Emerald Village, Little Switzerland

About Emerald Village

Emerald Village is a mining attraction in the Blue Ridge Mountains where visitors explore twelve historic real mines and tour the underground Bon Ami Mine through the North Carolina Mining Museum, seeing the Bon Ami Waterfall and collections of old mining equipment. At The Gemstone Mine, visitors dig for gems in buckets and keep their finds, which can be made into jewelry. Gold panning lets visitors search for gold, while the Crabtree Emerald Mine and McKinney Mine dumps allow digging for emeralds and minerals. The Discovery Mill building contains twelve levels of exhibits including a model railroad display, native wildlife, black-light minerals, an antique tool collection, and the Antique Music Museum. Black Light Mine Tours on select nights use ultraviolet lamps to reveal hidden colors underground. The site includes two gift shops, snack options, and picnic areas. Located near Little Switzerland in western North Carolina between Asheville and Boone, Emerald Village suits visitors seeking hands-on mining experiences and geological discovery in a mountain setting.