2026-08-05T21:20:55.582Z

KID FRIENDLY & MOM APPROVED!! My family and I have been coming here for years, probably over 15 years. Every summer we take the kids for gem mining!! The kids love it and I love buying beautiful natural stones and hand crafted one of a kind pieces by Tom. Why pay big box prices for beautiful jewelry when you can support local small businesses!! Love the whole staff!!

2026-07-19T01:53:15.787Z

My partner and I had an amazing time at Mason Mountain Mine! He's a GIA Graduate Gemologist, so we've visited quite a few gem and mineral locations over the years, and this was one of our favorite experiences.The drive from our hotel was quick, and the scenery on the way to the mine was absolutely beautiful. When we arrived, we spent some time in the gift shop before mining. They have an incredible selection of minerals, gemstones, crystals, jewelry, and gifts. Everything is organized by material, which made it easy to browse and add a few new pieces to our collection. We also picked up several stones they had cut in-house, and the quality of their lapidary work was outstanding.We chose the unlimited bucket option, and it was so much fun. Being able to walk over, fill your bucket with native mine material, and then discover what treasures you found never got old. The staff was incredibly welcoming, knowledgeable, and happy to help identify everything we found. They made sure we knew which pieces were especially nice and answered every question we had.Throughout the day we saw families and kids having just as much fun as we were. It's definitely an experience that anyone can enjoy, whether you're a serious rockhound or just looking for something unique to do while visiting Franklin. They also have drinks, snacks, and clean restrooms, which made spending the day there even more comfortable.One tip I'd give future visitors is to bring a small flashlight or headlamp. Even in the sunshine, it really helps when you're looking closely at the material to make sure you don't miss anything.We had an absolute blast and would come back in a heartbeat. If you're reading reviews trying to decide whether to visit Mason Mountain Mine... stop thinking about it and just go. You won't regret it!

2026-07-18T23:47:21.860Z

The greatest place to find real local ruby non salted dirt right off the mountain. They do have salted buckets that may be more exciting for the kid's. Very friendly staff.

2026-07-06T18:43:08.504Z

We came from south Florida for 4th of july weekend to celebrate my son's birthday and gem mine. We had the very best experience here! The family that owns the place are all just the most helpful and kind people and I do hope to return again for another vacation soon, Brandon helped us identify rocks, gave us watermelon to snack on and kept us entertained and educated and his mom Ginger was a delight, the gift shop was amazing as well. Definitely come here if you're unsure where to go to mine!

2026-07-02T12:05:51.685Z

We have went several times before and have even found about 30 with two 100+ carat honkers are most recent trip was less bless ed but we did find some kianite 8 rubies and 1 Sapphire we always find lots of garnets here

2026-06-28T03:13:50.531Z

Our group had a great time. The owners were super friendly and helpful. We had a lot of fun getting dirty and looking for gems. Found a bunch of cool specimens in the native (unsalted) mine dirt. We also got our moneys' worth from the salted buckets as well. My wife was giddy with what we found. A wonderful way to spend a day. Nice workout too.

2026-06-20T23:43:18.901Z

Fantastic family experience once again from Mason mountain mine and COWEE gift shop. Tom and Ginger were wonderful hosts and helped us identify gems found. The grandchildren had a great time as well. Definitely worth the trip and time spent there. We even purchased gem dirt to go. We highly recommend his family friendly gem mine and gift shop. 5 star all the way for sure.

2026-06-12T13:58:44.390Z

Highly Recommended! Unsalted soil found lots of rubies,garnets and kyanite!Someone found a really nice sized sapphire while I was there!Family friendly with an awesome gift shop! You won't be disappointed!