Mason Mountain Rhodolite Mine — Attraction in Franklin

This family friendly spot is excellent to enjoy the outdoors, learn about local geology and find some beautiful gems in the process! The Johnson family has operated the mine since 1965 and work tirelessly to ensure you have a great time no matter your skill level.

Their native dig pile is by far the most productive in the area. We have found many large Rubies and Sapphires along with some rare Rhodolite Garnet. If you have young kids or want to find lots of gems quickly, check out their salted buckets of fun. You will find at least 10 different kinds of gems in generous quantity.

Mr. Johnson is also a master gem cutter and does fantastic work turning stones into beautiful cabochons or facet cut gems. He has been cutting stones since age 12 and can extract maximum beauty from all gem stones you find. Their shop is filled with beautiful jewelry handcrafted by him on site along with specimens, slabs for home cutting, gifts and really comfy t-shirts.

I’d strongly suggest you at least stop by at the Mason Mountain Mine/ Cowee Gift Shop when visiting Franklin NC. This is certainly a spot where customers become friends and friends...

I've been to quite a few mines while rockhounding, and I can say that this is an excellent spot. I found a 250 carat sapphire in just a few hours. Family owned, so all the staff is very friendly and personable. They have salted buckets for the kids, and natural buckets for the hounds. You pay a flat rate (full day or half day) to fill your bucket up an unlimited amount of times. They provide all the supplies you need for no extra cost. It takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it you can find about 1 sapphire/ruby per bucket on average, or more. It's better to go when the weather is good, but I went in the rain and it was still a lot of fun. They can also cut and set the...

John, the gemstone expert, was key to our wonderful time at the Mason Mountain Rhodolite Mine. He was so helpful and friendly. We spent more than four hours sifting through native dirt. We also tried a salted bucket and were pleased to find a variety of unique rocks and minerals therein. Large rubies, sapphires, garnets, and Rhodolite native to the Franklin area added to our rock and...