Cooper's Gem Mine

Stopped by to break up the drive, and totally worth the hour to pan thru a bucket for some gems. 15.00 for a large bucket. Little off the beaten path but the kids enjoyed it.

Located less than 2 miles from I-81 made this the perfect stop to stretch our legs and let the kids have some fun. The operators of the mine were super nice and the price to "mine" gems was reasonable. Definitely worth the stop!!

This authentic mountain stop on our family road trip was our kids’ favorite! We had never done this before, so we didn’t know what to expect. Be prepared: It’s rough and rustic, not like the commercial setups closer to tourist locations like Gatlinburg. This fun family has built all the equipment themselves and have run this gem mine for over 20 years. He said they get over 15,000 school kids visiting for field trips a year. But this day in August we had the place to ourselves! The owner sat with us and explained what each and every gem was that we found. He was very helpful and patient with our kids, 7 and 9. We started with two 2 gallon buckets, one for each kid. It took about 45 min to get through them and then the kids talked me into one more to share! The prices are much lower than in town too. I think we spent the same on 3 buckets as you would in 1 in Gatlinburg! Did I mention they have hatchet/axe throwing too? We let the kids have 10 throws each and my husband and I had to try it too! I highly recommend gem mining at this location. We made fantastic family memories at Coopers Gem Mine! The kids want us to stop back again on the way back to Ohio!

This was an awesome stop on our road trip. We stayed just over an hour. My kids ranging from 5-13 all had a great time. It didn't break the bank. It's a fun experience set in the beautiful Appalachian mountains. Family owned and operated. They are very helpful, knowledgeable and kind. Definitely recommend!

Hidden gem (pun intended). So glad we stopped with our 3 and 5 year old. The owners are incredibly nice, very knowledgeable, and were gracious with their time and knowledge of gems, minerals, and fossils. It was a wonderful one hour stop to break up a drive.

Super nice people that own the mine. Glad we stopped and the kids had a blast.

we stopped and enjoyed the rest from driving. well worth it.