Just a short, 15-minute drive on winding dirt roads from the historic downtown of Silverton, Colorado, lies a portal to the past: the Old Hundred Gold Mine Tour. While Silverton itself is a testament to the region’s mining heritage, this tour offers a truly unique experience, taking you into the heart of the Galena Mountain to see and feel what life was like for the miners who worked here.
I paid my $30 adult ticket and was immediately struck by the intimacy of the experience. My tour group was small—just three parties and a total of about eight and a half people—making for a perfectly personalized adventure. We each picked a bright yellow raincoat and a hard hat, standard issue for anyone venturing into the dark and dripping world of the mine. As a nice touch, our guide, George, took individual group photos at the mine’s entrance, capturing our pre-tour excitement on our own devices.
Our guide, George, was the real star of the show. With years of experience working in mines, including a bit of time in this very one, he was an absolute wealth of knowledge. His passion for the subject was palpable, and his ability to answer any and all questions was unparalleled. He didn’t just recite facts; he spoke with the authority of someone who had lived the life, offering a powerful, firsthand account of the brutal reality of mine work.
The tour began with a short electric powered mine train ride that took us a third of a mile deep into the mountain’s cavity. The air grew cool and damp—a constant 58 degrees Fahrenheit—though my jeans and light jacket were more than enough to stay comfortable. The darkness of the tunnel and the occasional drips of water on our hard hats heightened our senses, priming us for the history we were about to absorb.
We disembarked and followed George on a fascinating walk to about six different stops. He fully described and demonstrated how the mine operated throughout its history starting in 1872 with the Neigold brothers, from the backbreaking manual labor of early days to the deafening power of modern pneumatic drills. George mentioned it was a two man team, two men would essentially work together doing all the different parts – from breaking down the rock through hauling it out. He demonstrated some of the equipment, and hearing how loud some of the equipment was in that confined space was mind-boggling; I can’t imagine working in such an environment for hours on end, day after day. It gave me a profound new level of respect for the sheer grit and determination of those miners.
George painted a vivid and grueling picture of their lifestyle: the difficult, dangerous work; the long hours; and the meager salaries that often barely supported their families. He explained the geology of the mountain, describing how miners would follow the “veins” of ore. Despite its name, this particular mine was not, in fact, profitable for gold after the initial strike on the mountain’s surface. It yielded some silver and quartz, but not in quantities or quality sufficient to cover the immense costs of extraction. The mine’s name itself, “Old Hundred,” is a historical nod, often linked to an old hymn, and a testament to the hopes and dreams of its original founders.
This tour was more than just a ride into a cave; it was a deep dive into the human element of the Colorado Gold Rush. It was an unfiltered look at a brutal, dangerous, and demanding profession that built much of the West. Thanks to George’s expert guidance, I left with a much clearer understanding of the challenges of mining and a profound respect for the men and women who risked everything to do it. It was a powerful, and humbling, piece of living history. If you are in town and looking for something to do (even on a rainy day) this was worth the entrance fee.
After the tour we spent about 20 minutes panning for silver, gold, copper, colored agate. While they put the gems and minerals into the sand — it is still fun enough to do for a little bit and was included in the ticket price.
Here is a short 13 minute video of the drive down from the Mine to town.