Wegner’s operates two locations that are open to the public for dig-your-own crystals: the Crystal Forest Mine and the Phantom Mine.

A visit to either mine requires visitors to sign up at their gift shop for one of the scheduled time slots. You will not be able to drive your own vehicle to the mine, instead they are set up to provide transportation to each of their locations in large open safari-style vehicles. This is an enjoyable experience especially for kids. If you have toddlers or physical ailments, make sure to request a seat in the cabin of the truck. The ride can be quite bumpy but this is not an issue when riding in the cabin or sitting next to the driver.

To dig at Wegner’s, you must sign in at their warehouse. The warehouse is located on Owley Road, approximately 4 miles south of Mount Ida. The drive there is fully paved and accessible to any small or large vehicles including RVs and buses. There is ample parking to accommodate large crowds. This is a popular destination so it is recommended to arrive early.

The Crystal Forest Mine is available without reservations and only a short 10-minute ride from the warehouse. You can sign up for a two hour, four hour or six hour digging time. Trips leave every day at 9:30 am, 11:30 am, and 1:30 pm during regular business hours. If there are large crowds, they will schedule additional trips to accommodate serving all visitors.

This mine is great for both the novice rockhound and also more experienced miners. In addition, they cater well to families with children and elders. Most of the trucks can also accommodate people with disabilities and load a wheelchair for example. The staff is very friendly and motivated to provide a great experience.

There are plenty of surface collecting opportunities for small points as well as easy digging in loose dirt. Additionally, more experienced miners can access virgin areas in the wooded parts or sections of the rock walls for hard rock mining. 

This is considered a rockhounding mine that is mined actively on occasion throughout the year. They do flip all the material throughout the exposed digging areas to reveal new crystals. They also refresh the mine by making newly excavated crystal-bearing dirt available to mine attendees on a regular basis.

You want to bring your own tools but they also have some basic equipment for sale on site.

If you plan to dig through old and (when available) fresh mine tailings, tools to bring include trowels, small rakes, small shovels, gloves and a bucket. If you plan to try your luck at hard rock mining, make sure to bring a smaller sledge hammer, chisels, a crowbar/digging bar, a screwdriver and bucket. You also want to bring some newspaper to wrap your better finds.

This mine produces an abundance of clear small points that are easily found on the surface without any digging. With some effort, you can also find larger points that average around 2 inch to 3 inch in length. Most clusters here will have a sandstone base so turning over and inspecting larger rocks of sandstone can be worth the effort. You can also find clusters with no host rock and those are usually delicate, gemmy glass-back specimens.

You pay for two hours of mine access at $20 per person, so if you want to stay six hours, make sure to be there in time for the first scheduled trip. You can evaluate how your dig is going once you are at the mine and stay for a second and third trip, and pay the remaining balance when you return to their warehouse (you will have to leave a deposit).

You get to keep all you find and you can take home as much as you like.

This mine is called The Crystal Forest because it offers a mixture of open areas and wooded sections. It is a 15 acre site with approximately 3 to 5 acres of cleared space that is easily accessible for digging.

This is a must-visit location. The crystals are of high quality and you are guaranteed to find crystals here (there are hundreds of small crystals in the road as soon as you exit the tour truck).

Their second mine that is open to the public is the famous Phantom Mine. This Crystal Mine is located approximately 30 minutes from their warehouse. Cost per person is $40 for a four hour stay at the mine.

Transportation is provided and you will need to make a reservation by calling the mine at least a couple weeks ahead of time. They will require you to pay a non-refundable deposit to guarantee your spot. Trips are scheduled in advance and require a minimum number of people, which is a group of 10.

This location strictly offers digging in tailings piles from material that was sourced out of the commercial pit. The tailings piles are located all around the commercial section of the mine in an area of approximately two cleared acres.

You get to dig for four hours and keep all you find. Besides regular clear quartz, you can also find rare included crystals here. These range from simple included crystals to fully formed phantom inclusions (these inner inclusions resemble the actual shape of the crystal).

For a successful dig at the Phantom Mine, you want to bring a bucket, hand-held rakes, shovels, small pickaxe and possibly a hammer and chisel to trim down large boulders for transport. You can take out as much material as you like.

Going to either of the two mines, you will have a driver and tour guide that can share digging tips and point you towards good areas that are currently producing well.