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Fee Dig Sites in the US

55 pay-to-dig mines, ranches, and sluice operations across 22 states, every one mapped with coordinates. You pay for access, you keep what you find.

Fee digs are the easiest legal entry into rockhounding: the ground is proven, the access question is settled, and most operations rent screens and tools on site. They range from world-famous operations like diamond and opal digs to small family ranches that open a field after each plow. Fees, hours, and seasons change often and are set by the operators, so confirm details with the site itself before driving out.

Map of 55 fee dig and pay-to-dig sites across the United States

New York (7 fee digs)

Arkansas (5 fee digs)

Nevada (5 fee digs)

Oregon (5 fee digs)

California (4 fee digs)

Georgia (4 fee digs)

North Carolina (4 fee digs)

Maine (3 fee digs)

Montana (3 fee digs)

Massachusetts (2 fee digs)

Missouri (2 fee digs)

Florida (1 fee dig)

Idaho (1 fee dig)

Michigan (1 fee dig)

New Hampshire (1 fee dig)

New Mexico (1 fee dig)

Oklahoma (1 fee dig)

South Carolina (1 fee dig)

Utah (1 fee dig)

Virginia (1 fee dig)

Washington (1 fee dig)

Wyoming (1 fee dig)

Fee dig FAQ

What is a fee dig site?+
A privately run mine, ranch, or quarry that charges for access and lets you keep what you find. Formats vary: digging your own holes in a marked field, screening pre-dug bucket material at a flume, or surface picking after a fresh plow. The fee buys you something public land cannot guarantee: certain legal access to proven ground.
Do you really keep what you find at a pay-to-dig mine?+
At nearly all fee digs, yes, everything you find within your paid session is yours. A few operations reserve museum-grade finds in their posted terms or offer to buy exceptional pieces back. Read the rules board before you start digging, not after you hit something good.
Are fee digs worth it compared to collecting on public land?+
They solve different problems. Public land collecting is free but you carry the burden of land status, claims, and regulations, and most easy surface material near roads is picked over. Fee digs cost money but put you on managed, productive ground with tools available and zero legal questions. For a first trip with kids, a fee dig is the higher-percentage day.
What should I bring to a fee dig?+
Sun protection, water, closed shoes, and gloves cover most sites. Many operations rent or provide screens, shovels, and buckets; call ahead or check their site so you do not haul gear you cannot use. Bring small bills, a cooler, and newspaper or boxes for wrapping finds.
How current is the information on this page?+
Each entry links to a detail page with coordinates and what the site produces. Fees, hours, and seasons change at the operator's discretion and are not listed here; always check the operation's own posted information or call before driving out.

Plan the whole trip, not just the dig

RockHoundR maps these fee digs next to free public-land spots, so you can stack a paid morning with a wild afternoon on the same drive.

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