of 50 bluegill each 2-3 our span. They bite best on red worms :)
The evenings were cool and breezy and we enjoyed watching the boats go by. We spent a lot of time on the back patio just talking. We’re so used to our kids being around that just having couples chat time was wonderful.
Sherri, I would book this property a thousand times over if we’re ever in this direction again and have already recommended it to our friends. Thank you so much for letting us stay. :)"
OUTSKIRTS OF NORMAN, ARKANSAS
VRBO Link: Karen's Country Cottage on Kate's Creek
Number of Occupants: I would say 8-10 comfortably (2 queen beds, 3 sofas, a sofa bed and air mattresses)
Price: $175 a night plus booking and cleaning fees
Pros:
- THE HOSPITALITY!!! The hosts are INCREDIBLE!!
- They own so much property - and love to show you all of it! They are so humbly proud of their little slice of Heaven on earth.
- They adore children! If you bring your kiddos they'll have a wonderful set of temporary grands on the property :)
- The hosts will come greet you and will love to talk with you (this could be a con as well too if you prefer contactless check in and check out)
- The hosts live in the property next door and are available for anything ASAP as they are retired school teachers and spend most of their time on their farm
- Wildlife so thick that you're bound to see something at any time of the day; deer, birds, eagles (there are bear on the property and coyotes too but we never saw any)
- Large creek that runs through the property that you can play in
- Access to all 7 fishing ponds (as of 7/9/2022)
- Comfortable queen beds
- Literally any amenity that you can think of
- Outdoor area with 2 large picnic tables for multiple guests
- The most beautiful of night skies
- If you have an ATV you can travel through the trails they've created on the property
- Peacefulness/unplugged feeling
- Sunroom to watch wildlife, storms, sunrises, etc
- About a half an hour away from Wegner, Avatar and Crystal Vista mines
- About 45 minutes or so away from Avant Fisher Mountain and Twin Creek Mines
Things to note:
- It is really off of the beaten path so expect at least a 40 minute+ drive to any destination.
- The furnishings and decor are outdated, but it honestly wouldn't be near as good any other way - it's perfect for the country feel and though outdated, they are comfortable
- The hosts have their grandkids often and they may be down at the ponds fishing - but all are very respectful to your space
- The hosts are very much country folk and have religious decor in the house that may offend those who are not religious (just crosses, a Bible and religious referenced spoon holders - nothing extreme)
- The closest Dollar General is a half hour away
- The closest Walmart is over an hour away
- Some of the roads are gravel
- Bring mosquito repellent - holy cow they are thick in the late evening if you fish at the ponds
- No WiFi
- No smart TV or TV service
- Cell phone reception is spotty
- For AT&T customers, sit on the left side of the couch in the sunroom for the best service or sit on the toilet in the larger bathroom lol
- About an hour and a half away from Ron Coleman Mine
- The hosts own, book, maintain and clean the cottage all on their own. One of the hosts has recently fallen on some health issues and is just starting to head in the right direction. Please ensure that you respect their property. These hosts are the epitome of working hard for what they have. And just out of the kindness of your heart, clean up well for them before you leave. They have had some horror stories in the past and I would hate to see this property go.
"There are not enough stars in the clear night sky at Karen’s Country Cottage to give as a rating for this property. Giving 5 stars almost feels disrespectful. Yes, this slice of Heaven here on earth is just that good.
We didn’t just get a property while staying at this location, we got an entire experience. From comfort, to wildlife, to hospitality - this place has it all.
When we arrived we were greeted by Ray who is just the sweetest. Ray and Karen are unbelievable hosts. I am convinced they have never met a stranger. They are kind, welcoming, considerate and just so wonderful. Their hospitality is unmatched. We spent our last night on the front porch of the cottage speaking to them both and it felt like we were just catching up with friends.
We fished the ponds in the evening, watched the wildlife out of the sunroom in the morning, played in the creek in the afternoon and star gazed at night. The view of the Milky Way was unreal out there.
It is quite a drive to the city; about a half an hour to a Dollar General and over an hour to a Walmart so be mindful of that, but Karen has this cottage stocked full of amenities just in case something you need runs out. She has really just thought of everything.
The beds are extremely comfortable; not too hard, not too soft. It was all we could do to get out of bed in the morning to get going. The comfort level was perfect.
If you are rockhounds, the Avatar, Wegner and Crystal Vista mines are just over a half hour away. Avant is about 45 minutes away.
