Tom, Ginger, and Brad as well as Benji’s and Brandon’s families became friends as we visited yearly. The gift shop has a wide variety of single stones or beautiful jewelry already made and ready to wear. We know the settings are good quality and the workmanship top quality. We know the stones are real! We mined them. Each year we add to our beautiful collection of jewelry. Large stones or small, cabochon or faceted, silver or gold, the jewelry comes out looking amazing. Im planning a trip with my girlfriend to do some mining in a few months and I am. Ginger has an eye for design and Tom cuts and finishes the stone to perfection. Has anyone ever been to Cowee Mountain Ruby Mine (North Carolina). Tom and Ginger always have knowledgeable employees at the mine to help you know what to look for! They sort your rocks and tell you what’s good, pretty or just leaverite (leave it right on the ground). When we first started mining, we checked out several mines. Hotels near Cowee Mountain Ruby Mine: (0.27 mi) The Great Outdoors RV Resort (3.47 mi) Hampton Inn Franklin (7.34 mi) Carolina Motel (5.03 mi) A Little Slice of Mountain Heaven - WIFI Included (1. In addition to Rhodolite garnets, named for the native Rhododendron that grows across the mountains, the property has six other minerals – Corundum, which is Ruby and Sapphire, Kyanite, Moonstone, Smokey Quartz, Garnet, and Cordierite (a form of Iolite).Īt Mason Mountain Mine customers become friends and friends become family! The family mining tradition has remained making the mine a popular gathering site for families and miners from all over the world who come to Macon County still searching for gems. Today, the mine is still in the family with Tom and his wife, Ginger, continuing the family’s legacy of opening the mine, now known as Cowee Gift Shop and Mason Mountain Mine. The mine was a well-known treasure to the county’s earliest inhabitants and in 1965, when Tom Johnson was just six months old, his father purchased the mine. Our kids loved the pool – which was pristine – and mining for gems less than 100 yards from our campsite.In the late 1800’s, a mine was discovered in northern Macon County that was rich in Rhodolite garnets and six other minerals. They suggested adventures/waterfalls to visit and just kept everyone happy. Caler Creek material may have been the source of the aluminum that became the. See Cowee Valley hyperlink for more details. A few doubly terminated crystals survived the gem trade, and these are rarer than hens teeth. The site was beautiful, the owners were always cleaning, checking the trash, checking in to see if everyone was having a good time, etc. Caler Creek, a tributary of Cowee Creek, was the source of gem rubies that even reached the radar screen of Tiffany and Company. I hope I have the opportunity to return for a visit. The bathroom was spotless, as was the pool area. The new owners work hard to make sure your stay is pleasant and the grounds are well maintained. This is a wonderful campground, and close to so many activities. Everyone here was very nice! We will come back again! - Ashley Mulvihill, Google + Rose Creek Mine Rock & Gift Shopmap & details Cowee Gift Shop & Mason.
Washhouse was very clean both my husband and I used them. An untold amount of sapphires, rubies and other semiprecious stones have been. They never had a bored moment! The enjoyed swimming in the pool, playing games in the field, riding around with the owner, catching fish in the pond, and riding bikes.
Find the best offers for Properties in Ruby Valley. This place was AMAZING! The new owners are great! We camped for 3 nights with three children. Red corundum crystals are called Ruby, while all other colors are called sapphire. This gem is well worth your time and is a perfect landing spot while you explore the hiking, waterfalls and towns nearby.” 5/31/21 Google - J Daniel We have already made note of the sites we want next time we come here. The layout of the campground is lovely – lots of trees and well laid out sites. The owners and campground host were friendly, helpful and courteous. “We stayed here over the Memorial Day weekend and absolutely loved it! The new owners are doing a phenomenal job at updating the facilities and hearing about upcoming renovations just makes us want to come back to see how much better it will be.