http://minespotter.com/Recent content on MinespotterHugoenTue, 28 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/thurmond-wv/Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/thurmond-wv/Thurmond, WV is a historic coal town located in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. It was once a bustling railroad and coal mining town but has since become a ghost town with several preserved buildings and a small museum. It technically has a population of 4 people that are looking to preserve the town’s history. The main street is lined with old buildings that once housed businesses, a hotel, and a train depot.http://minespotter.com/kaymoor-mine-fayetteville-wv/Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/kaymoor-mine-fayetteville-wv/The Kaymoor Mine was a coal mine and townsite located outside of Fayetteville, WV. It ran from 1901 to 1951. It’s located in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. You’ll traverse a trail from the well-marked trailhead down to the mine entrance, powder house, former office and lamp house. Descending down to the Kaymoor Bottom requires a bit of effort. The trail drops over 1000 feet in elevation and has over 800 steps.http://minespotter.com/nuttall-mine-fayetteville-wv/Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/nuttall-mine-fayetteville-wv/The Nuttall mine was a coal mine and townsite located outside of Fayetteville, WV. It ran from 1870 to 1955. It’s located in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. There is a gentle trail down to the headhouse located near the top of the gorge. A steep switchback will take you down to the coke ovens and townsite. It has been partially restored by the NPS to showcase what the mine looked like.http://minespotter.com/delaware-mine-delaware-mi/Sat, 30 Aug 2025 21:15:59 +0000http://minespotter.com/delaware-mine-delaware-mi/The Delaware Mine was a copper mine located in Delaware, Michigan. The mine operated from the mid 1800s until the late 1800s. The site consists of several old buildings, shafts and other artifacts. The site is well signed and preserved. It costs 14 dollars to enter the site. The mine tour is pretty amazing. You get to walk the first level of the mine. All the levels below are flooded.http://minespotter.com/mohawk-mill-gay-mi/Sat, 30 Aug 2025 21:15:59 +0000http://minespotter.com/mohawk-mill-gay-mi/The Mohawk Mining Company Stamp Mill is a historic site that showcases the remnants of Michigan’s copper mining industry. The mill was used to crush and process copper ore, and today visitors can explore the ruins and learn about the area’s mining history. There is a sign detailing the large sand deposit that is the result of the stamp mill operations. You can actually drive out onto the sand deposit and walk around.http://minespotter.com/quincy-stamp-mill-dollar-bar-mi/Fri, 29 Aug 2025 21:15:59 +0000http://minespotter.com/quincy-stamp-mill-dollar-bar-mi/The Quincy Stamp Mill was used to crush copper ore from the nearby Quincy Mine. It was first built in 1860. The site consists of large concrete buildings with lots of graffiti. The mill is located right next to Highway 26 east of Dollar Bay, MI. There is a small parking area. You can easily go inside but be careful of broken glass and unstable floors. Due to the state of the mill, I chose not to go inside the buildings.http://minespotter.com/montreal-mine-montreal-wi/Sat, 04 Feb 2023 21:15:59 +0000http://minespotter.com/montreal-mine-montreal-wi/The Montreal Mine was an iron mine near Ironwood, MI and Hurley, WI. It ran from the late 1800s until the mid 1900s. The mine is over 4000 feet deep. The site consists of many old buildings, shafts and other artifacts. The site is well signed and preserved. A cross country ski system circles the site in the winter.http://minespotter.com/quincy-mine-hancock-mi/Thu, 08 Sep 2022 21:02:37 +0000http://minespotter.com/quincy-mine-hancock-mi/The Quincy Mine is a copper and silver mine located in Hancock, MI. This very large mine site consists of numerous buildings, artifacts, trains and even has a tour down into the mine. It’s extremely well preserved and just off the highway. It’s free to walk around the site and you can pay to get tickets to go into the mine.http://minespotter.com/mendota-mine-lac-la-belle-mi/Thu, 08 Sep 2022 20:58:02 +0000http://minespotter.com/mendota-mine-lac-la-belle-mi/The Mendota Mine is a copper mine outside of Lac La Belle, Michigan. The mine site consists of some tailings and a fenced off area with a metal mound mound marker. Directions This mine can be accessed by turning south on Mandan Road off of highway 41. You’ll need to continue straight onto the ORV trail to drive to the mine. The road was recently logged and easily drivable in a Jeep.http://minespotter.com/clark-mine-copper-harbor-mi/Thu, 08 Sep 2022 20:52:02 +0000http://minespotter.com/clark-mine-copper-harbor-mi/Clark Mine is a copper mine located right outside Copper Harbor, Michigan. The mine site has a sign pointing the way and an old smoke stack still standing. There are tailing piles around the site.http://minespotter.com/iron-gold-mine-goodsprings-nevada/Sun, 20 Mar 2022 21:08:10 +0000http://minespotter.com/iron-gold-mine-goodsprings-nevada/The Iron Gold Mine is a gold mine site outside of Goodsprings, Nevada. The mine site consists of footings of old buildings, many metal and wood artifacts and an open mine portal. This was worth the visit.http://minespotter.com/green-copper-mine-goodsprings-nevada/Sun, 20 Mar 2022 21:02:49 +0000http://minespotter.com/green-copper-mine-goodsprings-nevada/The Green Copper Mine is a copper mine site outside of Goodsprings, Nevada. I wasn’t able to visit this site because it is now used