Russell Family Mine

05/01/2026

✨💎⚒️Mine Announcement ⚒️💎✨
✨May 1st, 2026✨
Attention NC/ SC VIP Gem Club Guests...
Greetings from the North Country,
We wanted to reach out and welcome you all as you travel north to our beautiful Mohawk Valley 🌿💎🌿
The weather today looks amazing for traveling,
We've been watching the weekends weather,
🌤️Both Saturday and Sunday are looking good, Temps in the 50's ( A little chillier for the spring), Mostly Sunny 🌤️Sunday evening ,hopefully after everyone comes off the mountain, then it will rain🌿
👉What to expect...
🌄 Check in begins at 8:30,
Our location is on the mountain side, We are located on a Quiet Dead End, Our driveway is a left switch back We will have signs to be sure you find us! ⚒️💎⚒️ Russell Family Mine, 223 Lovers Leap Road, Little Falls. 🌿💎🌿
Our driveway will bring you by our home and shop and up into a field, This is where you'll park, We have plenty of room!
✔️ Check In ...
Our shop is where you will check in
Checking in...
Here You'll sign in, complete the waiver, finish payment and receive your bracelet 💎
((It would be helpful to take care of both days payments the first day, Speeding up the check in on Sunday))
🧺
👉✨We will have complimentary coffee, juice and pastries ( Both mornings) in the shop. ☕✨
After checking in guests can make their way to the Mine, There is a hike required...
We can help with transporting gear up in our side by side , Guests too!! ( If you've ever dug at Graves mountain the transport situation is similar)

👉🧺 🍔Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 ish We will be offering guests an ALL you can eat picnic ON the ledge! (Late lunch early supper)
Saturdays Menu: Pulled Pork hot BBQ sandwiches, A loaded pasta salad, potato salad, Chips and cookies along with drinks, Sweet tea, unsweetened tea, water and soda
Sunday's Menu: Hot meatball subs with mozzarella, loaded pasta salad, potato salad and chips, Along with the drinks too!

👉☕ Coffee drinkers,If anyone needs that 4 ish cup of Joe I could bring that up as well, just let me know ☕🩵☕
$10 donation per person
(Pay at shop or at dinner)

👉 Wondering what to bring for tools?
The mine offers a variety of collecting from solid Ledge to dirt digging, We can help carry up the heavy equipment, Be prepared for it all!


Note:
We DO have a port- o- potty,
It is located near the parking area

Up here in New York we are dealing with ticks!
Best to be prepared for them.
( We have treated our lands with nemotodes a beneficial organic approach to fighting the infestation, the mines aren't a problem, but off the trail or in the woods they are prevalent )

Any questions before coming?
Reach out!
We are looking forward to hosting and meeting our southern friends!
If you've been following we just did a HUGE Mine project here, The ledges are uncovered! The tailings are fresh! We just received the first rain since the project and it is sparkling everywhere!! 🌿💎⚒️

See you soon,
Bob, Wendy
Rosalie and Bobby
⚒️💎⚒️

P.S.
✨ This is a PRIVATE EVENT ✨
Any Club we host will also have the mountain in its entirety to themselves as well ⚒️

04/30/2026

Mountain Memories
April 30, 2025
⚒️💎⚒️
I painted all of these little signs during last season,
They are throughout the mine ✨💎✨
The Little Gem signs guide guests up to the Top Ledge ⚒️💎⚒️

04/29/2026

🩵⚒️💎⚒️🩵
Mountain Diaries...
We're getting our mine shop ready for our guests coming into town this weekend ⚒️💎⚒️
✨✨This weekend we're hosting the Carolinas Gem Club, It is a private event ✨✨
⚒️Opening Day is May 5th ⚒️
For reservations and mine information visit:
Http://russell-family-mine.square.site/

04/28/2026

⚒️💎⚒️
Mountain Diaries...
⚒️ We've spent a lot of time prepping the trails up to the Top Ledge and We think it's looking so nice
🌿 Tonight we put up a bunch of our signs, These little signs mark the trail to the top of the mountain where our mines are located ⚒️💎⚒️

04/28/2026

✨💎⚒️💎✨
We sure did have fun!
Thanks Crystal for sharing 💎🩵💎
Take a look,
What to expect on a collecting trip here to Russell Family Mine ⚒️💎⚒️

04/26/2026

🌿⚒️💎⚒️🌿
Be sure to get your reservations in,
We've booked up a bunch of days and many of the weekends are close to being booked...
⚒️May 2nd and 3rd- NC/SC VIP Gem and Mineral Club - PRIVATE EVENT
⚒️✨Opening Day May 5th, There are a few tickets available ✨⚒️
Our Ledge has been prepped and the crystals are waiting to be discovered 🌿

✨⚒️Our 2026 Mining Season Calendar⚒️✨

We are offering ten passes per day, Space is limited! Reservations Required ⚒️💎⚒️

Our Gem Pass allows access to our Top Ledge, There guests have the opportunity to search for genuine Herkimer Diamond Quartz crystals and rare Little Falls Scepter Crystals! ⚒️💎⚒️

Mining Cost:
$75 per Adult -
( $25 Deposit Required to hold reservation)
$15 per Junior Rockhound Pass Ages 6-16 ( no deposit required for kids, Let us know they are coming on the reservation))
Children Five and under Free

⚒️Check in at 8:30 , Mining until 5 ⚒️

Guests have access to two large open pit mines, Along with several newly opened ledge areas to explore!⚒️
We have solid Ledge, easy moving dirt digging, Tailings for sifting and plenty of Herkimer Diamond Quartz bearing Dolostone to break!

