The Spencer Opal Mine gives visitors to the Yellowstone Teton Territory a chance to dig for their own opals—the state gemstone—and spend the day smashing away at rocks. A great side trip for all ages, and all budgets, the Spencer Opal Mine should be on everyone’s Idaho bucket list.

Spencer may be the “Opal Capital of America” but it’s also an idyllic rural setting. The vistas are endless as you ramble just below the Idaho-Montana border and Monida Pass on the Continental Divide. A variety of opals can be found at the mine and the mini-mine including Black Opal, Mexican Fire Opal, Precious Fire Opal, and White Opal. Opals are the second largest contributor to the total value of gem material produced here in Idaho and the Spencer Opal Mine is the largest producer in the state. Each year, the mine opens itself to visitors who would like to try their luck at digging for their own treasures. Contact the mine directly for hours and seasonal closures.

Rockhounds will get to sift through the mini mine located right behind the Opal Country Café where material is brought here from the main mine and visitors are welcome to dig to until the can dig no more. It’s a great idea to bring your own eye protection, good shoes, and your own digging equipment (a hammer is recommended.)

At the end of the day, head up to the Stoddard Creek Campground, just 1 mile off I-15 and 17 miles north of the town of Dubois. This popular overnight outpost provides great access for ATV enthusiasts to hop on a confluence of nearby forest service trails—the campground. Positioned in a forest of fir and aspen with Stoddard Creek running below,  the campground provides great respite during the long and hot days of summer exploration.

The Spencer Opal Mine was discovered in 1948 by two deer hunters who happened to stumble upon a large deposit of the opals. Opals are formed underground in still pools of water. According to the mine, layers of microscopic silica spheres reflect light in such a way as to produce the gem’s radiant rainbow colors. The hunters filed their mining claim in 1952 and the mine was bought by the Stetler family in 1968. Spencer Opal Mine is still owned and operated by the Stetler family.

From a stagecoach station and Pony Express route to a railroad stop, and a consistent thoroughfare for transporting goods Clark County, Idaho continues to maintain its rural community setting. Though it lost its importance as a railroad center in 1927, with the relocation of the Roundhouse to Lima Montana, the county relies on livestock and agriculture for its livelihood these days.