Garnet Area is open Memorial Day thru Labor Day
Open Friday thru Tuesday 9 A.M. -to- 5 P.M.
CLOSED Wednesday and Thursday
Please call ahead to make sure it is open before you plan your trip to allow for unexpected closures. St. Maries Office:(208) 245-2531 or Clarkia Office:(208) 245-1134
THE EMERALD CREEK GARNET AREA is one of only two deposits in the world where brilliant 4 and 6 ray star garnets are found – the other is India! Maintained by the U.S. Forest Service; open Saturday of Memorial weekend and closes Tuesday after Labor Day. Permits required. Located off Highway 3, turn onto Road 447 and proceed southwest 8 miles to the parking area. For information, call (208) 245-2531 or call the Moscow Chamber at (208) 882-1800 for a guided tour brochure.
From St. Maries, Idaho, follow Highway 3 south 24 miles to Road 447. Proceed southwest 8 miles on Road 447 to the parking area. Permits, information, and the sluice area are a 1/2 mile hike up 281 Gulch
Parking lot is at N 46.9969444 W 116.36500
Permits, information, and the sluice area are a 1/2 mile hike up 281 Gulch.
the Forest Service provides a stockpile of garnet bearing gravels from which people can gather material to run through one of two sluice boxes in search of garnets.
Permits are available at the site and cost $10 for adults and $5 for children age 6-12. The permit is valid for one day and includes equipment. Permits are required for anyone washing or screening gravels.
You may take up to five pounds of garnets with your daily permit. If you want to remove more than five pounds of garnet during the same day, you can buy another permit for each additional five pounds or fraction thereof. You are limited to six permits or 30 pounds of garnet per year.
We recommend you allow at least two to four hours at the site. Many families like to bring their lunch and make it an all-day outing at the Garnet Area. Some rockhounds like to return several days in a row. Prepare to have fun!
You are provided: buckets, shovels, and special screen boxes.
You should bring:
Drinking water, snacks, and/or lunch
Change of clothes
Sunscreen, hat
Container for garnets (recloseable plastic bags work well)
Some items other visitors have found useful are:
Lined, rubber gloves
Small hammer
Small brush
Collapsible stool
Brochure http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsm9_019217.pdf