A family trip to Arkansas turned into an unforgettable experience after a Tennessee man discovered a stunning 2.29-carat yellow diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park.
Barry G. Smith, of Germantown, Tennessee, visited the Murfreesboro park on Sunday, August 16, with his wife and 2 granddaughters, Sage and Juniper.
The family was spending the week exploring Arkansas and Missouri and selected Crater of Diamonds State Park as one of their destinations.
They rented a wagon and basic diamond-searching kit before heading into the park’s 37.5-acre diamond search area.
About 30 minutes into the search, Smith noticed something glimmering in the East Drain.
At first, he believed the object might be mica, a small glittery mineral commonly found in the search area. A closer inspection, however, showed the discovery was much larger.
Smith placed the object in his shirt pocket, thinking it could be quartz or possibly a diamond, and continued searching with his granddaughters until around noon.
“It started to get so hot we couldn’t stand it, so we decided to head in around lunchtime,” Smith said.
Before leaving for lunch, Smith stopped at the Diamond Discovery Center and asked park staff to inspect his find.
Park employees quickly realized the discovery was something special.
After examining the stone, staff confirmed Smith had discovered a 2.29-carat yellow diamond.
“I was dumbfounded when I first saw the diamond,” Facility Supervisor Ralph Hall said. “Its overall shape and color immediately reminded me of the Pearadin Schumacher American Dream Diamond found earlier this year.”
Diamonds discovered at Crater of Diamonds State Park can be white, brown or yellow, with yellow being the least common color.
According to park officials, yellow diamonds develop their color when nitrogen is absorbed into the diamond’s crystal structure during formation. The nitrogen absorbs blue light while reflecting yellow wavelengths.
Smith said he never expected to actually find a diamond during the family outing.
“Oh, absolutely!” Smith said when asked whether he was excited about the discovery.
“I never expected to find a diamond here. The potential was there, but you never come here expecting to find one.”
Many visitors who discover diamonds at the Arkansas state park choose to name their stones.
Smith named his discovery the “Sage Juniper Diamond” in honor of his 2 granddaughters.
The diamond is approximately the size of a black-eyed pea and is the 3rd-largest diamond discovered at Crater of Diamonds State Park during 2026.
As of the announcement, visitors have registered 351 diamonds at the park during 2026.
Park officials say an average of 1 to 2 diamonds are discovered at Crater of Diamonds State Park each day.
Because of Arkansas’ summer heat, park staff recommends visitors monitor temperatures, wear UV-protective clothing, bring plenty of drinking water and take regular breaks in shaded areas.
Crater of Diamonds State Park is located near Murfreesboro in southwest Arkansas and is one of the only places in the world where members of the public can search for real diamonds in their original volcanic source.
Visitors are allowed to keep the diamonds they discover.
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