To many of us, there is something fascinating about old abandoned mines. In our own state of Colorado alone there are around 23,000 abandoned mines! While you may be tempted to investigate, do not do it! The deadly hazards that await the unwary in old, abandoned mines are truly too numerous to count.
If you really must see the inside of an old mine there are mines within the state which are safely maintained expressly for the curious among us. The Colorado Geological Survey provides a list of such mine sites which provide safe, guided tours. This information is duplicated below. Some of these mines are also still active, producing gold, silver and many other valuable minerals which we all make use of every day.
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Aspen
Smuggler Mine and Compromise Mine. 970-925-2049.
P.O. Box 128
Aspen, CO 81612
Reservations required, call for information.
Contact: Kim Popish
Breckenridge
Country Boy Mine. 970-453-4405.
0542 French Gulch Road
P.O. Box 8569
Breckenridge, CO 80424
Open daily 10-4. Includes underground mine tour, exhibits and gold panning.
After hours and group tours available by reservation.
Contact: Doug Tomlinson
Central City/Gilpin County
Hidee Gold Mine. 303-989-2861.
2432 S. Yukon Way
Lakewood, CO 80227
Open by Appointment Only.
Geology and mining talks in addition to underground mine tour.
Lake/Russell Gulch/Cty Rd #6.
Contact: Ed Lewandowski
Creede
Creede Underground Mining Museum. 719-658-0811.
P. O. Box 432
Creede, CO 81130
Open daily 10-4. P O Box 432, Creede, CO 81130. Fee.
Contact: Chuck Fairchild
Cripple Creek
The Mollie Kathleen. 719-689-2466.
Gold Mine Tours, Inc.
P.O. Box 339
Cripple Creek, CO 80813
Open daily at 9.
Guided underground mine tour designed for all ages.
Special rates for groups of 25 or more.
Contact: Dennis Lanning
Georgetown/Silver Plume
Georgetown Loop Railroad and Lebanon Silver Mine. 1-888-4-LOOP-RR.
1106 Rose Street
P. O. Box 781
Georgetown, CO 80444
Tour includes round trip train ride and docent-guided tunnel mine tour.
Reservations required.
Contact: Lee Behrens
Idaho Springs
CSM Edgar Experimental Mine. 303-567-2911.
P. O Box 1184
Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Open daily 9:30-4:30 June to August.
Guided underground tour of working mine operated by the Colorado School of Mines.
Contact: John Jordan/Shannon Mann
The Phoenix Mine. 303-567-0422.
P.O. Box 3236
Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Underground tour of gold and silver mine.
Group tours and rates available.
Contact: Al Mosch
Lake City
Hard Tack Mine. 970-944-2506.
P.O. Box 94
Lake City, CO 81235
Lake City. Memorial Day thru Labor Day.
Guided underground tour. Underground Rock shop
Contact: George Hurd 970-944-2400
Ouray
Bachelor Syracuse Mine. 970-325-0220.
P. O. Box 380
Ouray, CO 81427
Open May to September 8-6, 7 days a week. Underground tour
Contact: Tom Hash
Silverton
Old Hundred Gold Mine. 970-387-5444 or 800-872-3009.
P.O. Box 430
Silverton, CO 81433
Open daily mid-May through mid-October 10-4.
Underground guided tour designed for all ages.
Contact: Bill Jones
Central City
Gilpin County Historical Society and Museum. 303-582-5283.
228 High Street
Central City, CO 80427
Open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day 11-5. Fee.
Colorado Springs
Western Museum of Mining and Industry. 719-488-0880.
1025 Northgate Road
Colorado Springs, CO 90921
Open 9-4 Monday through Saturday, 12-4 Sunday,
Call for Winter hours December-February. Fee.
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek District Museum. 719-689-2634
5th and Bennett Avenues
Cripple Creek, CO 80813
Open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day 10-5. Fee.
Contact: Erik Swanson
Golden
Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum. 303-273-3815.
16th and Maple Streets
Golden, CO 80401
Open Monday through Saturday 9-4, Sunday 1-4,
Closed Sundays in the summer and all CSM holidays. Free.
Contact: Ginny Mast
Idaho Springs
Clear Creek Mining and Milling Museum. 303-567-4709
23rd Avenue and Riverside Drive
Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Open daily 9-5, summer 9-8,
Closed November-mid-April. Fee.
Argo Mine and Gold Mill and Double Eagle Mine. 303-567-2421.
2359 Riverside Drive
Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Open daily. Above-ground guided tour shows ore processing system,
Includes optional gold-panning and horse back rides.
Handicap accessible.
Lafayette
Lafayette Miners' Museum. 303-665-7030.
1087 E. Simpson Street
Lafayette, CO 80026
Open Thursdays 2-4 or by appointment. Free.
Leadville
National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum. 719-486-1229.
120 W. 9th Street
P O Box 981
Leadville, CO 80461
Open daily, May through October, 9-5,
Open Monday through Friday, November through April, 10-2,
Open weekends in Winter by appointment. Fee.
The Matchless Mine. 719-486-3900.
414 W. 7th Street
Leadville, CO 80461
Guided above ground tour of the mine associated with Horace and Baby Doe Tabor.
Contact: Millie J. Arvidson
Nederland
Nederland Historical Society and Museum. 303-285-3575.
4th and Bridge Streets
Nederland, CO 80466
Open daily 9-12 and 1-5. Fee.
Ouray
Ouray County Historical Society and Museum. 970-325-4576.
420 Sixth Street
Ouray CO 81427
Open daily in the summer 9-5 Sunday 1-5,
Open in the winter Wednesday-Sunday 1-4.
Silverton
Mayflower Mill. 970-387-0294.
Hwy 110, Cty Rd 2
P.O. Box 190
Silverton, CO 81433
Open Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Tour of Mayflower Mill, Flotation Mill. Two miles north of Silverton.
Contact: Zeke Zanoni
Victor
Lowell Thomas Museum. 719-689-5509.
3rd and Victor Avenue
P.O. Box 191
Victor, CO 80860
Guidebook Open May to September.
Mining equipment, exhibits
Walsenburg
Walsenburg Mining Museum. 719-738-1107 or 719-738-2810.
101 E. 5th Street
Walsenburg CO 81089
Open daily in summer 9-4. Fee
Colorado Geological Survey
1313 Sherman Street, Room 715
Denver, CO 80203
303-866-2611 or Fax 303-866-2461
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