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How to Find Star Garnets in Idaho

Idaho is one of the only two places in the world that yields significant amounts of star garnets. Garnets are translucent, purple and reddish stones that display four or six ray stars when cut. Besides India, the Idaho Panhandle National Forest is the only site where you can search for and collect these precious stones. Searching for star garnets is a fun-filled recreation for the entire family. If you don't mind getting dirty, sift through the stockpiles and collect these rare and much sought-after gemstones.

Things You'll Need

Drinking water
Containers for garnets
Extra clothes

Instructions

- 1
  Pack and prepare items such as drinking water, containers and a change of clothes for your trip. Plastic containers or zip plastic bags are ideal for carrying garnet finds. A change of clothes is advisable because you will be digging and sifting through a stockpile and the area is wet and muddy.
- 2
  Go to the Emerald Creek Garnet Area at Clarkia and obtain a permit to search for garnet. To reach the garnet collecting site, follow Highway 3 south to Road 447 from St. Maries, Idaho. Continue southwest on Road 447 to the parking area. Permits are available at the sluice area which is half a mile walk up the 281 Gulch.
- 3
  Pay for the permits. Permits are required to search for garnets and are valid for one day. The permit includes all necessary equipment such as shovels, buckets and screen boxes. According to the U.S. Forest Service, visitors with permits are allowed to take up to 5 pounds of garnets. If you want to take more, another permit is required for each additional 5 pounds.
- 4
  Pick up a shovel and a bucket and start digging for garnet through the stockpile. Once you fill your bucket, go to the sifting station to separate silt out, leaving you with garnet-bearing gravel.
- 5
  Go to the sluice and wash dirt and silt off the gravel. Collect your garnet finds in your plastic containers.

Rock Collecting