Crater of Diamonds SP, Arkansas was hot, hot, hot. We arrived around noon and decided to test our luck to see if we could find those diamonds. Over the course of the previous two days before our arrival folks found two large diamonds. One was over 4 carets and the other over 5 (this one was found by an 11 year old boy). Our luck was not with us this day, after four hours in the afternoon sun it was time to call it a day.
We awoke bright and early the next morning to take advantage of a Ranger led walk though the diamond field. He showed us some signs to look for when hunting for diamonds and gave us some background on the area and how the field was formed. So with our tour complete and our bellies empty we took a walk over to the Kemberlite Café, a small restaurant in the park. One would think the cost for this sort of fare would be expensive and not so good. To our surprise, the pancakes and biscuits and gravy were ALL homemade and the price was very reasonable.
So with our bellies full and a gleam in our eyes we went back to hunting for those diamonds, well Sandee did. I on the other hand decided that the hunt for those bacon agates would be much easier to find and a bit more plentiful, I was right. There are a number of mineral specimens to found at this park, the diamonds are of course the more famous, but the agates one can find here are plentiful enough that it keeps your interest but no so plentiful that you find them all over the place.
After walking back and forth over the field I found a number of nice agates but one I found was huge and has some wonderful colors and patterns. It was around noon when I found this one and having over extended myself a few days earlier at the Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine and ended up with Heat Exhaustion, Sandee on the other hand remained in the field while I went back to the trailer. After another three hours she too called it a day and we went into town for dinner.
We have one more day at this park, but I think we just might do some house cleaning, laundry and drive over to William Jefferson Clinton's Boyhood Home NM in the morning. It is only an hour away and there are some other Arkansas Civil War State Parks along the way we might visit as well.
If we do decided to hunt for some more and find a diamond we will be sure to let you know. However, July and August in Arkansas is not a good time to hunt for diamonds.
By the way, the campgrounds in this park are wonderful and makes a great stopping point for anyone wanting to visit President Clinton's boyhood home.
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