as a private shooting range. I walked for about an hour and a half with the dog only to find a monster truck advertising machine guns at the entry way to the mine.http://minespotter.com/ward-nevada/Sun, 20 Mar 2022 20:55:30 +0000http://minespotter.com/ward-nevada/Ward, Nevada is a ghost town outside of Ely, Nevada. The site used to be home to thousands of residents. The mine itself operated as recently as the 1990s. The month consists of the Ward Cemetry, Ward Townsite and many buildings and artifacts from recent mining activity. Near the Ward is also the Ward Charcoal Ovens that have been maintained. There are five beehive-shaped furnaces that you can actually enter.http://minespotter.com/pilgrim-mine-blaine-county-idaho/Wed, 27 Oct 2021 00:53:25 +0000http://minespotter.com/pilgrim-mine-blaine-county-idaho/The Pilgrim Mine is located down Beaver Creek Road outside of Sawtooth City. There are some structures that still stand and large tailing piles. The road is very fun to drive in a large clearance 4×4 vehicle.http://minespotter.com/sunbeam-and-pride-of-the-west-prospect-blaine-county-idaho/Wed, 27 Oct 2021 00:48:52 +0000http://minespotter.com/sunbeam-and-pride-of-the-west-prospect-blaine-county-idaho/The Sunbeam and Pride of the West Prospect is located far down Beaver Creek Road. The drive to this mine was fine but very much at the end of the season when we went. The snow was starting to blow and there were many large puddles. The mine consists of some tailing piles and wood and metal artifacts. I did not have time to look for any portals.http://minespotter.com/hoodoo-prospects-custer-county-idaho/Mon, 27 Sep 2021 19:56:13 +0000http://minespotter.com/hoodoo-prospects-custer-county-idaho/Hoodoo Prospects is a zinc and silver mine located in Custer County. The mine is huge and started operating in 1973 so there is a lot left. There is a block building on the site and tons of wood and metal artifacts. There are large tailing piles visible for quite some distance. There is also a semi-developed hot spring. I located a possible portal but it has since collapsed and been covered.http://minespotter.com/aztec-mine-custer-county-idaho/Sun, 26 Sep 2021 22:34:41 +0000http://minespotter.com/aztec-mine-custer-county-idaho/The Aztec Mine is a gold mine located in Custer County. Some remnants of the mine remain. There has been some attempt to put a fence around the site but it was burned in a recent wildfire. There is a large depression in the ground that is surrounded by a fence that must be a portal that’s covered in dirt. There are metal and wood artifacts lying around.http://minespotter.com/vienna-idaho/Sun, 26 Sep 2021 22:27:13 +0000http://minespotter.com/vienna-idaho/Vienna, Idaho is a ghost town located in Blaine County. It has a history as a mining town that used to have over 800 residents. It’s unknown why the town was destroyed and where the people went. The sign states it was active from 1880 to 1887. There is a forest service sign that identifies the location. I was able to find some metal artifacts, rubble from a building, and an old outhouse.http://minespotter.com/golden-star-mine-blaine-county-idaho/Sun, 26 Sep 2021 21:22:57 +0000http://minespotter.com/golden-star-mine-blaine-county-idaho/The Golden Star Mine is a gold mine located in Blaine County, Idaho. It consists primarily of several large tailing piles. The mine’s portal is visible but is mostly collapsed and would likely be hard to enter. There are metal artifacts all around the site as well as Federal Mining Claim markers.http://minespotter.com/burning-moscow-flemming-prospect-blaine-county-idaho/Sun, 26 Sep 2021 21:13:54 +0000http://minespotter.com/burning-moscow-flemming-prospect-blaine-county-idaho/The Burning Moscow – Flemming Prospect is located outside of Hailey. This gold mine consists mainly of some small tailing piles. There is a visible collapsed portal just above the tailing piles.http://minespotter.com/tip-top-mine-blaine-county-id/Sat, 25 Sep 2021 02:52:38 +0000http://minespotter.com/tip-top-mine-blaine-county-id/Tip Top is a gold mine located outside of Hailey, Idaho. It mainly consists of several large tailing piles. There are National Forest Service signs outlining a recent claim in the area. I was involved in an accident while attempting to visit this mine that required a tow truck recovery of my Jeep.http://minespotter.com/monarch-mine-atlanta-idaho/Tue, 14 Sep 2021 02:48:24 +0000http://minespotter.com/monarch-mine-atlanta-idaho/The Monarch Mine is located south of Atlanta, Idaho. It’s part of the mine hill located outside of town. If you are even remotely into mining history, the town of Atlanta is worth a visit. There are countless mine sites located outside of town and the town was established in the 1860s when gold was found. There are currently 38 residents. The town is located on the southern side of the Sawtooth Range and much less visited than the north side.http://minespotter.com/carrietown-fairfield-idaho/Tue, 14 Sep 2021 02:32:39 +0000http://minespotter.com/carrietown-fairfield-idaho/Carrietown is located near the top of Dollarhide Summit. The town is a short drive off of the main road. It consists of some old buildings, artifacts and creepy relics. The mine held silver, lead, gold, zinc and copper. I didn’t take the time to investigate the mine site.http://minespotter.com/phi-kappa-mine-mackay-id/Sun, 01 Aug 2021 18:58:43 +0000http://minespotter.com/phi-kappa-mine-mackay-id/The Phi Kappa mines are located off of Trail Creek. The mine consists of numerous portals, vehicles, metal and wood artifacts, and buildings. Several of the portals are semi-collapsed and flooded. It seems that the great-grandson of the mine owner visited the site in August 