Pigeon Forge Gem Mine
Pigeon Forge Gem Mine
Pigeon Forge Gem Mine
4.5
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
About
Embark on a gem-tastic journey at Pigeon Forge Gem Mine, where adventure and beauty await! Our family-owned store is the premier destination for gemstone enthusiasts in the Smokies. Explore the thrill of gem mining, discover unique souvenirs, discover permanent jewelry, and uncover treasures that will last a lifetime. Plus, you can turn your gemstones into stunning jewelry with the help of our expert staff. Located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, our mine offers more than just excitement – it's an opportunity to make unforgettable memories! Visit us today and experience the magic of Pigeon Forge Gem Mine!
Duration: < 1 hour
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See what travelers are saying
- Marcus HCleveland, Tennessee136 contributionsBreak out your wallet$35 for a bucket of sand netting you about a ziplock bag worth of stones. The kids had fun, and we got some pretty pieces, but it was expensive. Not sure how someone can buy the $1500 55 gallon drum.Thank you for your positive review! We're glad to hear that the kids had a fun time and you found some pretty pieces. We understand your concern about pricing, and we appreciate your feedback. We're always looking for ways to enhance our offerings, and we hope to provide even more value on our authentic gems on your next visit.Written December 11, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited December 2023Traveled with familyWritten December 10, 2023
- Mary O19 contributionsGreat Experience! We've been to similar spots, but this one is our favorite!We have done mining like this quite a few different places, but THIS one has been our favorite BY FAR. First of all, it's a nice facility with a nice shop and a little museum. Second, there are more options than we typically see. My kids were beyond excited to find fossils and shells along with the gems and minerals. Third, we got an incredible haul! My husband does rock tumbling, and he is thrilled with what he brought home to work with. But we also got some really good sized, beautiful gems. So much so that we ordered for some to be set in jewelry for me. Even though we had done this before, the team also made this feel like a brand new experience! So much so that my 6 y/o was pretending to be the gem expert sorting and naming the different rocks he had gotten after we got back to our campsite.Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear that your experience at Pigeon Forge Gem Mine has been your favorite mining adventure by far. It’s great to know that our facility, shop, and little museum added to your enjoyment. We’re especially delighted that your kids loved finding fossils and shells along with the gems and minerals. We’re excited to hear about your incredible haul and that your husband is pleased with the rocks for his tumbling projects. It’s fantastic that you found beautiful gems worthy of being set in jewelry. Our team is dedicated to making each visit special, so we’re glad to hear they made your experience feel brand new. Your 6-year-old gem expert sounds adorable! We hope to welcome you back for more fun and discoveries in the future. Thank you again for your glowing review!Written July 8, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten July 6, 2024
- Cole17 contributionsRocksOh our kids got little bottles of gems there and the staff was friendly. One of the things that they liked the most was the rock and mineral museum that is free inside the store. They also had an amethyst geode setup to make it look like butterfly wings.Thank you for your kind review! We're delighted to hear that your kids enjoyed their visit and loved the little bottles of gems. It's wonderful to know that they had a great time exploring our free rock and mineral museum. The amethyst geode wings is one of our favorites, too! We're glad our friendly staff helped make your visit special. We hope to welcome you and your family back soon for more fun and exploration!Written July 24, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten July 20, 2024
- ssims1121Fayetteville, Georgia9 contributionsWorth the visit.Just something fun to do. We didn’t go with high expectations. BUT we ended up having fun. Kelley told us all about the “rocks” we found and answered my son’s questions about all the ones he found. We are debating on having a few pieces turned into jewelry. They have good deals on that too.Thank you for sharing your experience! We're delighted to hear that you and your family had fun and that Kelley was able to answer your son's questions about the rocks he found! We'll be sure to pass along the kind words! We hope to welcome you back for some more gem mining fun soon!Written July 24, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Written July 23, 2024
- Annie GFredericksburg, Virginia29 contributionsA couple or family activity that was fun!!!Our visit to Pigeon Forge Gem Mine was fun & loved exploring the gems & rocks we clean in the screen carrier & trough of water that ran. It was a fun couple activity. My husband & I got the $65 pale to mine. We found many gems & had 6 pieces made into jewelry settings. Some are polished jewelry gifts to our daughter, son & granddaughter & grandson. Gracie Lee was very informative & has great customer service & gave us ideas to make our stones into gifts. The gentleman that gave us our bucket was also kind & nice. It's nice knowing I can mail unpolished gem stones I came home with to them any time for future gifts to be made. I recommend this location to discover gems & have a stone cut, shaped & polished into jewelry for a keepsake. Thank PF Gem Mine for a fun experience. The Green's from Va.Hi Green Family from VA! Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you and your husband had a fun time exploring and finding gems together. It sounds like you created some truly special keepsakes for your loved ones! We’re delighted that Gracie Lee and our team made your visit memorable with their friendly service and great ideas. It's always wonderful to know our guests appreciate the option to mail their gems for future gifts—it's a great way to keep the experience going! We can’t wait to welcome you back for more gem mining adventures in the future. Thanks again for your glowing review!Written August 29, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited August 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten August 28, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,155 reviews
Excellent
719
Very good
272
Average
121
Poor
23
Terrible
20
Jamie C
Alexandria, VA41 contributions
May 2021
While my family and I enjoyed our visit to the gem mine right before Memorial Day, my review is for their customer service after we left.
