MASON MOUNTAIN RHODOLITE & RUBY MINE AND COWEE GIFT SHOP
Voted Macon County's Best Gem Mining In 2024!
Where customers become friends and friends become family!
Franklin, North Carolina
WORLD-CLASS GEM MINING FOR 60 YEARS!
Our native dirt pile is where your gem mining experience begins. 100% native dirt (unsalted – nothing added) from our private mine site located atop Mason Mountain is brought down to the water flume for miners to sift through. Here is where you'll find a wide variety of minerals including Rhodolite Garnet, Ruby, Sapphire, Kyanite, Moonstone, Cordierite and Smoky Quartz.
Our experienced staff will guide you in how to discover the native gemstones. We have gemstone charts available to help you identify your findings as well. Just place the dirt in the screen (provided for you) and rinse thoroughly in the water flume. Concentrate on material that is smooth, heavy and has color. Until you become familiar with the native material, our staff will be onsite to help you find all of the hidden treasures!
100% Native dirt. Nothing added. This is as real as it gets!
Native Dig Pile
- Unlimited buckets!
- 100% Native (unsalted) dirt from our own private on-site mine
- Adults: $40.00 per person
- Children ages 6-12: $20.00 per person
- Children under age 6 are free with a paid adult (max of 2 children per adult)
- All children must be accompanied by a paid adult to dig in the pile
Private Native Dig Pile
For our avid rockhounds, we now offer a fresh private dig pile just for your group. This is still 100% native dirt.
- $500.00 for the day
- This pile is exclusively for your group
- Maximum of 10 people on a pile
- This option is prepaid reservation only
After Hours Mining
Want the place all to yourself one night? This option is for you.
- $750.00 for the evening (5pm- 9pm)
- Up to 10 people in the group
- +$50 per person over 10 people
- Access to dig pile & flume only
- This option is prepaid reservation only
Jewelry & Keepsakes
Once your mining is completed at the flume line, be sure to take your findings into the gift shop for identification by the shop staff. The staff will select any findings that could be cut and made into jewelry. Our turn around time ranges from 3-8 weeks depending on the season.
We also offer cutting and jewelry making classes for our customers. (See more below.)
Super Buckets
To ensure gems are discovered, miners can purchase enhanced (“salted”) buckets that have gems added to the native dirt. This will guarantee a find of additional minerals.
These buckets are many of our miners’ favorites!
- $50.00 Bucket = average of 10 pounds of gems
- $100 Bucket = average of 20 pounds of gems
Barrels
For our serious rockhounds, we offer gem-filled barrels that range from $500.00 to $1,500.00. You'll definitely get your money's worth in these!
These barrels are said to “Rock your world” as a rockhound.
We Ship Dirt
Can’t make it during our season? No worries, we ship dirt all over the United States.
$50.00 and $100.00 buckets for shipping.
(S/H subject to change based on shipping location.)
Visit our online store to have dirt delivered to your front door!
GEM MINE HOURS 2025
** Jan. & Feb. 2025 = CLOSED
** Opening Day = March 1, 2025!
SUMMER/FALL 2025
(Mar. 1 thru Oct. 31)
Sunday – CLOSED
Monday – 9am-5pm
Tuesday – 9am-5pm
Wednesday – CLOSED
Thursday – 9am-5pm
Friday – 9am-5pm
Saturday – 9am-5pm
WINTER 2025
(Nov. 1 thru Dec. 31)
Nov. 1 – 12 = CLOSED
Nov. 26 – 28 = CLOSED
Dec. 21 – 31 = CLOSED
Sunday – CLOSED
Monday – CLOSED
Tuesday – CLOSED
Wednesday – CLOSED
Thursday – 10am-3pm
Friday – 10am-3pm
Saturday – 10am-3pm
Jan. & Feb. 2026
Closed For The Month
OPENING DAY 2026
Mar. 2, 2026
Events
Our annual Special Events are something that our Rockhound Family looks forward to each year. A professional DJ, lots of food, and awesome prizes are on hand to ensure that each event will be a memorable experience.
Night Mining
Sat. July 12, 2025
6 pm – 11 pm
Regular dig rates apply
No reservations needed
Customer Appreciation Day (Fall Festival)
Sat. October 11, 2025
9 am – 5 pm
No reservations needed
Gift Shop
Looking for that special souvenir? When you stop by our gift shop our friendly staff will happily assist you. As you browse our shop, you will find gems and minerals from our property, surrounding areas and from all over the world. Whether you are looking for jewelry, T-shirts, hats, specimens, toys, or home decor you can find it in our gift shop.
Handmade Jewelry
At Mason Mountain Mine you can have your treasures turned into jewelry that will last forever. Our knowledgeable staff can assist you in identifying which findings would best make into a beautiful keepsake.
You'll find a wide selection of mountings from rings, pendants, earrings, and bracelets to help you design your one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry.
Pricing of cutting and mountings vary depending on the size of stones and whether mounts are silver and gold.
We also offer a wide variety of beautiful custom-crafted jewelry with stunning gemstones from all over the world. If you're in the market for a truly unique and special gift, we've got you covered!
Videos
The Crystal Collector Visits Mason Mountain Mine
Crystals of Arkansas Visits Mason Mountain Mine
Reviews
Gem Cutting
GEM CUTTING
Tom teaches gem cutting lessons throughout the season.
Cutting demo lesson: $150.00
All lessons are by appointment only. To schedule a lesson call (828) 421-1457.
In the late 1800’s, a mine was discovered in northern Macon County, North Carolina that was rich in Rhodolite garnets and six other minerals. The mine was a well-known treasure to the county’s earliest inhabitants and in 1965, when Tom Johnson was just six months old, his father purchased the mine. Today, the mine is still in the family with Tom and his wife, Ginger, continuing the family’s legacy of opening the mine, now known as Cowee Gift Shop and Mason Mountain Mine.
The family mining tradition has remained, making the mine a popular gathering site for families and miners from all over the world who come to Macon County still searching for gems.
In addition to Rhodolite garnets, named for the native Rhododendron that grows across the mountains, the property has six other minerals – Corundum, which is Ruby and Sapphire, Kyanite, Moonstone, Smokey Quartz, Garnet, and Cordierite (a form of Iolite).
At Mason Mountain Mine customers become friends and friends become family!
Drop Us A Line
Our Location
Cowee Gift Shop & Mason Mountain Mine
We are conveniently located 5.5 miles north of Franklin, NC in the Cowee Valley of Macon County.
We sit nestled against Mason Mountain along Hwy 28 North between Franklin and Bryson City.
Drop us a line!
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