2020. This mine site is located above the valley floor and has an amazingly beautiful view.http://minespotter.com/quigley-prospect-hailey-id-2/Sat, 31 Jul 2021 02:33:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/quigley-prospect-hailey-id-2/I’ve been to Quigley Prospect before but today I went inside the portals. The lower one doesn’t go far but the upper one goes in several hundred feet. At the end of the tunnel are numerous social distancing signs. Directions This mine is located down Quigley Gulch outside of Hailey. Both portals are visible from the road.http://minespotter.com/black-hawk-mine-hailey-idaho/Wed, 21 Jul 2021 22:58:48 +0000http://minespotter.com/black-hawk-mine-hailey-idaho/The Black Hawk Mine is a silver and lead mine located down Deer Creek outside of Hailey. The mine is mostly a large hole in the ground with several tailing piles. I didn’t locate any artifacts or visible portals at the site.http://minespotter.com/red-cloud-mine-hailey-id/Tue, 06 Jul 2021 21:29:10 +0000http://minespotter.com/red-cloud-mine-hailey-id/The Red Cloud Mine is located down Deer Creek outside of Hailey. The mine consists of buildings, many artifacts, tailing piles and an open mine shaft. The building is hidden in the woods and you won’t see it until you’re right on top of it. The mine shaft is partially collapsed but I took a peek inside from the entrance.http://minespotter.com/old-limestone-quarry-sturgeon-bay-wi/Mon, 05 Jul 2021 21:58:12 +0000http://minespotter.com/old-limestone-quarry-sturgeon-bay-wi/The Old Limestone Quarry is found outside of Sturgeon Bay. There is a visible open pit with an old wall along the perimeter. There are also metal artifacts lying around.http://minespotter.com/homestake-mine-lead-south-dakota/Wed, 09 Jun 2021 03:30:56 +0000http://minespotter.com/homestake-mine-lead-south-dakota/The Homestake Mine is located in Lead, South Dakota. The entire area of Lead and Deadwood was developed due to the mine in 1876. The mine operated until 2002. Lead was the mining town and Deadwood is where the miners went for entertainment. It’s still filled with bars and casinos. The gold mine, known as the Open Cut, is in the center of Lead. It’s an amazingly huge hole in the ground.http://minespotter.com/bright-star-mine-stanley-id/Wed, 09 Jun 2021 03:11:43 +0000http://minespotter.com/bright-star-mine-stanley-id/The Bright Star Mine is located outside of Stanley. It consists of metal artifacts, a tailing pile and a structure. This mine has a good view of the Sawtooth Mountains.http://minespotter.com/constantine-prospect-bellevue-id/Thu, 27 May 2021 02:45:02 +0000http://minespotter.com/constantine-prospect-bellevue-id/The Constantine Prospect is located east of Bellevue. There isn’t much but tailing piles and a good view found at this mine site.http://minespotter.com/uranium-strike-prospect-hailey-id/Wed, 26 May 2021 22:31:24 +0000http://minespotter.com/uranium-strike-prospect-hailey-id/The Uranium Strike Prospect is located outside Hailey. The mine is located on private property but you can see the tailing pile from across the fence. There isn’t much to this mine. I have yet to gain any super powers.http://minespotter.com/princess-blue-ribbon-mine-camas-county-id/Wed, 19 May 2021 18:23:09 +0000http://minespotter.com/princess-blue-ribbon-mine-camas-county-id/The Princess Blue Ribbon mine is a lead mine in Camas County. There are numerous structures and lot’s of artifacts lying around. There is a pipe in the ground leaking water and has produced a large rut.http://minespotter.com/westlake-north-prospect-hailey-id/Wed, 19 May 2021 06:02:35 +0000http://minespotter.com/westlake-north-prospect-hailey-id/The Westlake North Prospect is a lead, zinc and silver mine outside of Hailey. There are visible tailing piles and metal and wood artifacts. There are some standing structures and some old cars in the area.http://minespotter.com/muldoon-district-muldoon-id/Fri, 14 May 2021 20:23:22 +0000http://minespotter.com/muldoon-district-muldoon-id/The Muldoon District site is located in Muldoon Canyon. The mine site consists of several old homes, mining roads, and some mining buildings. There are lot’s of artifacts lying around. There are tailing piles located up the canyon walls north of the townsite.http://minespotter.com/washington-mine-hailey-id/Mon, 10 May 2021 22:34:24 +0000http://minespotter.com/washington-mine-hailey-id/The Washington Mine is a gold mine outside of Hailey. The hillside where this mine is located has been restored. It looks like there used to be significant run-off from this mine.http://minespotter.com/consolidated-war-dance-and-jolly-sailor-mines-hailey-id/Mon, 10 May 2021 22:24:22 +0000http://minespotter.com/consolidated-war-dance-and-jolly-sailor-mines-hailey-id/The Consolidated War Dance and Jolly Sailor Mines are silver, lead, copper and zinc mines outside of Hailey. These mines consist of large tailing piles and many metal and wood artifacts. There are still visible structures on the main tailing pile.http://minespotter.com/winner-prospect-hailey-id/Sat, 08 May 2021 17:23:41 +0000http://minespotter.com/winner-prospect-hailey-id/The Winner Prospect mine is lead and copper mine located outside of Hailey. It consists of numerous tailing piles with some wood and metal artifacts lying around.http://minespotter.com/empire-mine-mackay-id/Fri, 07 May 2021 21:52:33 +0000http://minespotter.com/empire-mine-mackay-id/The Empire Mine is located outside of Mackay, Idaho. Although it’s near the Mackay Mine Hill tour, it’s on private property with many signs. I took some pictures from the top of the hill. There are still many buildings standing and equipment lying around.http://minespotter.com/mackay-mine-hill-mackay-id/Fri, 