About This Experience
Tucked just off I-75 near Corbin, Kentucky, Cumberland Falls Mining Company is an independent, family-operated gem mining sluice near the edge of the Daniel Boone National Forest. Grab a mining rough bucket, wash it through running water on a traditional wooden flume, and identify real rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and fossils using identification charts provided by local staff.
Featured Media
Outdoor wooden water sluice flume where visitors sift rough paydirt for gems.
Real unpolished rubies, sapphires, and quartz crystals discovered in mining screens.
Educational gemstone and fossil identification card provided to every miner.
Families washing mining rough buckets along the shaded outdoor sluice.
Gift shop featuring polished stones, rock geodes, and handmade wire-wrapped jewelry.
Geode cracking station where visitors crack open whole geodes to reveal internal crystals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cumberland Falls Mining Company privately owned?â
Yes, it is an independent, family-owned local business operated separately from the nearby state park.
Do visitors get to keep all the gemstones they find?â
Yes! You keep 100% of the genuine gems, minerals, and fossils you discover in your mining bucket.
Is this activity suitable for young children?â
Yes, gem mining is hands-on, easy, and very popular for children of all ages.