Little Big Gem Mine & Rock Shop
Located outside of Louisville in beautiful Oldham County is Little Big Gem Mine and Rock Shop. Families are invited to experience mining for gems on the thirty foot sluice.
The idea for Little Big Gem Mine and Rock Shop started during quarantine when many people were struggling to stay busy and find new ways to have fun.
Owners Garnett and Lisa explored their property’s creeks and land for fun, discovering geodes and other great fossils along the way. They then thought a gem mining experience would be something many others would enjoy too!
Garnett is a talented woodworker and craftsman. In two days, Garnett constructed the sluice using wood from the property. You’ll be amazed once you see it at Little Big Gem Mine & Rock Shop and everything he has created around it. There is plenty of room to spread out along the sluice and see which gems and rocks are in your sluice box.
Visitors can choose from several different bags inside the office. Bags start at $10 and go up to a $50 bucket. Paypal, Venmo, check, cash, and cards are all accepted. We found that the $25 bag was a great option to split between two children. The excitement of discovering what was hidden in the sand made the experience so fun.
Grab a brochure to help you identify your finds. You might find some fool’s gold, shining green emeralds, fossils, or arrowheads. Once you’re finished at the sluice, let your treasures dry in the sun to take home with you. Visitors are also invited to enjoy the open spaces, pack a picnic and sit and learn from Lisa and Garnett.
There are old trail horses that you can meet, a store to peruse and a barn filled with Garnett’s amazing woodworking creations. A giant sandbox and yard games are also available for fun during your visit.
Another fun experience offered is ATV tours. Tours are given by reservations only and take you around the 350 acres of land. We got to take a short tour through the fields, woods, and 18 Mile Creek. 18 Mile Creek is where most of the geodes were collected. Each visitor gets to pick a geode to take home with them or have it opened during the visit.
We love that Garnett and Lisa brought this gem mining experience to Oldham County. They are truly passionate about learning from their land, teaching others about the different rocks and gems and sharing their property with the community. You can expect to have an educational experience and feel very welcome. What made the experience great for us didn’t include any frills, but the great conversations with Lisa and Garnett and their enthusiasm.
Little Big Gem Mine & Rock Shop is located at 1000 KY 524 in LaGrange. Follow them on Facebook here.
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