I spent over $300 for them to make rings out of 2 different stones we got out of our bucket. I've called more than once to speak to a manager, it's been over a week and I have not gotten any returned calls despite having them confirm my phone number, name, and issue was accurate. I feel like they were friendly and seemed sincere while taking the message. At this point it could be a ruse and they just sound pleasant and have no intention of returning calls. The people I spoke to were unable to state whether they could find my order in the system. They said a manager would return my call.
It has been over 9 weeks since our visit and I have not received the email they promised that should include the tracking number on my package, nor have I received my jewelry that's probably only valued at $50.
I'm very disappointed and hope to receive some sort of response from them. I would much prefer to have the jewelry made that I picked out. It would also be nice to even just have someone call to say, sorry we lost your order how can we fix this?
I spent over $300 for them to make rings out of 2 different stones we got out of our bucket. I've called more than once to speak to a manager, it's been over a week and I have not gotten any returned calls despite having them confirm my phone number, name, and issue was accurate. I feel like they were friendly and seemed sincere while taking the message. At this point it could be a ruse and they just sound pleasant and have no intention of returning calls. The people I spoke to were unable to state whether they could find my order in the system. They said a manager would return my call.
It has been over 9 weeks since our visit and I have not received the email they promised that should include the tracking number on my package, nor have I received my jewelry that's probably only valued at $50.
I'm very disappointed and hope to receive some sort of response from them. I would much prefer to have the jewelry made that I picked out. It would also be nice to even just have someone call to say, sorry we lost your order how can we fix this?
Written July 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Jade!
Our customer service team will be reaching out to you to handle this issue.
Thanks so much for making us aware.
Written August 5, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Riley R
12 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
This place is amazing! We make it a point to come in here at least once when we come to Pigeon Forge. The employees are all super nice and knowledgeable about the rocks and minerals which makes the actual mining part more fun. They even have a small museum of different types of rocks/minerals/crystals that outline where each is typically found, hardness on the Mohs scale, and interesting facts about them. And the collection is large! I usually go because I like geology and other sciences but they do have a section of the store that lays out all of their different types of rocks etc. with metaphysical properties if that’s your thing.
Now for the mining…
We normally get small to medium buckets and have our fun. You do get a large amount for what you pay. This time however we got the Super barrel and it was phenomenal! We left with FIVE totes worth of stuff from that barrel!!! And the pieces are GORGEOUS! I have so many large show pieces and a whole lot of the smaller pieces. I ended up with almost a whole bag of fossils too!
This barrel was $1000 and aside from one at $1500, all other options are well below that price. The large barrels also come with a lot of coupons for local businesses including free ice cream, free food, money off at the gift shop next door, and a bunch more. The larger ones also include money off their custom jewelry. They will sit down with you and go through what you got from their buckets and sort out the harder rocks that can be made into jewelry (like the quartz family or topazes, rough precious gemstones etc) and you can choose to have pieces made into jewelry and shipped home to you (as it takes 4-6 weeks).
This is my favorite place and we will be back in the future!
Now for the mining…
We normally get small to medium buckets and have our fun. You do get a large amount for what you pay. This time however we got the Super barrel and it was phenomenal! We left with FIVE totes worth of stuff from that barrel!!! And the pieces are GORGEOUS! I have so many large show pieces and a whole lot of the smaller pieces. I ended up with almost a whole bag of fossils too!
This barrel was $1000 and aside from one at $1500, all other options are well below that price. The large barrels also come with a lot of coupons for local businesses including free ice cream, free food, money off at the gift shop next door, and a bunch more. The larger ones also include money off their custom jewelry. They will sit down with you and go through what you got from their buckets and sort out the harder rocks that can be made into jewelry (like the quartz family or topazes, rough precious gemstones etc) and you can choose to have pieces made into jewelry and shipped home to you (as it takes 4-6 weeks).
This is my favorite place and we will be back in the future!
