Four Peaks Mining Co. at Arizona Boardwalk — Attraction in Four Corners States

My review is not for this physical store location, which I have not visited, but is for the actual mine tour by helicopter!

My husband surprised me with a tour this weekend - I had no idea what we were doing or where we were going. He couldn't have made a better choice!

If you are a rockhound, geology nerd, or quartz variant fiend...I HIGHLY recommend this experience. I am all 3 of those things; my husband is not. It was a fantastic adventure for me, and just right amount of time for my husband to avoid getting bored. Plus...riding in a helicopter? Come on. That's cool for everyone!

I had never ridden in a helicopter before - if you are a nervous flyer, fear not. I fly commercially frequently and never enjoy it. I very much enjoyed this and felt very safe and comfortable. If the thought of it makes you anxious, know that a) it's probably much smoother than you're imagining and b) the ride is very brief.

The mountains themselves are beautiful, and simply covered in amethyst. Everywhere you look on the ground - beautiful crystals. I also found clear and smoky quartz, along with a few other unadvertised treasures. It is true that you will likely find bigger pieces in the mine, but there are pretties to be had all around.

On our tour, they kindly provided helmets with lights, gloves, and simple tools. The lights from the hats are just fine, and there are lights strung up in the mine itself, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring a flashlight.

Speaking of lighting and other practical factors - I really appreciate the lengths taken to avoid impacting the environment. Part of this is by legal necessity - read about the history of the mine and you'll see what I mean. They use solar panels for power and drink/use collected and filtered rainwater on-site. Amethyst is pretty fragile, so mining is done by hand with hand tools.

The mine is quite small - I did not find it claustrophobic and there is decent head clearance in all areas, but it is not cavernous. I saw a review elsewhere saying they did not see amethyst in the mine walls...it is, quite literally, everywhere you look. Just like rockhunting in general, it takes your brain some time to get accustomed to what you are looking for. Once you know what amethyst looks like in the rock wall, you cannot miss it.

We felt like we had plenty of time in the mine. I could have happily spent hours, but if you're going with someone who isn't super into rocks, it's the perfect amount of time.

My recommendation would be to take whatever you find. They supply gallon-sized bags, but I'm certain you could bring your own, if desired. Don't get hung up on how it looks in the relative dark of the mine. Mine it, collect it from the ground/tailings, stick it in your bag. We had a decent amount of time to investigate the ground outside of the mine afterwards, and I found beautiful pieces there. We ended up with 8.5 lbs (!) of amethyst in varying ranges of color and clarity. Some are water-clear, some are cloudy with phantoms and mineral inclusions. Some are deep, dark purple, some are more of a pale lilac. All are "keepers" to me!

You won't be able to see the true beauty of what you collected until you take your finds home and clean them. I recommend soaking them in soapy water and scrubbing with a toothbrush, followed by 12-24 hours in Iron Out. You will be amazed at how pieces you thought were just so-so look after this process. For this reason - don't be too discriminating when you're mining.

If some of the bigger pieces fall apart, that is completely normal! Crystals are fragile to begin with, even relatively hard material, like quartz. When they form and fracture, dirt and other minerals sometimes get into those cracks. What looks like a giant chunk of amethyst may be little pieces held together. They will come apart when you are cleaning them, and that is okay, you didn't "break" them or do anything wrong.

All in all, it was an unforgettable experience. Staff were kind, friendly, and professional. A big 5...

Came in here today for the second time, first time over a year ago, I just really didn’t remember there being much here but apparently my memory sucks. I’ve gained a lot more knowledge on rocks and minerals since then and I was completely blown away today. They had some of the coolest pieces here, and the best part was that it’s not overpriced at all! A lot of things I found would sell for way way more anywhere else. I scored a piece of rhodochrosite from South Africa, found a very similar one online selling for $18k and I got it for $150. This is a piece that I thought I would never have, rhodos are usually way out of my budget. Idk if their pricing was a mistake, but they had other things that I felt like could sell for much more. If you’re a serious collector it’s worth giving this place a look. If you have a very limited budget it’s definitely worth giving a look. Moral of the story is I will be back again and again. Oh and how can I forget to mention the ladies working there were SO nice. There was no stuck up attitudes, no pressure, no hovering. Wonderful shopping experience. I can’t say enough...

Staff is really rude. I didn’t realize wearing a mask was required. Walked in without one and was cornered in the back of the store. The employee said to either put a mask on or leave. Now we had no problem putting a mask on, we had them in hand because I know the aquarium requires us to wear them. We decided to leave since the employee was so rude. I will never go back here. I will never spend another dime at this shopping center. I understand people have rules. I’m fine to follow them. I just didn’t read your stupid sign. If the rules would’ve been explained with a kinder tone/attitude I would’ve happily put my mask on and continued shopping.

Response to the owner: I did not have a issue with the mask mandate or having to wear a mask. I had an issue with the rudeness of your staff. The doors were propped open in the day we visited so the sign was not visible even though it was posted in your front door. Still will not be back to your establishment. I hope others will steer clear as well. Maybe get your attitude in check as well....