White and his wife visited the 37.5-acre park as the first stop of their long-awaited road trip. After spending two days digging and sifting through the park’s mineral-rich soil, the couple moved on to other destinations. But White returned for an additional three days of searching, guided in part by a friendly tip from a fellow visitor.

“On my first day, a very nice gentleman suggested this area,” White said. “He seemed like he knew what he was doing, and it looked like a nice, shaded spot.”

The discovery came after a full day of dry sifting, with White examining every piece of quartz and calcite he unearthed. That’s when he spotted something extraordinary glinting in his shovel.

“It looked like a metal piece of glass,” White recalled. “The minute I saw it, I knew it was special.”

He promptly handed the find over to park staff, who confirmed it as a diamond. White named his find the Hope Diamond, inspired by his optimism throughout the search.

According to Arkansas State Parks, the Hope Diamond is the fourth-largest diamond registered at the park in 2025. So far this year, 414 diamonds have been recorded. White expressed gratitude for the guidance and kindness of fellow park visitors that helped make his discovery possible.