Written September 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for this amazing feedback! We highly appreciate you taking the time to give people more info about our products and services. We hope to serve you again soon!
Written November 25, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
HonestTraveler734
Ohio69 contributions
Oct 2020
This was my kids' first time mining (ages 6 and 9) and something they asked to do while we were visiting the area. They split a 35 dollar bucket and had a lot of fun sifting through to find their gems. It took about 15 mins. After reading and watching reviews somehow I was under the impression you could take the gems into the store and have them looked at by an employee to find out what they had. Not all of them, and not in detail of course, but maybe just a few nice ones so they could get a little info on what they found. It wouldn't have taken but a few minutes, but when we went up to sit down at the table we realized they only do that if you are going to have jewelry made out of them, which we didn't want to do. That was a little disappointing since my kids were excited to learn about the gems they found. We did leave with a sheet that had a few gem names and pictures listed on it. Overall it was a fun experience for them though. We'd go back.
Written October 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback. We identify the gemstones, the ones that can be made into jewelry especially . We hope to see you and your family again! Thank you for your review and the chance to return, we truly appreciate it.
Written November 1, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
S F
1 contribution
Dec 2022 • Friends
They are absolutely fantastic, Cory was so friendly & helpful, she was so knowledgeable. I enjoyed it so much, & learned a lot.
Talking with Cory was great. She helped me so much with every question I had, & took the time to show me around & teach me about the things I was interested in. I even brought my own collection & they were happy to take a look & teach me things about my own collection that I had no idea about.
Speaking of collections, the crystals, minerals, & fossils in the museum are amazing, one of a kind. They have a beautiful & unique collection. As well as a variety of different kinds of crystals, minerals, & fossils.
The buckets of gems & fossils are really worth buying, they have a variety of types & prices. They even had buckets to go. I didn’t have the time to do the actual in-store gem mining, so I was very happy they had buckets to go.
Next time I come I’m definitely going to make the time to do the in-store gem mining! When we walked in I noticed a few families doing the mining & they all looked like they were having a blast! I wished we had come earlier so we could do the mining, but next time I visit pigeon forge this is a must on the to do list of places to go, especially with my 8 year old son, he would love this place!
I highly recommend going to PF Gem Mine, adults & kids both will surely enjoy it. It really is a unique & fun place to visit & experience at least once. When you’re in pigeon forge you should consider stopping by & checking this place out! You won’t regret it! Especially anyone interested in getting started in rockhounding, geology, or even paleontology, you will surely have a blast as I did!!
Talking with Cory was great. She helped me so much with every question I had, & took the time to show me around & teach me about the things I was interested in. I even brought my own collection & they were happy to take a look & teach me things about my own collection that I had no idea about.
Speaking of collections, the crystals, minerals, & fossils in the museum are amazing, one of a kind. They have a beautiful & unique collection. As well as a variety of different kinds of crystals, minerals, & fossils.
The buckets of gems & fossils are really worth buying, they have a variety of types & prices. They even had buckets to go. I didn’t have the time to do the actual in-store gem mining, so I was very happy they had buckets to go.
Next time I come I’m definitely going to make the time to do the in-store gem mining! When we walked in I noticed a few families doing the mining & they all looked like they were having a blast! I wished we had come earlier so we could do the mining, but next time I visit pigeon forge this is a must on the to do list of places to go, especially with my 8 year old son, he would love this place!
I highly recommend going to PF Gem Mine, adults & kids both will surely enjoy it. It really is a unique & fun place to visit & experience at least once. When you’re in pigeon forge you should consider stopping by & checking this place out! You won’t regret it! Especially anyone interested in getting started in rockhounding, geology, or even paleontology, you will surely have a blast as I did!!
Written December 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write such an in-depth and positive review, Steffy! We highly appreciate this. Would love to have you again!
Written December 7, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dsrtrse
Munster, IN7 contributions
Jun 2021
I was here 24 years ago as a kid, and came back with my parents, husband and daughters. The place is just as awesome as I remember! We bought 2 $35 buckets for our daughters, who had the best time ever “panning for gold.” We loved the outdoor experience, as it made us more comfortable to be outside during the Pandemic. Once we were done with the buckets, we were able to get our rocks sorted by a lovely lady named Lindsey, who was friendly, fun, and knowledgeable. She was patient with our kids, enthusiastic about her job, and gave us helpful hints on what we could do with our gemstones and minerals. I would be glad to return and recommend Pigeon Forge Gem Mine to anyone looking for a fun time!
Written June 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for visiting and mining your hearts out! We hope to see you again!
Written July 8, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
lovetheopenroad2016
Palatine, IL52 contributions
Jun 2020
People were nice, daughter loved sifting through the dirt to find gems. Besides the WonderWerks place, this was her favorite. The buckets run about $35 apiece kinda pricey but on average with what the area attractions were charging.
