Old Hundred Mine - Silverton, Colorado

Many of us have no idea what it means to mine for gold but The Old Hundred Mine Tour takes you deep within the earth and allows visitors to actually experience what it was like to be in the heart of a hard rock mine.

Fifty Miles North of Durango in Silverton, Colorado sits Old Hundred Mine. Open daily from May 15^th to October 5^th, every member of your traveling group can enjoy a guided tour of Old Hundred Mine.

This one-hour tour takes visitors 1/3 of a mile into an authentic hard rock mine. Guides walk you through original tunnels and show visitors exactly how hard rock gold mining was done.

Miners are your guides, these retired miners make fantastic guides for green visitors since they have actually worked in the local mines in the past, will demonstrate vintage mining tools such as the Ingersoll-Rand Drill and jack-leg drills. Learn how the blasting was performed to make tunnels that led parallel to the ground and shafts that shoot right up through the mountaintop to the light above. See the lifts that took miners to the surface. See the mucking machines and slushers work right before your eyes.

After your tour be sure to stop and take a few moments to pan for some gold or silver. We took the time, even though it was very cold that day, and actually panned some great silver from the panning area.

Once you are done viewing and learning about the gold and silver mining in this area be sure to return to the town of Silverton and visit the attractions and original historic buildings. See the Silverton Jail, Mining Museum, and the Mayflower Gold Mill and watch the steam engine pull the Durango train into the station.

Scenic Train Rides take travelers from Durango & Silverton on a narrow gauge railroad through the Rocky Mountains. This is an all day trip and prices run between $81.00 to $139.00 with a choice of riding from Durango to Silverton and then back to Durango by train or by bus or riding from Silverton to Durango by taking the bus up to Silverton and returning by train.

This is a great trip for the photographer that lives in each traveler. However, if you chose to do the Durango/Silverton Train there will not be enough time to view the Silverton area or visit the Old Hundred Mine and that will be another trip to be taken by car.

If taking the train is on the agenda travelers may wish to book the trip up from Durango and spend the night in historic Silverton and return to Durango the following day.