07 May 2021 21:43:58 +0000http://minespotter.com/mackay-mine-hill-mackay-id/Mackay Mine Hill is a historic tour that you can take of all the mines west of the town of Mackay. The town was developed in the early 1900s and many mines can be found west of town. The tour provides numerous numbered destinations with signs including information about each of the destinations. There were four mines featured as well as homesites, smelters and a large tram system for bringing ore down from the mountain.http://minespotter.com/broken-wheelbarrow-prospect-bellevue-id/Wed, 05 May 2021 17:07:06 +0000http://minespotter.com/broken-wheelbarrow-prospect-bellevue-id/The Broken Wheelbarrow Prospect is a lead mine located outside of Bellevue. The mine consists of two tailing piles but little else. It has a good view of the Pioneer Mountains and the surrounding Wood River Valley.http://minespotter.com/mountain-view-group-mine-stanley-id/Sat, 01 May 2021 23:07:44 +0000http://minespotter.com/mountain-view-group-mine-stanley-id/The Mountain View Group mine is a graphite mine located outside of Stanley. This mine was hard to locate. I tried a few times and it seems like the coordinates are incorrect on the USGS site. I did visit an open pit mining area but it was a little away from the marked area. We also walked directly to the marked area and there are old roads but no evidence of a mine.http://minespotter.com/iron-crown-mine-stanley-id/Sat, 01 May 2021 23:01:34 +0000http://minespotter.com/iron-crown-mine-stanley-id/The Iron Crown mine is a gold and silver mine located outside of Stanley. The mine is only tailing piles. The entrance is visible but collapsed. The mine is has a great view of the Sawtooth mountains.http://minespotter.com/bronco-mine-stanley-id/Sat, 01 May 2021 16:58:18 +0000http://minespotter.com/bronco-mine-stanley-id/The Bronco Mine is a gold, silver and lead mine located outside of Stanley. The consists of a few tailing piles and a few metal scraps. This mine has an amazing view of the Sawtooth range.http://minespotter.com/lucky-boy-mine-ketchum-id/Mon, 26 Apr 2021 14:40:58 +0000http://minespotter.com/lucky-boy-mine-ketchum-id/The Lucky Boy Mine is located outside of Ketchum down Warm Springs. I didn’t visit this mine myself as my wife took these pictures. There are the remains of several buildings; both wood and stone.http://minespotter.com/jay-gould-mine-hailey-id/Sun, 25 Apr 2021 16:39:39 +0000http://minespotter.com/jay-gould-mine-hailey-id/The Jay Gould Mine is located down Bullion Gulch outside of Hailey. It mainly consists of tailing piles and some metal artifacts. This claim was a lead and silver mine.http://minespotter.com/red-elephant-mine-hailey-id/Fri, 23 Apr 2021 18:45:21 +0000http://minespotter.com/red-elephant-mine-hailey-id/The Red Elephant Mine is a lead, silver, and copper mine outside of Hailey. There is a very large structure still standing at this mine site. There are also numerous tailing piles and lots of metal and wood artifacts lying around. I saw a snake.http://minespotter.com/rustler-claims-mine-hailey-id/Thu, 22 Apr 2021 17:06:45 +0000http://minespotter.com/rustler-claims-mine-hailey-id/The Rustler Claims Mine is located down Croy Creek Road outside Hailey. The mine consists of several buildings, many artifacts, tailing piles, and a mining structure. The buildings have no trespassing signs posted so I didn’t get a close look. There is a date of 1967 by the Newton Mining Company on the concrete at the foot of the structure near the mine. There were no mine shafts visible. This mine is worth a visit.http://minespotter.com/quigley-prospect-hailey-id/Tue, 20 Apr 2021 23:29:37 +0000http://minespotter.com/quigley-prospect-hailey-id/CAUTION: This mine has multiple exposed mine shafts. Do not enter. Rocks may fall and toxic gases may exist. The Quigley Prospect is a lead, gold, silver, copper, and zinc mine outside of Hailey. This mine has multiple open mine shafts. There are some large tailing piles and remains of an old building.http://minespotter.com/camas-mine-doniphan-id/Tue, 20 Apr 2021 03:08:41 +0000http://minespotter.com/camas-mine-doniphan-id/The Camas gold and silver mine is located in Doniphan. This mine consists of some concrete structures, metal and wood artifacts. This mine was active in the late 1800s and then again in the 1940s. This mine is remote but had a lot of graffiti and recent trash.http://minespotter.com/democrat-mine-hailey-id/Mon, 19 Apr 2021 20:45:42 +0000http://minespotter.com/democrat-mine-hailey-id/Democrat Mine is a silver and lead mine outside of Hailey. The mine consists mainly of a group of large tailing piles. There are are some metal and wood artifacts to be found. There is a gate at the base of the mining road up to the mine but I saw no “No Trespassing” signs.http://minespotter.com/whale-silver-mine-hailey-id/Tue, 13 Apr 2021 17:48:53 +0000http://minespotter.com/whale-silver-mine-hailey-id/The Whale Silver Mine is located outside of Hailey in Bullion Gulch. The mine is mostly a tailing pile and very near the Eureka Mine. It does have a collapsed building north of the tailing pile.http://minespotter.com/independence-gold-mine-sun-valley-id/Thu, 08 Apr 2021 21:35:03 +0000http://minespotter.com/independence-gold-mine-sun-valley-id/The Independence gold mine is located outside of Sun Valley and down Independence Gulch. The mine consists of numerous mining roads, tailing piles, metal and wood artifacts. There is a entrance to a mine shaft but it was still buried in snow when I visited. There is also an old trailed with some shelves. It’s be shot at a lot.http://minespotter.com/arizona-group-mine-hailey-id-3/Sun, 04 Apr 2021 22:46:32 +0000http://minespotter.com/arizona-group-mine-hailey-id-3/The