Apple Holler Gemstone Mining Experience
Approximate — check official site before visiting
Seasonal gemstone mining experience at Apple Holler family farm. Part of the farm's educational field trip program, offering hands-on mining for minerals, gemstones, and fossils. Also features apple picking, farm park activities, petting zoo, corn maze, and restaurant.
🪨 What You Can Find Here
Gemstones
Also found at:
Minerals
Also found at:
Fossils
From shark teeth in Florida to dinosaurs in Montana, the US offers world-class fossil hunting for all skill levels.
Also found at:
📍 Nearby Locations in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Yooperlite Beaches
Cornucopia, Wisconsin · Public Beach
Lake Superior beaches for Yooperlites (fluorescent sodalite). Use a UV flashlight at night to find these glowing rocks.
Platteville Galena Mines
Platteville, Wisconsin · Public Land
Historic lead-zinc mining district. Mine dumps and exposures produce galena, sphalerite, and calcite specimens. Mineral collecting on public areas.
Wisconsin Lake Superior Agates
Superior, Wisconsin · Public Beach
Lake Superior beaches in Wisconsin for agates. Also gravel pits and creek beds across northern Wisconsin.
Point Beach State Forest
Two Rivers, Wisconsin · State Park
Lake Michigan shoreline with excellent beachcombing for agates, Yooperlites (fluorescent sodalite), and quartz. 6 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline to ...
Wisconsin Moonstone LLC
Wausau, Wisconsin · Fee Dig
Wisconsin's first pay-to-dig site, located just off County Road U in Wausau. Visitors can surface hunt or dig for Wisconsin moonstone and other minera...
Dells Mining Co.
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin · Fee Dig
Family-friendly gemstone mining operation in downtown Wisconsin Dells since 1989. Offers hands-on mining of natural precious and semi-precious gemston...
⛏️ Recommended Gear
Make the most of your visit to Apple Holler Gemstone Mining Experience with the right equipment.
Rock Hammer
The most essential rockhounding tool. Choose a hammer with both a flat striking face and a pointed pick end.
Typical: $25-45
Safety Glasses
Mandatory protective gear. Rock chips fly unpredictably when hammering.
Typical: $10-20
Chisel Set
Cold chisels in 3-4 sizes for precise extraction from matrix rock.
Typical: $15-30
Geologist's Pick
A heavier crack hammer for splitting hard rock. Essential for hard rock mining areas.
Typical: $35-60
Sifting Screen
Stackable mesh screens for sifting gravel and dirt. Essential for gem and fossil hunting.
Typical: $20-40
UV Flashlight
Long-wave UV light for finding fluorescent minerals and Yooperlites.
Typical: $15-35