In the forests of the Idaho Panhandle lies a genuinely rare opportunity: Emerald Creek is one of only two places on Earth — the other is India — where you can dig star garnets. Run by the U.S. Forest Service, the site lets you sluice garnet-bearing gravels for Idaho’s state gem, and keep what you find.
What makes a star garnet
The garnets here are almandine, a deep wine-red to purple garnet. What sets Emerald Creek apart is asterism: many stones contain microscopic needle-like inclusions (rutile) aligned along the crystal’s structure. When such a garnet is cut and polished into a rounded cabochon, those needles reflect light as a four-rayed — occasionally six-rayed — star that glides across the surface. It is this effect that makes the star garnet Idaho’s state gem.
How the dig works
This is not a dig-anywhere site — it is a managed Forest Service operation, and that keeps it simple. The Forest Service provides a stockpile of garnet-bearing gravel and two sluice boxes; you shovel gravel into buckets, wash it through the sluice, and pick the heavy garnets from what remains. All tools are provided on site, and visitors are asked not to bring their own sifters, shovels or buckets. The permit area is a short half-mile hike up 281 Gulch from the parking area.
What you’ll find
The garnets
- Star garnets — almandine with asterism (the prize)
- Deep red to purple stones
- From gravel-size up to large, occasionally golf-ball-size
- Best stars appear only once cut as cabochons
Access & the law
- Reservation-only permit via recreation.gov — no walk-up permits.
- Open Thursday–Saturday, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
- Tools provided; a daily quantity limit applies; keep what you find.
Getting there
From St. Maries, follow Highway 3 south about 24 miles to Road 447, then southwest roughly 8 miles to the parking area; supplies are available in nearby Clarkia and Fernwood. Note that there is no cell service for many miles, and the permit and sluice area are a half-mile hike in — come prepared.
When to go
The area is open Thursday through Saturday from the Thursday of Memorial Day weekend to the Saturday of Labor Day weekend — a summer-only window. Reserve your permit in advance through recreation.gov, as walk-ups are not sold.
Plan your trip
Pair this with the wider Idaho rockhounding guide, and read collecting ethics & the law before you go.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to dig at Emerald Creek?
Yes — a reservation-only permit through recreation.gov. Walk-up permits are not sold, so book before you travel.
Where else can I find star garnets?
Only India and the Idaho Panhandle produce star garnets in quantity, which is what makes Emerald Creek special. The star garnet is Idaho’s state gem.
Do I bring my own tools?
No — the Forest Service provides shovels, buckets and sluice boxes on site, and asks visitors not to bring their own.
Will I see the star in the garnets I find?
Not in the rough. The four- or six-rayed star only appears once a garnet is cut and polished into a cabochon.
When is it open?
Summer only — Thursday to Saturday, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
Want a cut garnet?
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Written by The Field & Stone Editors. Informational only — confirm permits, dates and rules with the Forest Service before visiting. Published by KEVALEX Group.
FIELD & STONEField & Stone is the American rockhounding field guide — where to find rocks, minerals and fossils across all fifty states. Real localities, the best seasons, collecting law and the rock & gem clubs that keep the craft alive, from the Olympic Peninsula agate beaches to the diamond fields of Arkansas.