Arizona Group is a silver, lead and copper mine outside of Hailey. I visited this mine in the winter but it was much better when the snow melted. There are quite a few large tailing piles. There are also many metal artifacts lying around. There are also some old brick and wood structures that have collapsed. We didn’t see any open mine shafts. Directions This mine is located down Croy Creek Canyon west of Hailey.http://minespotter.com/hornsilver-mine-era-id/Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:06:47 +0000http://minespotter.com/hornsilver-mine-era-id/The Hornsilver mine is a large, open pit silver and gold mine in the Arco desert. There are two large pits, a runoff pond and an old building from the original mine. The area appears very polluted with heavy metals and there are numerous signs posted warning to not drink or go in the water. It’s an easy hike from the road up to the pit. It smelled like sulphur.http://minespotter.com/allen-mine-ketchum-id/Fri, 02 Apr 2021 23:42:41 +0000http://minespotter.com/allen-mine-ketchum-id/The Allen Mine a gold, silver, lead and copper mine outside of Ketchum. The mine consists of several tailings piles that you can see from Warm Springs Road. There were some wood and metal artifacts lying about. I found a piece of a Fairbanks and Co Lard Compound tin. Pretty neat. This mine has a fantastic view of the Pioneer Mountains. Directions This mine is located about 900 feet above Warm Springs Road outside of Ketchum.http://minespotter.com/tom-boy-prospect-hailey-id/Fri, 02 Apr 2021 01:48:05 +0000http://minespotter.com/tom-boy-prospect-hailey-id/The Tom Boy Prospect is located outside Hailey down Croy Creek Canyon. It’s an easy walk from the Carbonate Mountain Trailhead. The mine site is mostly some old tailing piles. I did spot some metal artifacts. It has a great view of the Wood River Valley and Croy Creek Canyon. Directions Park at the Carbonate Mountain Trailhead and head up the mountain. I took the straight shot up the gulch but you can zig zag to make it less steep.http://minespotter.com/red-hornet-mine-hailey-id/Tue, 30 Mar 2021 22:17:53 +0000http://minespotter.com/red-hornet-mine-hailey-id/The Red Hornet mine is a silver mine located outside of Hailey down Rock Creek Road. The mine consists of several tailings piles and a few collapsed openings. One of the mine opening structures is still visible. There are a lot of wood and metal artifacts laying around.http://minespotter.com/edres-mine-bellevue-id/Sun, 28 Mar 2021 19:10:17 +0000http://minespotter.com/edres-mine-bellevue-id/The Edres Mine is a lead and silver mine located down Townsend Gulch outside of Bellevue. The mine entrance is still visible and with bars preventing entrance into the mine. There are lot’s of metal and wood artifacts lying around. The tailing piles are visible from pretty far away.http://minespotter.com/banner-mine-lowman-id/Sat, 27 Mar 2021 02:58:21 +0000http://minespotter.com/banner-mine-lowman-id/Banner Mine is located outside of Lowman. The mine is mostly just a large tailing pile. We walked about 3 miles from the Elkhorn Yurt in the winter. I would not recommend this as a way for most people to access this mine. There was considerable avalanche danger and required some route finding to get there safely. In the summer, you will be able to access this mine directly from the road at the base of the mine.http://minespotter.com/homestake-gold-occurrence-stanley-id/Wed, 17 Mar 2021 01:06:49 +0000http://minespotter.com/homestake-gold-occurrence-stanley-id/The Homestake Gold Occurrence is located down Little Casino Creek. You can access the trailhead from Casino Creek Campground. There is a small private residence right before you reach the mine. It was still very snowy when we went and I was not able to make it to the mine itself. I could see a yellow sign on the ridge above the trail. Directions Depending on the time of year, you will either park on highway 75 and walk in (winter) or park at the Casino Creek Campground and Little Casino Creek trailhead.http://minespotter.com/nip-and-tuck-creek-placer-stanley-id/Sat, 13 Mar 2021 17:22:12 +0000http://minespotter.com/nip-and-tuck-creek-placer-stanley-id/The Nip and Tuck Creek Placer is located just outside Lower Stanley. You can walk to it from in town. There is some evidence of excavation on the eastern side of the road but there aren’t really any visible artifacts. We did see some elk grazing on the ridge.http://minespotter.com/eureka-hailey-id/Sun, 07 Mar 2021 20:25:47 +0000http://minespotter.com/eureka-hailey-id/Exposed mine shaft! Use extreme caution! The Eureka Mine is located in Bullion Gulch outside of Hailey. The mine has many collapsed structures and one standing building. The mine also has an exposed mine shaft. I dropped a rock into the shaft and never heard it hit the bottom. Use extreme caution when visiting this mine. There are large tailing piles on either side of the road. There are lot’s of artifacts scattered around the area.http://minespotter.com/lee-gulch-prospect-bellevue-id/Sat, 06 Mar 2021 20:14:28 +0000http://minespotter.com/lee-gulch-prospect-bellevue-id/The Lee Gulch Prospect is located inside Lee Gulch just out of Bellevue. The mine consists of a couple of tailing piles as well as some old mine artifacts. We found both metal and wood pieces near the larger, lower tailing pile. There are some cool cacti growing on the lower tailing pile. It’s not very common to see cacti around here. Directions You can access this mine by parking on Townsend Gulch road near the entrance of Lee Gulch Road.http://minespotter.com/telluride-lead-zinc-prospect-bellevue-id/Sat, 06 Mar 2021 20:06:11 +0000http://minespotter.com/telluride-lead-zinc-prospect-bellevue-id/The