There is no wifi and cell service can be tricky, but do yourself a favor and just unplug and reset. It’s so relaxing out there. (The best reception we got for AT&T was in the sunroom on the couch.)
The only negative thing we had to say about this stay was that it certainly was not long enough. We are kicking ourselves for not staying longer and are already trying to find time on our busy calendar to come back.
Ray and Karen are humbly proud of their beautiful property and it’s apparent. They work hard to maintain it and were excited to offer us a tour of their natural springs, adjacent properties and wildlife.
We would book this property over and over again. With as much as we gushed about it to our friends one asked if we had a million dollar vacation opportunity given to us in Bora Bora or a quaint trip to Ray and Karen’s what we would do.
We’d be packed up and on the road to Arkansas :)"
THE MINES
As a reminder, these are active, commercial mines/mine pits meaning they are not your typical “buy a bag and sit at a water table to sift through salted dirt” gem mines.
Why is there so much quartz in Arkansas?
Twin Creek Mine
Website: https://www.facebook.com/twincreekmine/ (they show an actual website link but it does not work)
Rating: 3/5
Age Recommendation: Personally I would say no younger than 9 or 10
Road Accessibility: The road was pretty iffy in a few areas, but nothing we doubted.
Walking Accessibility: Not easy. We slipped a few times going up and down. Footing seemed to be the hardest at this mine.
Shaded Areas: For the first half of the day you can sit under the trees to your right as you walk up. Once the sun moves, there is little to no shade.
Finds: Small points (we didn't move from our shaded spot much - it was too hot to navigate in the direct sun)
Check-in Process: Once you drive up the mountain, you're going to see a small, older camper at the top of the hill. Check in there.
Actual Mine Location: Use the location from their Facebook page to put into your GPS. Do NOT use anything else (we made that mistake and ended up a half an hour in the wrong direction). When you travel up the hill you'll see a gate to your left that says "Twin Creek Mine" but it will tell you it's not that gate and to keep going. You'll go about another 100 yards until you find the second gate that you turn into.
Fees: Click here for more in depth information on their tailings and pocket digs
Cash or Card: They accept both but make sure you are equipped with cash. The day we were there the woman didn't have enough minutes on her phone to load PayPal and we had to travel back down the hill and 30 minutes out of our way to go get cash.
Ownership of Crystals: Keep everything you dig
Hospitality: The woman at the check-in was not the friendliest.
Open time: 8am during the summer hours, 9am outside of summer hours
Avant Fisher Mountain
Website: https://avantfishermtn.com/pages/about
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AvantFisherMountain
Rating: 4/5
Age Recommendation: Personally I would say no younger than 6 to 7
Road Accessibility: We saw a Mustang come up the mountain, but the lady commented it took her 11 minutes to do so. I would say a 4 wheel drive vehicle would be recommended.
Walking Accessibility: So easy. You can actually park right next to the higher tailing piles and just walk right up to them. When you get down into the pit area, it gets a little harder but still felt very accessible.
Shaded Areas: There were hardly any. We found one spot that we stayed in for the first few hours but it quickly diminished when the sun started its journey.
Finds: Large crystal clusters, small points and many broken pieces
Check-in Process: Once you turn onto Logan Gap Road, there is a large building to your right with "CRYSTALS" on the front of the building. Go inside that building and let them know you are there to dig. They will ring you up and hand you a piece of paper that needs to stay in the windshield of your car. The facility itself is really beautiful. Take a moment to stop to view the displays :)
Actual Mine Location: You will head back down Logan Gap Road until you see a sign on your right that says Avant Public Dig Site. The day we went, they forgot to put the sign up. If that's the case, look for a dirt road on your right with a yellow gate. It'll look like a large incline. That's where you'll go.
Fees: Click here for the details on the public dig and pocket digs.
Cash or Card: They accept both.
Ownership of Crystals: Keep everything you dig for tailings pile, read the above link for the details on the pocket dig.
Hospitality: The young man at the desk was super friendly, helpful and gave us fantastic details.
Open time: 9am
Avatar Mine
Website: http://avatarcrystalmine.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AvatarCrystalMine/
Rating: 4/5
Age Recommendation: Personally, I would say no younger than 6 or 7
Road Accessibility: I would say the road up to Avatar was probably the worst for us. We had a few times where we really had to push the Acadia to go up the mountain. She made it, but I would definitely recommend 4 wheel drive.
Walking Accessibility: Not too bad. When it's hot it stinks to walk up and down the hill to the pit, but as far as footing, we were pretty confident there. We did watch a lady slip a few times so I believe it's just whatever area you get into.
