Crater of Diamonds State Park
-- North America's largest diamond (40.23 carats) and more than 70,000 other diamonds have been found in a field south of Murfreesboro since farmer John Huddleston discovered the first such gems there in 1906. Now the eroding surface of a volcanic pipe located about three miles south of Murfreesboro is preserved as Crater of Diamonds State Park, the world's only site where, for a small fee, anyone can dig for diamonds and keep what they find. The park's visitors center offers an audio-visual presentation giving tips on diamond hunting, a display of diamonds in the rough, and exhibits detailing the site's history and geology. The park also has a campground, hiking trail, a picnic and play area, and, new in 2003, a water play area. A rainbow-trout fishery is located on the Little Missouri River below the Narrows Dam some nine miles north of the park. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocks trout there from late fall through April. (870) 285-3113; www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

Mount Ida
-- Driving into Mount Ida, the county seat, it's hard not to notice the many rock shops lining the highways. And there's a reason the town proclaims itself the "Quartz Crystal Capital of the World."

During the continental collision that formed the Ouachitas, hot fluids rich in silica were forced up through fractures in the uplifted stone and precipitated quartz crystals into veins within the rock. In the sandstone of the Crystal Mountains near Mount Ida lie some of the world's richest deposits of the crystals. Several private mines, usually associated with rock shops, allow visitors to dig their own crystals for fees in the range of $20 for all day for adults and less for children.

Each October, Mount Ida hosts the World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig in association with its annual Quartz, Quiltz and Craftz Festival. A gem and mineral show and sale, sales of arts and crafts and the full-length display of some 200 quilts are among the festival's other main attractions.

Occupying a spot on the Montgomery County Courthouse lawn, the Front Porch stage hosts bluegrass jams from 3 to 7 p.m. followed by live musical performances on Saturdays from May through October. The county's Heritage House Museum, which recently opened at 819 Luzerne Street, houses limited exhibits, but more are under development. Admission to the Front Porch performances and the museum is free.

The Mount Ida Area Chamber of Commerce web site, www.mtidachamber.com, contains extensive information for Montgomery County visitors. Included are a lodging guide with information on motels, cabins, lake and river resorts, and bed and breakfast locations; details on U.S. Forest Service and Corps of Engineers campgrounds and other facilities; a dining guide; float trip and horseback riding outfitters; rock shops and crystal mines; a schedule of Front Porch musical acts; festival information; and a calendar of events.

The chamber can be reached by phone at (870) 867-2723 or by mail at P.O. Box 6, Mount Ida, 71957. It also operates a tourist information center in the 200 block of U.S. 270 in Mount Ida. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday-Friday. Detailed maps of the national forest and the Ouachita recreation trail are available through the chamber for $5 each.

Radio history in Pine Ridge
-- Located near the county's western edge on Ark. 88 is the Pine Ridge community, where the Lum 'n' Abner Museum & Jot 'em Down Store houses memorabilia related to the 1930s and '40s radio comedy team of Arkansas natives Chester Lauck (Lum) and Norris Goff (Abner). From March 1 through November 15, museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. It is open by appointment at other times of the year. Phone (501) 326-4442 to arrange tours and for more information.

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