Garnet Mine Tours

Gold mines....diamond mines....coal mines....but garnet mines!? Yep! Barton Mines are the home of Garnet Mine Tours, the home of those who were searching for that unusual and beautiful red ruby colored gemstone.

Did you know that in 1969 the Governor or New York (Do you know who that was) made the Barton garnet the New York State gem stone? Pretty impressive! (Didn't know the answer? It was Nelson Rockefeller - and if you want to learn more you best take a tour!)

The tours leave on the hour, and then you can begin exploring Gore Mountain. Did you know the garnets found in the mountain are extremely rare? Best keep an eye out, you could find something very special!

In your own car, you can follow the tour guide to the site of the mines. On your tour, your very informative guides will explain all about the geology and history of the Garnet Mine, and how you would go about finding these precious gemstones.

Kids - do you think it would be easy, or hard? You can even hunt for your own treasures in the gem pit, which is great fun!

Every child can experience the thrill of discovery and treasure hunting. They may even want to keep going back because the thrill takes over! They can explore gem cutting demonstrations, as well as panning for gemstones from all over the world. There is even an exciting mineral collection for them to explore! 

Garnet Mine Tours are a unique experience for kids, and one that will send them away feeling excited and educated on this amazing stone. Let’s get gem hunting!