Shaded Areas: This was the best one! We actually hid under the trees our entire trip there. They have 2 pits, Phantom Cove and Tabby Circle. Phantom Cove was the shaded area we stayed in. Right before we left we walked down to Tabby Circle but there was no shade at all and we wound up walking back to the cove.
Finds: Lots of Crystal points, clusters and plates
Check-in Process: There are lots of signs for Avatar Mine that lead up the mountain so you know when you're getting closer. Once you get up the hill and to the mine, the owners Joe and Bee (the coolest people ever) will be there waiting for you. (Joe was actually on NatGeo's show The Boonies!)
Actual Mine Location: You can type in Avatar Crystal Mine into Apple GPS and it will take you directly to the mine. Just keep watching the signs up the hill. You'll feel like you've gone forever but you'll actually see and drive past the pit it to get to the check in tent. It will be on your right.
Fee: We paid $25 a piece - I'm unsure if there are senior and child rates.
Cash or Card: They accept both - but as they are up the mountain for check in, I would recommend having cash.
Ownership of Crystals: Keep everything you dig!
Hospitality: Joe and Bee are wonderful people! They love to look at what you find and ask for permission to put the finds on their Facebook as well.
- Bring a ton of water to drink as well as snacks and/or lunch too.
- Wear clothes that you won't mind ruining, not just getting dirty. The iron enriched soil and clay can stain your clothing permanently
- Wear tennis shoes or hiking boots.
- Bring and wear sunblock
- Bring wipes or hand washing towels to rinse your hands off with, especially if you plan to take a break to eat lunch
- Only hit 1 mine per day. Many will mine jump. but you lose time jumping from one to another - plus, it'll cost more money for you to jump
- Expect Porta-Potties. Bring some antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. (Avatar was by far the cleanest)
- For tailings piles bring the following:
- A spray bottle (to spray the crystals - fill it up before you go)
- Cut resistant gloves (crystal shards can cut like glass)
- A hand rake and hoe combo
- A folding shovel (we loved that we could fold this up for easy storage and it worked really well)
- Chopsticks or deer antlers (they do not scratch the crystals surface and can be helpful digging the crystals out)
- Packing paper (you will need to use this to wrap your clusters or they may break; wrap tightly)
- Kneeling pad or knee pads
- 1 five gallon bucket per person
- For pocket digs bring the following:
- All of the above plus a
- Heavy duty chisel
- and a 2.5 to 3lb sledge hammer
- Mining is most comfortable in spring or fall as temperatures really climb in the summer - but the mines are also the most visited at those times too
- Avant and Twin Creek are commercial mines so often the dump trucks from the commercial mining pits will bring tailings piles over to drop in the public dig areas. Avatar is not commercially mined right now but Joe does a great job of "flipping" dirt, refreshing the tailings piles and cutting new areas with the backhoe
- Take breaks often to regain energy, get hydrated and stay cool. I would recommend working 30 minutes to an hour and then breaking for 20
- Be there as soon as they open and dig until they close if you can. Best bang for the buck :)
- Look for dirt that does not look "crumbled". If it looks crumbled, it might have recently been picked through
- Surface hunt first, especially after a good rain. We found some of our best pieces walking the surface.
- Clear crystals will almost look black or smokey to the eye when they're uncovered
- Stay in one spot and dig. Many times the surface dirt that looks "crumbled" has only been picked through on the top layers.
- Dig a wall; start towards the bottom of a pile and dig inwards
- Look for red, peanut butter consistency clay and then remember the quote "look for the gray in the clay" - that's where the crystals have grown
- Go through ALL LARGE CLUMPS. For real! The clay can get really thick on the crystals so break them up and wipe them off. It's easy to miss a lot of really neat pieces thinking it's just a clay ball
- When you move dirt, make your own tailing pile and go back through it - we found so much we originally missed
- If you do this method, I recommend only making small tailing piles at a time; too large and you're just creating harder work for yourself
- To get a lot of crystals, you really need to put the time into it and expect to work as long as long and hard as you can. We put in 3 eight hour days in 100+ degree heat.
- Watch YouTube videos before going. I highly recommend watching The Crystal Collector videos. Bryan, the nicest guy, does a great job at telling you what to look for and helping you visualize it.
- When you get home, clean your crystals with Iron Out. This helps to bring the to the clear or white color they are known for and helps rid the specimens of their orange or red staining. Bryan has a great video on how to do so here
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