Take a hike at the Crater of Diamonds

By Waymon Cox

 Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! As students return to school across the state this week, the Crater has adjusted its hours of operation. From now through Labor Day weekend, the park will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Kimberlite Café and Diamond Springs Water Park will be open on Saturdays and Sundays only during this time.

 With temperatures expected to drop to more comfortable levels over the next few weeks, now is a great time to spend time outdoors at the Crater! Not only can you search for diamonds, but you can also hike our shaded trails and watch for animals at our wildlife blind!

 The two main trails at the Crater are both about 1.2 miles long. Prospector Trail, accessible from the diamond search area, follows part of an access road used during the search area evaluation program in the 1990s and offers a tree-shaded walk with beautiful scenery and natural rock outcroppings west of the diamond-bearing soil.

 The Little Missouri River Trailhead is located in the park’s campground and provides hikers with paved and “unimproved” trails through the forest to an overlook of the Little Missouri River! This trail also features wayside exhibits about park flora and fauna.

 For a shorter walk and a chance to catch a glimpse of local wildlife, the park’s Wildlife Blind Trail is located near Highway 301 on the park’s entrance road. After a quarter-mile walk, visitors come to a large wooden observation wildlife blind in a tree-covered area facing open land. In this quiet locale, visitors may encounter deer, rabbits, squirrels, or any number of birds that call the park home!