Telluride Lead-zinc Prospect is located in Bellevue right off of Townsend Gulch Road. It’s clearly visible from the road and a very short walk in. There is an old mining road that goes up to the mine entrance. There is steel door that covers the opening. Directions You can access this mine by driving west out of Bellevue down Broadford Road. Once on Townsend Gulch Road, park near the turn off for Lee Gulch Road.http://minespotter.com/star-mine-hailey-id/Sun, 28 Feb 2021 19:57:11 +0000http://minespotter.com/star-mine-hailey-id/Star Mine is located in Star Gulch outside of Hailey. It’s somewhat accessible in winter. I took a long hike from Colorado Gulch Road over to Star Mine. You’ll pass the Colorado Gulch Leach Plant on the way to this mine. There are visible tailing piles and a lot of mining roads in this mine. This mine will likely be a better one to check out in the summer. Directionshttp://minespotter.com/wood-river-placer-mine-sun-valley-id/Sat, 27 Feb 2021 21:13:32 +0000http://minespotter.com/wood-river-placer-mine-sun-valley-id/This Wood River placer mine is located right off of highway 75 and just south of Galena Lodge. There isn’t really anything to see at this mine since a placer mine usually is just sifting through sand and rocks. This particular mine is located in a very beautiful valley and is a popular backcountry ski destination. We followed skin tracks. You will need snow shows to walk to this mine. Videohttp://minespotter.com/mccoy-gold-mine-hailey-id/Wed, 24 Feb 2021 23:38:44 +0000http://minespotter.com/mccoy-gold-mine-hailey-id/The Mccoy Gold mine is located west of Hailey in Croy Canyon and down Rock Creek. It’s located on the hillside near a popular bouldering destination. The mining scars are visible from Rock Creek Road. This was accessible in the winter but will likely require snow shoes to access. We were treated to a symphony of coyotes on our way up to the mine. I didn’t quite walk up to the tailing piles but will next summer.http://minespotter.com/lucky-coin-mine-sun-valley-id/Wed, 24 Feb 2021 18:00:54 +0000http://minespotter.com/lucky-coin-mine-sun-valley-id/The Lucky Coin gold mine is located outside of Sun Valley down Independence Gulch. The mine is accessible in the winter when snow conditions are low because the southerly slope, although steep, will be minimally covered. I made it to the mine gate but the skin track ended and I didn’t bring snow shoes to make it further into the mine site. Although there is a gate there were weren’t any “no trespassing” signs.http://minespotter.com/fifty-fifty-claim-hailey-id/Tue, 23 Feb 2021 17:08:38 +0000http://minespotter.com/fifty-fifty-claim-hailey-id/The Fifty-Fifty Claim is a small mine on the southern end of Hailey. There is a small tailing pile visible from the lower trail and a collapsed mine entrance. It’s accessible in the winter when there is little snow due to its southern aspect. The mine has a great view of the south valley. Directions This mine is located off of Toe of the Hill trail between Hailey and Bellevue. From the Water Gulch trailhead, head south on Toe of the Hill towards the light industrial zone at the very south end of Hailey.http://minespotter.com/commodore-property-hailey-id/Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:35:57 +0000http://minespotter.com/commodore-property-hailey-id/This lead, silver and zinc mine is found out Croy Creek west of Hailey. There isn’t much to see in the winter besides an old fence. It has a great view of the surrounding valley. Video Directions This mine is located west of Hailey down Croy Creek Road. You will need to park at the turn out at the base of Colorado Gulch Road and walk west on the hiking trail until you reach the property.http://minespotter.com/bellevue-mine-bellevue-id/Sun, 21 Feb 2021 19:52:13 +0000http://minespotter.com/bellevue-mine-bellevue-id/This small mine is nestled in some trees at the end of Townsend Gulch Road. In visible in the winter but completely covered in snow and obscured by trees. We saw a large elk heard near the bottom of Townsend Gulch. Directions You can access this mine by driving out Broadford Road to Lower Broadford Road west of 75 in Bellevue. Townsend Gulch Road is plowed until the last house and you’ll need to walk about 1.http://minespotter.com/arizona-group-mine-hailey-id-2/Sat, 20 Feb 2021 19:51:37 +0000http://minespotter.com/arizona-group-mine-hailey-id-2/This was my second attempt to get to the Arizona Group Mine. I was a little better prepared with a plan and some snow shoes this time. I reached the mine by traveling up the valley rather than taking the mining road to avoid avalanche danger. There is a lot of trash near this mine. An old busted up trailer and many blue barrels labelled corrosive can be found along the way.http://minespotter.com/unnamed-lead-mine-triumph-id/Thu, 18 Feb 2021 22:18:55 +0000http://minespotter.com/unnamed-lead-mine-triumph-id/This little mine is located out Triumph Gulch. The tailing piles are clearly visible on either side of the road. They were totally snow covered in winter. There is a great view of the mountain south of this mine. Directions This mine is located east of highway 75 between Hailey and Ketchum down East Fork Road. You will reach Triumph Gulch before the town of Triumph. In the winter, the road to the mine is not plowed and you will need to walk.http://minespotter.com/silver-strike-mine-bellevue-id/Wed, 17 Feb 2021 17:49:14 +0000http://minespotter.com/silver-strike-mine-bellevue-id/This mine is located right off of Slaughterhouse Creek Road and easily visible. There is a large tailing pile near road with several other small piles up the mountainside. The southern aspect was free of