As a child, I yearned for the mines.

The Herkimer Diamond Mines is just the type of unique experience that the summer trip is all about and it will serve as the perfect ending to a distinctly unique summer trip.

A Herkimer Diamond is of course not a diamond at all, it is in fact a special type of quartz. The quart here is the oldest and clearest in the world at over 500 million years ate old. The quartz here frequently forms double terminated ends with 18 naturally faceted sides. What this means to us is that you can find really pretty crystals that are pointy on both ends on both ends. Much of the quartz found here is extremely clear and pure and therefore is also harder on the Moh’s scale than quartz found elsewhere in the world. All these traits led to the special crystals found here being called Herkimer Diamonds.

Directly next to the mines is a beautifully run campground sitting on the banks of the West Canada Creek.

We came here years ago and I actually remember not enjoying the mining experience that much. The kids were too young to really participate, it was extremely hot and sunny and we found nothing. It turns out mining is not as fun as Minecraft makes it seem. Luckily that’s not entirely why I came here. I’m here to float down the river from my campsite over and over along nature’s waterslide. Additionally this campground is very family oriented and almost every campsite is overrun with children with the exception of a few extreme geology nerds. Our campsite is overrun with both. I knew we would take advantage of many of the activities they offer. The kids went on a crayfish hunt, made gemstone wish bottles, and made bracelets at craft hour. In the evening, yours truly won Bingo and would go down as a legend in campground lore for my excellent play. Eventually we did wonder over to the mines and rented some gear. It was as dreary as I remembered it, you keep bashing your hammer down smashing any rock that tickles your fancy, if you’re lucky you just found nothing and are a bit more tired than you were, if you’re unlucky you smash a finger or develop a blister, for the super lucky, you may find a Herkimer diamond. Most are a few millimeters in length but everyone here is hoping to find one like the ones for sale in the gift shop, often larger than my fist. The hammers are a bit too heavy for the kids and they need us to break anything substantial. Suddenly, Everest shouts with glee, he found something! Our first Herk! Just as suddenly, the experience became exponentially more fun. Amy started eyeballing big time winner rocks, and if I broke off chunks, the kids could sometimes whittle it down and pop a crystal out. Soon we were all having fun trying to find these little diamonds of joy. Fitz smashed his finger good and the rocks are so unstable that Maple fell several times but neither wanted to quit and we dug away until our stomachs demanded a break. After campsite lunch it’s time for a little more floating to cool off. The kids built a fort while Amy went for a run but I got restless so we checked out the discs from the office and learned how to play disc golf. We then went over to cash in on my winnings from Bingo last night, a gemstone mining bag for the kids to sluice through.

Last day of the trip hits hard. The kids simplify it best; I’m sad the trip is over but I’m happy to be going home. Every year, this final days drive does the same thing, it reconfirms our love of central Pennsylvania. When we moved here, we didn’t know if we would like it, we took a chance. Now, each year, after seeing more and more of the world, we love home more than ever. Pennsylvania offers me all of the things I seek out in my travels. Endless free publicly owned nature in every direction to explore, cute towns with friendly people, and a charming mix of cultures. The forests and roads here give me the same feel I experience when I am traveling and realize I’m in a special place. Every weekend is a mini summer trip living here in the middle of everywhere.