Went here as a kid, but still remember it. Wonderful for kids to explore and learn about gems and where they are from. Fantastic memories of my father and I searching for rubies.

The good: 1 price- great value, $15 per person includes all your basics. Namely, 2 buckets of dirt, screens, and a pad to sit on. You can buy extra gear but this is all you really need. 2 service- simply outstanding! The little old lady that runs the place is amazing. She'll tell you everything you need to know about... More

Absolutely the warmest and most friendly place. Maria and Ray are absolute " gems ". Our first trip was in May and were hooked. If you're looking for a gem in every bucket, this isn't the place for you. As this mine is not salted. What you will find here is higher quality Cowee Valley gems if you're so lucky.... More

After reading the reviews and learning alittle about gem mining, We decided to come here and try our luck. Easy directions to get to and there is alot of room at the flume. It was my wife, daughter, son (both teenagers), and myself. We were sure we were going to find the biggest ruby anyone has ever seen. Well, that... More

My first time at franklin i missed this place and went to another mine... it was good but this place is the best. The staff was so friendly and helpful. It is a family run business and they really do care about the guest. They go out of their way to make sure you have a good time while mining... More

From all the positive reviews we were expecting great things here. They didn't happen. We visited three mines today, this one was second, and this was the worst of the bunch. No help from the staff, no real exciting gems found and the seating, even with pads, wasn't good. I'll just chalk it up to it being a bad day.

My fiancé and I visited the mine a few months ago. I called the mine a few days before we drove there to talk with "mom" about our chances of finding a ruby at the mine. When I called the mine Maria or Mom as many call her answered the phone. She informed me that this particular mine had at... More

Our 4 year old granddaughter loved this one so much she went twice. She found an amethyst and a couple of immature emeralds. Lots of fun for her and very reasonable in cost.

Our recent visit to the Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire mine was a new experience for my family and I. I panned for gold once as a kid in Cripple Creek, Colorado at a salted road-side attraction and recall enjoying it. With that in mind I thought gem mining would be an excellent family outing. Well, let's just say it was... More