snow. The large tailing pile still has an opening with a pipe and bars covering it. There are some wood and metal artifacts at the base of the tailing pile. We saw a large herd of deer up the mountain from the mine.http://minespotter.com/bald-eagle-mine-sun-valley-id/Tue, 16 Feb 2021 17:31:04 +0000http://minespotter.com/bald-eagle-mine-sun-valley-id/This mine is located down Parker Gulch east of the Elkhorn neighborhood. The mine is located pretty much on the road and was accessible in the winter. You can see the tailing piles from the road and easily access the collapsed mine entrances. The dog had a hard time with the depth of the snow. There was a very large bird nest in the tree by this mine. I like to think it was a bald eagle nest.http://minespotter.com/little-hilman-prospect-hailey-id/Mon, 15 Feb 2021 19:44:30 +0000http://minespotter.com/little-hilman-prospect-hailey-id/This small prospect is located out Croy Creek west of Hailey. The tailing piles are visible from the road and accessible via Democrat Gulch. Due to the southernly aspect and limited snow, the mine was accessible in the winter. It was actively snowing when I went and had to use snow shoes through the field and up to the mine. There were three tailing piles with collapsed mine entrances at each.http://minespotter.com/arizona-group-mine-hailey-id/Sun, 14 Feb 2021 20:12:20 +0000http://minespotter.com/arizona-group-mine-hailey-id/Mine spotting is difficult in the winter. This mine is located out west of Hailey down Bullion Gulch. The road to the mine is clearly visible even in the winter. I attempted to climb up to the mine but with the amount of snow and the considerable avalanche danger on the northern aspect, I decided to turn around. I did get a peek at an abandoned RV as well as the road that traverses the mountainside up to the mine site.http://minespotter.com/map/Sun, 14 Feb 2021 16:33:06 +0000http://minespotter.com/map/I have visited 98 mines, mining towns, ghost towns, dredges and cemeteries.http://minespotter.com/about/Sat, 13 Feb 2021 21:11:31 +0000http://minespotter.com/about/This blog is a collection of mines and mine related locations I’ve visited. I used to live in the Wood River Valley which was established in the late 1800s due to a mining boom. It’s now a vacation destination with the iconic Sun Valley Resort. This is where I developed my interest in mining history and abandoned mines. I now live in Madison, Wisconsin but still like to visit mines when I can.http://minespotter.com/imperial-group-mine-hailey-id/Tue, 20 Oct 2020 15:31:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/imperial-group-mine-hailey-id/Imperial Group Mine in Imperial Gulch. A cool structure is still standing. A gate with a no trespassing sign prevents you from getting to the mine. Directions Between Hailey and Ketchum down Greenhorn Gulch Road. Turn left down Imperial Gulch forest road and part to the side. Walk about 15 minutes down the road. More Information The Diggingshttp://minespotter.com/memorial-silver-prospect-hailey-id/Mon, 19 Oct 2020 15:41:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/memorial-silver-prospect-hailey-id/The Memorial Silver Prospect is a small mine that is visible from highway 75. There are a couple openings covered by iron bars. Easily accessible from Toe of the Hill trail.http://minespotter.com/little-boulder-creek-deposit-clayton-id/Sat, 18 Jul 2020 20:03:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/little-boulder-creek-deposit-clayton-id/This mine is buried deep in the White Clouds Wilderness. It’s accessible via horseback or foot. It’s at the base of Castle Peek. While the small structure that’s left is interesting, it pales in comparison to the surrounding wilderness. Directions The upper building is a bit hard to find. The easiest way to locate this is to start at the Baker Lake campground. Continue through the campground and up the old logging or mining road.http://minespotter.com/custer-ghost-town-custer-id/Sat, 04 Jul 2020 19:34:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/custer-ghost-town-custer-id/The Custer Ghost Town is located past the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge. It was established as a mining town in 1877. It is now a museum that contains many artifacts from the era.http://minespotter.com/sunbeam-mine-custer-id/Sat, 04 Jul 2020 19:19:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/sunbeam-mine-custer-id/There is an active open-pit mining operation on the edge of the Frank Church Wilderness of No Return. It’s located past the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge up Loon Creek. You get the best view of the operation from the top of the winding switch back near the Loon Creek Summit.http://minespotter.com/bonanza-ghost-town-bonanza-id/Fri, 03 Jul 2020 19:40:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/bonanza-ghost-town-bonanza-id/The Bonanza Ghost Town is located just south of the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge. It provided a place to stay for people working the dredge. It still has several of the old log cabins and a graveyard.http://minespotter.com/yankee-fork-gold-dredge-bonanza-id/Fri, 03 Jul 2020 16:03:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/yankee-fork-gold-dredge-bonanza-id/A retired gold dredge that has been turned into a museum near the Bonanza ghost town. You can get a tour in the summer and go inside. It’s very interesting and worth the drive.http://minespotter.com/galena-pioneer-cemetery-ketchum-id/Sun, 21 Jun 2020 20:12:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/galena-pioneer-cemetery-ketchum-id/The Galena Pioneer Cemetery is located near the Galena Lodge north of Ketchum. The