Note: No power tools allowed ⚒️🪏

💚The location of the Mine requires a moderate hike on our “GEM TRAIL” about 20 minutes away from your vehicle.

The Gem trail is cut into the side of the mountain. It is well marked and a beautiful ascent up through an lush forest. 💚💎🌳💎💚
As the climb is made there are many different levels of geology exposed along the trail, Including a stromatolite outcropping and a recently discovered fault line! 🌳🥾A fun, beautiful and exciting climb to the top of the mountainside.
There we have two large mining areas offering several levels of pocket zoning for guests to prospect in! 💎



To make reservations:
Email us here: russellfamilymine@gmail.com
Or contact us here via. Facebook messenger,
Let us know how many passes are needed and your date/ Dates , Along with a good email,
⚒️ I'll send over an easy to pay invoice to hold your reservation

All Dates are available for Club Bookings and private parties , Want to book the entire ledge for you and your friends absolutely!
Have any questions, Want to book a club, Reach out, Passes are at a first come first serve bases...

Russell Family Mine 2026 Mining Season Calendar

🌿💎May💎🌿
May 2nd and May 3rd ✨Booked ✨N.C & S.C Gem and Mineral Club
May 5 ⚒️ Opening Day ⚒️
,6,7,8,
9th ✨ BOOKED ✨
May 12,13,14,15,16
May 19,20,21,
22 ✨ Fri.BOOKED ✨
23 ✨Sat. BOOKED ✨- 🌿NYSFA🌿
24,25
May 29,30, 31

✨⚒️June ⚒️✨
June 2,3,4,5,6,7
June 9,10,11,12,13
June 17,18,19,20,21
June 23,24,25,26,27
June 30

💎⚒️July⚒️💎
July 1,2
July 8,9,10,11,12
July 14,15,16,17,18,19
July 25,26
July 28,29,30,31

✨⚒️💎 August 💎⚒️✨
August 1,2,4,5,6,7
August 12,13,14,15,16
August 18,19,20,21,22,23
August 25,26,27,28,29,30

✨🍂⚒️💎 September 💎⚒️🍂✨
September 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
September 11,12,13,16,17,18,19,20
September 22,23,24,25,26
September 29, 30

✨🍁 October 🍁✨
October 1,2,3
October 6,7,8,9,10,11
October 13,14,15,16,17
October 20,21,22,23,24,25
October 27,28,29, 30 31
November 1st Last Day....

✨✨Calendar will update as the dates are fully booked and dates claimed by club's ✨✨

We are looking forward to meeting you and having you here to the mountain side this 2026 Season, See you soon,
The Russell Family
✨⚒️✨

Visit our website for booking and calendar
https://russell-family-mine.square.site/

04/25/2026

💎⚒️💎
Mountain Memories

04/23/2026

🌿⚒️💎⚒️🌿
Mountain Diaries...
⚒️ Today we did so much trail work together in preparation for our guests - clearing the Gem Path to the Top Ledge ⚒️
The one area that we call the cryptozoon was sparkling throughout ✨🌿💎🌿✨
⚒️A few crystals kicked out while rock rakeing, Bob pulled back a bunch in this little dig, Revealing some beautiful petrified stramotolites and a few gems...
Matrix here can have some big bright dolomite crystals also Stromatolites and Druzy combos 💎
✨💎✨ In addition the gems that do come out are really bright and have contained really defined rod inclusions too! We've also found geode like stromatolites in this dig along the trail to the top, Located about half way up to the Top Ledge ⚒️
Guests may collect here as well when visiting us

✨✨ Opening Date May 5th ✨✨

Booking Information can be found on our website:

https://russell-family-mine.square.site/

04/23/2026

⚒️💎⚒️
Mountain Diaries...
✨ Busy, Busy up here on the mountain,
⚒️Here's a few from yesterday as we enjoyed the beautiful day exploring the ledge that we just revealed...
The days are counting down to our Opening Day and for Next weekends Gem Club coming up from the Carolinas! ⚒️💎⚒️

For booking and calendar info visit our website:

https://russell-family-mine.square.site/

Herkimer Diamond Quartz
Top Ledge
Russell Family Mine
Little Falls, Herkimer Co , New York

04/22/2026

🌿💎🌿
Happy Earth Day mountain friends!
We've spent twenty-one years of Earth days up here on the mountain. Here's a collection of memories that surfaced today in celebration of Earth Day 💎⚒️💎
🌿💎🌿
Happy Earth Day!
From the Russell Family 🩵💎🩵

Herkimer Diamond Quartz Crystal
Russell Family Mine
Little Falls, Herkimer Co., New York

04/22/2026

🌿💎🌿
Mountain Diaries
⚒️Mine update⚒️
As we finished up our mine project we also crossed a few other chores off the list,
⚒️ Bob installed this big ole culvert in the gorge,
This is the main trail heading up to the mine, The gorge is always changing every spring, This culvert should be staying put after this!
⚒️ Into the evening he worked pulling back a huge patch of invasive honeysuckle 🌿
🔥 He also did some work flattening our fire spot on top of the hill and continued with a bit of work on the campsite we're creating ⛺
💎⚒️💎