Overall my daughter was happy and took a bucket home to go through. Now that I was a little disappointed as it was less than 3/4 full as to the bucket we got there which was filled all the way to the top. The buckets you took home were all sealed so no way to tell.
Otherwise, I would have given an excellent rating.
Overall my daughter was happy and took a bucket home to go through. Now that I was a little disappointed as it was less than 3/4 full as to the bucket we got there which was filled all the way to the top. The buckets you took home were all sealed so no way to tell.
Otherwise, I would have given an excellent rating.
Written July 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are thankful you had a great time with us!
We will be sure to address the issue, as we want all of our guest to leave 100% satisfied ! We hope to see you in the near future!
Written September 7, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JSBVT
West Halifax, VT10 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
This is a great place to go on a rainy day. They have a covered sifting area, loads of different priced buckets to choose from, and you get a ton of gems and fossils even in the cheapest priced bucket. It was also great to go inside and have them identify your gems- you can even have them cut and polished, and made into jewelry. This was a really fun activity for kids and adults.
Written June 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tara R
1 contribution
Apr 2021
We went to Pigeon Forge Gem Mine the week of Easter 2021 on a Friday night after dinner. It wasn't crowded at all, and the employee greeted us as we came in. We bought a $50 bucket and had a great time sifting through it to find the gems. We got a great haul, though opted to not have any cut this time. We've done gem mining in other tourist locations throughout the years, but I was really impressed with this gem mining company in Pigeon Forge.
Written July 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for sharing your special moments with us! See you again soon!
Written July 8, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Marissa L
1 contribution
Mar 2021 • Family
We got the $100 bucket to share between my 3 kids (2, 6, and 8). They enjoyed every minute of this experience. They loved seeing what kind of gems, fossils, and artifacts they would find. My girls each had a pendant made from the gems they found. Sandy helped them choose what shape and setting they wanted. She was super friendly and wonderful in explaining every detail to us. She also made sure we knew what each of our finds were. We received their pendants in the mail just 5 days of visiting the gem mine. We will absolutely return when we are in Pigeon Forge again.
Written March 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so honored you chose us to make lasting memories and pieces that you can keep forever and pass down generations!
Written April 12, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kailin
Tanner, AL1 contribution
Jun 2021 • Friends
The prices for the different sized buckets were pretty good for the amount I received. I purchased the Big Bear bucket ($65), and the (about) quarter gallon bag they gave me was 2/3 full by the time I finished.
As I walked into the store to redeem a karat gem coupon that was apart of my purchase, I was greeted by an employee who asked if I would like to have my crystals sorted. They spent a few minutes picking through my stash and labeling the types of different rocks that I had received.
Overall, the prices are really good for the crystal amounts, and the staff are friendly and helpful.
As I walked into the store to redeem a karat gem coupon that was apart of my purchase, I was greeted by an employee who asked if I would like to have my crystals sorted. They spent a few minutes picking through my stash and labeling the types of different rocks that I had received.
Overall, the prices are really good for the crystal amounts, and the staff are friendly and helpful.
Written June 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your detailed and kind review! Hope to see you again soon!
Written June 16, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Anyone know the current (2024) prices of having gems cut and made into jewelry?
Written January 30, 2024
I'm not aware of a senior discount, you can Google it or call them. My family loves this mine because it's clean, the staff is friendly, it's covered from the sun and just a great activity to do in pigeon forge. My son surprised me he had a gem he found cut for me and I had it mounted in a necklace at my jeweler's. What a sweet surprise.
Written July 11, 2018
What are the business hours?
Written September 23, 2017
I don't know their exact hours, but we went there fairly early one weekday, because it was a priority activity, and they were open and ready. I'm sure their hours are posted on their website.
Written September 24, 2017
What are the hours of operation?
Written September 21, 2017
How long do I need to plan out during my day for this visit? (mining, store, etc., whatever you have)... Thanks.
Written September 21, 2017
I would say at a minimum about an hour. Depends how many people are there as well. Hope you have fun!😁
Written September 22, 2017
Would our visit be affected by the rain? Is it indoors?
Written August 5, 2017
It's outdoors but if the wind isn't blowing it shouldn't affect you mining plus they have a Dino museum and gen store you can look inside
Written August 6, 2017
ginahayes33
Fort Dodge, Iowa
How much does it run around about high to low to make a ring
Written June 10, 2017
There different prices my daughter in law got a beautiful ring made for about $45.
Written June 12, 2017
Yes. The mining area is outside. The indoor shop is quite crowded so that depends.
Written March 25, 2017
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