original founders of the mining town are buried here. Directions Drive north of Ketchum on Highway 75. Right before you reach Galena Lodge, you will see a sign for the cemetery. You can park on the side of the road and hike up the old dirt road to the cemetery at the top of the hill.http://minespotter.com/betty-jean-prospect-hailey-id/Sun, 03 May 2020 19:54:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/betty-jean-prospect-hailey-id/The Betty Jean Prospect is a small mine out Quigley Gulch. There is mostly just remnants of an old structure and a couple of mine entrances. Directions To access this mine, you will need to travel about 2 miles down Quigley Gulch road. Once the road begins to turn to your right, you will need to park and walk into Deadman Gulch. The mine is up and to the left as you follow the trail.http://minespotter.com/bullion-silver-mine-hailey-id/Sat, 25 Apr 2020 20:19:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/bullion-silver-mine-hailey-id/The Bullion Silver Mine is located down Croy Creek Road, west of Hailey. There is a large tailings pile and some concrete structures left at the mine site. Directions This mine is easy to find. You can head east out of Hailey on Croy Creek Road until you reach Bullion Gulch. Turn right and head up the road. You’ll see a large tailings pile on your left. More Information Bullion Silver Minehttp://minespotter.com/colorado-gulch-leach-plant-hailey-id/Sat, 18 Apr 2020 23:48:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/colorado-gulch-leach-plant-hailey-id/This mine is located outside Hailey in Colorado Gulch. There are some tailings and pieces of a structure remain. Directions You’ll need to access this via Croy Creek Road. Head west out of Hailey and turn left on Colorado Gulch Road. Park at the turn out before the road turns to dirt and hike up and over on the road. When you get to the other side, the mine will be below you.http://minespotter.com/roadside-lead-prospect-bellevue-id/Wed, 08 Apr 2020 20:25:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/roadside-lead-prospect-bellevue-id/There is a small tailings pile and a rusty car right on the side of Slaughterhouse Road. You can easily spot this by driving or biking down the road. It’s located to your left. Directions Head east out of Bellevue down Slaughterhouse Road. You will encounter the tailings pile and rusty metal to your left. More Information Roadside Lead Prospecthttp://minespotter.com/silver-wing-mine-bellevue-id/Mon, 06 Apr 2020 23:21:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/silver-wing-mine-bellevue-id/This is a small mine in Slaughterhouse Canyon. It’s easily accessible in the summer. There is a nice path right up to the mine from the main path on the valley floor. Directions From highway 75, drive east out Slaughterhouse Canyon. If you don’t want to drive on the dirt road, park at the turnout right after the pavement ends. You can walk from the turn out over to the path that leads up to the mine.http://minespotter.com/unnamed-lead-adit-hailey-id/Mon, 23 Mar 2020 22:47:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/unnamed-lead-adit-hailey-id/This small mine is down Deer Creek Road west of Hailey. It’s up the hill to the north of the road with visible road scarring. The mine is small but the road seems to keep going. It may go over to the other side. Directions When driving north on highway 75 from Hailey, you will take a left on Deer Creek Road. Head down the road until it turns to dirt and park.http://minespotter.com/democrat-gulch-prospect-hailey-id/Sat, 14 Mar 2020 20:30:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/democrat-gulch-prospect-hailey-id/The Democrat Gulch Prospect is down Democrat Gulch road. You can drive most of the way there and then walk up the hill to find old railroad tracks and scrap metal. Directions Head out of Hailey down Croy Creek Road. Turn right on Democrat Gulch road and drive past Lambs Gulch. You can choose to park at Lambs Gulch trailhead and walk down the rest of the way. More Informationhttp://minespotter.com/liberty-gem-mine-hailey-id/Sun, 01 Mar 2020 20:39:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/liberty-gem-mine-hailey-id/The Liberty Gem Mine is located down Croy Creek Road outside of Hailey. It still has several structures standing and even has a well established fence to keep you out.http://minespotter.com/unknown-mine-glenwood-springs-co/Sun, 17 Mar 2019 20:41:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/unknown-mine-glenwood-springs-co/On our backcountry ski\snowshoe trip we encountered this unknown mine.http://minespotter.com/triumph-silver-mine-triumph-id/Sat, 03 Nov 2018 20:45:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/triumph-silver-mine-triumph-id/The Triumph Mine is located between Hailey and Ketchum. It operated as late as the 1950s. Many artifacts from the mine are clearly visible as you drive down East Fork Road. The mine is a bit of a natural disaster as it still continues to leak heavy metals into the ground water.http://minespotter.com/boulder-city-ghost-town-ketchum-id/Sun, 07 Oct 2018 20:54:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/boulder-city-ghost-town-ketchum-id/The Boulder City Ghost town and mine is located in the Boulder Basic north of Ketchum. It has numerous structures and many mining artifacts. It’s a popular place for snowmobiles and ATVs.http://minespotter.com/rawhide-silver-zinc-prospect-hailey-id/Sat, 06 Oct 2018 21:03:00 +0000http://minespotter.com/rawhide-silver-zinc-prospect-hailey-id/The Rawhide SIlver-zinc Prospect is located in Colorado Gulch outside of Hailey. There are some existing artifacts left behind as well as a big tailings pile.