Local Champion · Herkimer County
Things to Do in Herkimer County, NY and Herkimer Diamond Mines: Meet Dr. Renee Scialdo Shevat
President, Herkimer Diamond Mines
Quick answer
The top thing to do in Herkimer County, NY, is dig for your own Herkimer diamonds at Herkimer Diamond Mines, then explore Little Falls and kayak or fly fish West Canada Creek. Visitors keep whatever they find.
Who Is Dr. Renee Scialdo Shevat?
Dr. Renee Scialdo Shevat is the president of Herkimer Diamond Mines and a lifelong champion of gemstones and education. Her parents bought the mines in 1979, and Renee grew up on the property.
She left for college with plans to become a college president and earned a doctorate in collegiate administration. When she came home, though, she saw the mines as a national treasure that deserved international recognition, so she stayed and took over the business in 1996. Today her sons, though based in Manhattan, help run it as the third generation of the family.
What Are Herkimer Diamonds?
Herkimer “diamonds” are double-terminated quartz crystals that come out of the ground already faceted by nature, with 18 sides. Renee calls them the clearest, hardest, oldest quartz crystals in the world, roughly half a billion years old, and the only place to find them is right here in Herkimer County.
Her parents, she says, “democratized” gem hunting by handing visitors hammers and letting them keep whatever they find.
Why Families Keep Coming Back to Herkimer County
Renee loves the story behind the stones as much as the stones themselves. The narrative stretches from the Mohawk people who lived on this land, to the settlers of the Revolutionary War era, to the entrepreneurs who built factories along the Erie Canal and helped make New York the Empire State. She credits the resilience of those generations with setting the stage for everything the Mohawk Valley offers today, from outdoor recreation to its attractions and business community.
She also loves watching families return year after year. “I wish I had a dollar for every person who came here and said, I came here with my father; my grandfather introduced me to this place,” she says.
Beyond the Herkimer Diamond Mines: Renee’s Must-Dos
01
Dig for Your Own Diamonds
Head out to the surface mine with a hammer and search for crystals no one else has ever touched. Whatever you find, you keep.
02
Make It a Weekend
The on-site Herkimer Diamond KOA offers camping, lodges, and glamping, so you can turn a mining trip into an overnight stay.
03
Design Your Own Jewelry
Bring your finds to the trading post, curate your own piece, and walk out wearing it.
04
Try a Sluice
Sift for gemstones, fossils, and other treasures from around the world.
05
Get on the Water
Kayak or fly fish for bass and trout on West Canada Creek, which runs alongside the property.
06
Raise a Glass
Taste vodkas and beers that are filtered with Herkimer diamonds.
07
String Together the Gems
Renee encourages visitors to explore the other gems of Herkimer County and Central New York, especially in spring, summer, and fall.
08
Stroll Through Little Falls
This historic canal town sits just down the road, with antique shops, galleries, and cafés along Main Street and in Canal Place. Stop by Lock 17, one of the highest lift locks on the Erie Canal.
09
Head North to the Adirondacks
Old Forge, in the Town of Webb, sits inside Adirondack Park. Splash through Enchanted Forest Water Safari, New York’s largest water park, or climb Bald Mountain, one of the most popular family hikes in the Adirondacks.
10
Wander in Winter
Webb’s snowmobile trail system covers 500 square miles and connects to county and state trails in every direction. Skiers can head to nearby McCauley Mountain, home mountain of five U.S. Olympic skiers.
11
Bike the Erie Canalway Trail
Follow the towpath from Frankfort to the General Herkimer Home Historical Landmark, just east of Little Falls.
